– The latest edition of Steve Austin’s “Steve Austin Show” podcast, which features a new interview with ECW original Tommy Dreamer, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

SASu – EP132 – Tommy Dreamer Pt 1

“Tommy Dreamer, the Innovator of Violence, talks about his favorite wrestler, Dusty Rhodes; his original name idea “Tommy Acid”; building his wrestling promotion House of Hardcore; his snoring buddy Bubba Ray Dudley of the Dudley Boyz; his original childhood dream; the tag team he turned down; and ECW & Violence!”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com

– The latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which features a new interview with WWE Superstar Christian, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

TIJ – EP54 – WWE’s Christian

“Christian, Y2J’s former tag team partner and traveling partner, has plenty to say about his early days in WWE with childhood friend Edge, paying his debts (literally!), tag teams, performing nearly-naked, working at a sawmill, transitioning to singles, his time in TNA, his return to WWE, and ‘Creepy Little Bastard.'”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross noted in a recent blog on his official website that WWE’s decision to postpone the filming of the return season of Tough Enough ended up resulting in he and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin delaying some plans they had to work together.

Ross and Austin were reportedly looking to debut a two-man show together in Las Vegas, Nevada, an act that was actually supposed to debut this past weekend in conjunction with UFC 175. The deal ended up falling through due to some separate commitments that Austin had, ones that ended up falling through.

There is talk that JR and “Stone Cold” could end up teaming up for a two-man show in San Jose, California for WrestleMania 31, or possibly other markets.

Speaking of JR, he is finished with his one-man shows until 2015, as he is working on his autobiography. While the WWE Hall Of Fame announcer has yet to secure a publishing deal, he has started work on the project with Scott Williams, a writer who has worked on books for “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, “Cowboy” Bill Watts and Terry Funk in the past.

WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin spoke to Chris Hughes of Brighthouse Sports Network last week to promote his new Broken Skull Challenge show on CMT.

During the interview, Austin talked about WWE writers over-scripting promos for wrestlers and how it prevents the talent from finding their identities and connecting with the audience.

“I disagree with (scripting). I think the nature of a promo has to come from your heart and your guts and you have to mean everything that you’re saying. Now is the perfect time to go back to that formula.”

“You learn to sink or swim. And guys and gals will start to learn to swim again. That’s what’s going to make the product feel more organic, more spontaneous and more real.”

Comment below and tell us if you agree with Austin’s viewpoint.

– Steve Austin’s new “Broken Skull Challenge” reality show premieres tonight at 8pm EST. on CMT.

– Chris Jericho’s “Codebreaker” move is featured on the latest edition of WWE’s “30 Second Fury,” which you can check out below.

CMT recently issued the following:

FIREWORKS FLY WHEN CMT’S NEWEST COMPETITION SERIES, “STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE,” PREMIERES THIS SUNDAY, JULY 6

This Fourth of July weekend, Americans will be celebrating all things red, white and blue with beer, burgers, and some friendly competition by way of horseshoes and cornhole. So nothing says “America” like when wrestling icon Steve Austin kicks the competition up a notch with his new, badass competition series, STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE, premiering Sunday, July 6 at 8 p.m. EST/PST on CMT.

The 10-episode series pits elite athletes against everyday men and women in the ultimate test of strength, stamina and wit. Each episode features eight contestants in head-to-head battles until the last man or woman standing earns the right to take on the toughest obstacle course in America created by Austin himself, the “Skullbuster,” for a chance to win cash.

In the first episode, there is no shortage of adrenaline as eight men battle for the win in Trench Warfare, The Pulverizer, and The Junkyard. If they lose, they leave. Austin’s rules are fair, and competitors are quick to learn that even those with the most physical power may not be a match against pure determination. In the end, only one athlete will make it to the Skullbuster and even then, there are no guarantees he will complete it.

Fans can join the conversation on the series’s official Facebook page and follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #BrokenSkullChallenge. Follow Austin at @steveaustinBSR on Twitter

Check out a video preview above.

If video fails, click here.

There is said to be a feeling in WWE that the reason behind the recent increase in eye poke injuries during matches is because the company has been pushing talent to become more aggressive in the ring.

The popular opinion is that this has resulted in many people rushing their work, which leads to added sloppiness during matches, ultimately resulting in more eye pokes, potato shots, black eyes, concussions and things like separated shoulders.

It’s also being said that talent was recently told to work with the idea of barely missing on their strikes. The feeling is that throwing hard, fast strikes and just missing is leading to an increase in injuries.

The following are highlights of a new Inside The Ropes UK interview with Steve Austin:

On Vince Russo’s influence on the Attitude Era: “I think he had a great contribution to the Attitude Era. When I was talking to him on my podcast, we got into some heavy stuff. You know he didn’t do too well in WCW, he didn’t do so well in TNA and that’s where I think the criticism comes from. I always thought that Vince Russo was at his best when he was presenting his ideas to a guy like Vince McMahon who is very grounded with the basic fundamentals and psychology of professional wrestling. So Vince Russo could take him out of his box a little bit and then Vince McMahon could keep Russo’s ideas grounded so they all make sense. I say that with all due respect to Vince Russo, he’s gonna come back on my podcast and he’ll talk about those WCW and TNA says. But no doubt he left an indelible mark on the Attitude Era and I had a blast working with the guy. I believe that when he speaks, he speaks from the heart.”

On his neck injury in 1997 and Daniel Bryan’s current injury: “Well you know when I got dropped on my head (in 1997), I bruised my spinal cord and has some stenosis, so i didn’t need the surgery right away, I just needed to rest my neck. Then when I got back in the ring some bone spurs pressed against the spinal cord and that’s where the real danger was and I had to get the surgery. Which of course is an entirely different situation to Daniel Bryan who had minimally invasive surgery. For me, I was able to maintain a television presence, stay a part of the story lines then when I got back in the ring, started doing tags, six mans just to keep me in front of the crowd, keep drawing the houses but to protect me. Once I started getting hot and was able to overcome that thing that happened to me, it only made people buy into Stone Cold Steve Austin more. So it’ll be interesting to see what happens with Daniel Bryan. Will he have to change his work style? What will the crowd do when he comes back? I hope that they accept him with open arms and I hope they have some great story lines or angles to get him back the level that he was or even higher if that’s possible.”

Check out the complete interview at Facebook.com/theinsidenetwork.

– Shawn Michaels’ “MacMillan River Adventures” show is scheduled to return tonight at 11:30pm EST. on the Outdoor Channel. For more information on the show, visit OutdoorChannel.com.

– The latest edition of Steve Austin’s “Steve Austin Show” podcast, which features part two of an exclusive interview with Vince Russo, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

SASc – EP129 – Vince Russo Pt 2

“Vince Russo returns to the Steve Austin Show! He gives a detailed, inside look at the Montreal Screw Job, what it was like working with Stone Cold and for good ole JR, and what he thinks about today’s WWE product. Plus, hear Vince’s very emotional recounting of the night Owen Hart died.”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

The following are highlights of a new Miami Herald interview with Steve Austin:

The concept for his new show: “I loved doing ‘Redneck Island,’ but there is a lot of drama on the show and how you get voted off the island is actually a vote. I wanted a competition show that involved challenges, and when you leave the ranch, it’s because you lose something. So that’s how the original concept was born. Through my body of work as the ‘Toughest S.O.B. in WWF’ and the Broken Skull Ranch, one of the toughest places in Texas, the ultimate thing was to have a competition show on my ranch with the baddest and toughest athletes in the United States. We came up with the concept of three rounds of competition with eight people and end up with one. Next day that one takes on my obstacle course called the “Skullbuster”. We drew from the world of CrossFit, Spartan racers, Tough Mudder, MMA (mixed martial arts) and pro wrestling. We’ve got some of the best athletes in the United States doing head-to-head competition at my place, and that’s what I like, a tough, no BS competition. No frills. Nothing fancy.”

Now being an exciting time for WWE fans: “For a period there was a pretty good gap of great new talent that was going to be able to sell tickets. With The Shield and the Wyatt’s, Cesaro and a couple of other guys, they’re going to move the needle. It’s refreshing. I remember back in the day when I was still around. John Cena is a very good friend of mind and has been a top guy for 10 years. I have so much respect for him, but their houses have kind of fallen off. I want the business to go back to the way it was when we were selling out every night. I think with this new depth of talent they have rising out of the ranks of NXT, developing these new stars. They continue to gain more momentum and get the business where it was back in the day.”

The Shield splitting up: “I wanted them to remain together for a little bit longer. So at some point they would have had to fly on their own, and they chose the time to do that. I don’t know if it’s a lack of depth. I know they have a lot of guys on the roster, but guys that are going to be these potential superstars are few and far between. They are the ones booking it, so we will see how it unfolds. Was it premature or not? I would have liked to see them stay together longer, maybe about three to six months.”

The WWE World Heavyweight Title situation: “Triple H has had it enough. Cena has had it enough. You need a fresh face, so you might as well take advantage of a bad situation, which is Daniel Bryan’s neck and make a new superstar. With Cesaro having [Paul] Heyman in his corner, he would be a great choice because of Heyman’s advice. His credibility, Cesaro’s in-ring ability speaks for itself. He is going to be a badass. Bray Wyatt I like as a heel even though the crowd is trying to switch him to babyface. Really, I don’t know. Maybe Roman Reigns is my favorite to take that belt. I think the crowd is ready to get behind him. He’s missing a little bit of his game, but he is going to be a mega star very quickly. So either way you go with that, I think it’s going to be fine. It’s put up or shut up, and you have to take the football and run with it. I think whichever guy gets that belt, he will do that….”

“I’m just wondering if Brock Lesnar is going to come in there and smoke whoever has the belt and then have a monster run until WrestleMania next year. Then drop the belt to somebody who is really good at carrying it. So will this guy be a sacrificial lamb or will they give them a run with the belt? I just want Daniel Bryan to get well because he was coming into some good money working on top and worked his ass to get there. He has been around a long time at the lower level. Now he is at the top of WWE. I just want his neck to get well, so he can continue making money and be the top guy because he earned it.”

Check out the complete interview at MiamiHerald.com.

The following are highlights of a recent TribLive.com interview with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin:

Tell me about “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge” debuting on July 6 on CMT. It sounds like redneck Cross-fit.

Austin: The idea of this show was born off of “Redneck Island.” That’s a competition show, but you’re voted off. There’s a lot of drama. I love that show. While we’re doing that, I was thinking to myself there’s gotta be another show that’s straight-up competition. Just through all my athletic endeavors, whether it’s football, baseball, track and field or the ranks of professional wrestling — I’m an extremely competitive person. I wanted to set the table for athletes to come to my ranch, compete against each other. No drama, well there’s drama, there’s some injury, there’s some storylines, but it’s all about the competition. Each week, eight athletes come to my place and at the end of the day, one is left standing. That one person takes on my obstacle course which is called the “Skull Buster” the next day. When I designed the “Skull Buster” I designed it to whip a man’s ass. You better be a badass to come to my ranch and beat my course.

Just a few days ago was the 18-year anniversary of the Austin 3:16 speech . Does it feel like it was 18 years? And I guess a little thanks always has to go to Jake Roberts, who you were cutting the promo on, and religion was such a big part of his deal because without him, Austin 3:16 may have not been born.

I can’t believe it’s been 18 years. I had so many people send tweets to my Twitter account @SteveAustinBSR, reminding me it was the 18-year anniversary. It was a long time ago. I remember it like it was yesterday. Anytime I’ve ever talked about the birth of Austin 3:16, I’ve always given one of my favorites of all time, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, credit for that. Had it not been for Michael “P.S.” Hayes telling me about the promo when I stepped out of the ambulance that would have never happened either, because I didn’t know. It was just one thing after another that led me to Milwaukee, getting kicked in the mouth by Marc Mero, another thing that set the whole table for me. And let’s go back to the (Madison Square) Garden where the Kliq hugged, because Triple H was going to be the guy who was going to win that event and they put the screws to him. When you look at all the things that had to line up for me to win that event and cut that promo, it was like it was pre-planned.

WWE Network is the new hot thing this year. Have you got to experience the network? With pay-per-views and DVDs going straight to the network, is this going to be a game-changer on a financial standpoint with how guys structure their business?

Obviously this is going to be a big financial changer because you’re not going to get all those buy rates. I’ve had a brief experience with the WWE Network. I signed up for it. I’m not a real gadget guy. I’ve had an iPad for damn near two years, but I hardly ever use it. I put the WWE Network on there, and I typed in certain matches, they didn’t have certain things from NWA or WCW. So I’ve been going more to YouTube. I think they need a little bit more original content. I need to get on there more to familiarize myself with it. One of the things I’ve enjoyed is the old Garden stuff and from World Class (Championship Wrestling). I think it was smart to come out with the network. I think it’s going to catch on more in the next two or three years, and that’s when it will pay off.

Check out the complete interview at TribLive.com.

The following are highlights of a recent Between The Ropes interview with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin:

Which WWE star would have the least difficult time on “The Broken Skull Challenge”: “I think Seth Rollins and Antonio Cesaro might be able to get through the course. But you know, they would have to get through the challenges first and had the competitions and then take on the course. It would be (laughs) very interesting to see Seth Rollins compete against Antonio Cesaro at the Broken Skull Challenge.”

Next mainstream star in WWE: “Whew, that’s a great question. There’s three guys who have big superstars written on them. I think Bray Wyatt is one of them, Cesaro is one of them, but when I got to mention the guy your asking for is Roman Reigns. He happens to be related to The Rock. Good looking kid, damn good worker in the ring, I want to know some more about his promos. But man, if I got to look at the roster right now and say whose my next megastar, his name is Roman Reigns.”

Check out the complete interview at BetweenTheRopes.com.

– The latest edition of Steve Austin’s “Steve Austin Show” podcast, which features an interview with Christopher Daniels and an appearance by Jim Ross, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

SASu – EP128 – ROH’s Christopher Daniels & Good Ole JR

“ROH’s Christopher Daniels aka Curry Man aka Fallen Angel stopped by the studio at 316 Gimmick Street! Hear about ROH’s big PPV event, Christopher’s in-ring style & philosophy, and some of his favorite tag teams including Midnight Express & Rock & Roll Express. Plus, he explains why he Shawn Michaels is his favorite wrestler of all-time. Plus, a surprise (well not anymore) visit from Jim Ross!”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– The latest edition of Jim Ross’ “Ross Report” podcast, which features an interview with Lance Storm, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

TRR – Ep18 – Lance Storm

“Lance Storm is one of the most well-spoken students of the pro-wrestling game, and has gone from being one of the best inside the squared circle to being the best trainer of new talent today…and he’s sharing his knowledge & stories with JR! William Regal, Chris Benoit, CM Punk, Bray Wyatt – all covered!”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– The Bella Twins were at Philadelphia Comic Con over the weekend and took part in a Q&A session with fans in attendance. You can view photos of the appearance here.

– WWE.com has a new feature up looking at 15 of the Greatest Superstar Entrances of all time.

– Today (6/23) marks 18 years since the 1996 King of the Ring, which featured Steve Austin’s infamous “Austin 3:16” speech that changed the course of wrestling history forever.

– Vince Russo will be Steve Austin’s latest Steve Austin Show podcast guest, which drops this Tuesday.

– Zack Ryder did not appear at Saturday ngiht’s WWE Live Event from Long Island, New York, Instead, he was wrestling at the other WWE show in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he lost to Bo Dallas. Ryder tweeted that he was upset he couldn’t perform in front of his home town crowd.

Dolph Ziggler paid tribute to Ryder at Saturday night’s show from Long Island, hitting a Broski Boot and doing his “Woo, Woo, Woo” hand motion during a match against Alberto Del Rio.

– With Sunday’s WWE Money in the Bank pay-per-view taking place from Boston, MA, it’s interesting to note that WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan will be in Boston on Saturday for two live appearances.

– The latest edition of Steve Austin’s “Steve Austin Show Unleashed” podcast, which features an interview with former WWE writer Court Bauer, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

SASu – EP126 – Former WWE Writer & current MLW Radio’s Court Bauer

“Court Bauer, founder of Major League Wrestling (MLW) also worked on the creative team for the WWE for a few years back in the 2000s. He’s got stories about Gary Hart, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes, Ted DiBiase, and Eric Bischoff and the demise of WCW. He and Steve also break down today’s current WWE roster!”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– The latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which features an interview with former WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

TIJ – EP49 – Drew McIntyre

“Drew Galloway also known as former WWE wrestler Drew McIntyre is breaking his silence about his “release” from WWE last week. How’d he take the news & what are his future plans? He tells Chris Jericho! Plus, Drew’s reliving some of his favorite moments & fondest memories of his 8 years with WWE.”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

WWE recently issued the following WWE Network show and theme week concepts to members of their “Fan Council”:

-Divas Week

-Screwjob Week

-The Worst of WWE Week

-ECW Week

-Randy Savage

-C.M. Punk (a week of programming including the “meteoric rise, surprising success, and near instantaneous disappearance from the WWE”)

-SummerSlam Week

-Old School Week

-Best of The Slammy Awards

-Sting (“New interviews unveil the mystery behind the often made-up man…”)

-The Real McMahon: The Definitive Interview

-Stone Cold Week: The Definitive Interview

-Steve Austin (Austin hosts a week of programming)

-The Kliq (including a reunion panel with all five members)

-Monday Night War Week

-Stone Cold Week: The Austin Podcast (televised recording of Austin’s podcast)

Vince Russo is now writing a new monthly column for the “What Culture” website, the first of which is now available. His debut effort is called “10 Things You Didn’t Know About Vince Russo.” Below are some highlights.

Ben Stiller Smoking Weed At RAW!

“When we had Ben Stiller on ‘Raw’, I couldn’t find him to produce the pre-tapes we needed. Where was he? How about smoking the WACY-TABACKY with Road Dog and X-Pac behind the trailers!!!

When we finally found Ben, who was promoting “Mystery Men” at the time, he was more than willing to take on a direct blow to the head courtesy of Double J’s, Jeff Jarrett’s guitar. To this day I don’t know if Ben agreed so willingly because he was a “mark”, or simply still high due to his earlier escapades with Sean Waltman and Brian James.”

Getting Threatened By Goldberg And Shawn Michaels

“I, myself, while never having gotten into an “actual” fight while serving my duties of Head Writer at WWE, WCW and TNA, was actually threatened on not one . . . but, two occasions. The first time was by Shawn Michaels after I cut a promo on him to his friend Triple H, for hijacking the WrestleMania 15 main event by getting into Steve Austin’s ear, who then talked Vince McMahon into changing the three way between him, the Rock and Mick Foley into a two-way, leaving Mick the odd man out. And, also a few years later by Bill Goldberg who was not happy when I needed him to do a job to Scott Steiner. Thankfully, I was able to get out of both predicaments completely unscathed.

In another backstage ‘confrontation’ I also once saved Sunny’s life, while putting my own on the line! I actually attempted to stand between Luna, and her target which she INTENDED TO KILL!!! The encounter ended with Luna spearing me into a laundry cart. I swear, Luna could have taken 50% of the MALE roster in a fight during her hey-day.

Luna, bless her heart, had it out for ALL the divas who in her mind weren’t “actually” wrestlers. She despised Sable, and made it very difficult for her to find her way early on. But, if you knew Luna, you loved her, she really did have a big heart. That was just the “old school wrestler” in her that would rear its ugly head from time to time. I’m also proud to say that about three years ago, I pulled “Awesome Kong” off radio personality “Bubba the Love Sponge”.”

Stone Cold Didn’t Want To Do The Beer Truck Angle!

“In the epic scene on “Raw”, when Steve Austin drove a beer truck into the arena, I actually had to talk Steve into it! The Texas Rattlesnake said he just wanted to enter in his pick-up. He didn’t “see” the beer truck. However, once the segment was produced, I think Steve totally understand the impact that it was going to have on the fans for many years to come. It was truly, one of the most classic scenes in the history of “Monday Night Raw”. Thankfully I talked him round, he didn’t go with the pick up, riding in instead with the beer truck, driving his way into wrestling history.”

Vince McMahon Didn’t Have A Clue About Mainstream Publicity

“In the Attitude Era, the hottest thing at that time on MTV was Tom Green. He was light years ahead of the “Reality TV” boom that would follow many years later. I wanted him to be revealed as the man responsible for Raw’s GTV!

Unfortunately, the idea never came into fruition because Vince McMahon had NO IDEA who TOM GREEN was! So instead of “GREEN TV”, it became “GOLDUST TV”.

That wasn’t the first time that Vince wasn’t “exactly” up on his pop culture. A few years later I had shot pre-tapes with “Dancin’” Steve Richards and the Blue Meanie as a parody of the “Blair Witch Project”. We called it the “Blonde Bitch Project”. The idea was to take an entertaining “shot” at Sable who had abruptly decided to leave the company at the time. Once again, the pre-tapes never saw the light of day because Vince had “no idea” what the “Blair Witch Project” was. The pre-tapes, that never aired, were shot ON LOCATION at WWE writer Ed Ferrara’s house… and backyard.

But wait… there are even YET MORE EXAMPLES of Vince McMahon’s little knowledge of the HERE and NOW. Here are a few more gems!

A friend of mine in the Public Relations Department at the WWE, pitched Vince to have legendary Eagles guitarist JOE WALSH perform “Rocky Mountain Way” at WrestleMania XI. Vince respectfully declined because he had never heard of the song, “Rocky Mountain Way”, or its singer/writer JOE WALSH!!!

Last, but not least, upon his arrival in the WWE, we shot a series of vignettes with Val Venus and LEGENDARY porn star Jenna Jameson. We even went as far as even having Jenna BUCK NAKED in Bruce’s Prichard’s Jacuzzi with Val. Upon seeing the footage, Vince decided against airing them, because in his words, Jenna was “ugly”.”

Check out the complete column at WhatCulture.com.

– The latest edition of Steve Austin’s “Steve Austin Show” podcast, which features an interview with Tommy Rogers, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

SASc – EP125 – The Fantastics Tommy Rogers

“Tommy Rogers, one half of The Fantastics tag team with Bobby Fulton, gets real with Steve. Hear what Mad Dog Buzz Sawyer did for Tommy’s career, how Tommy got involved in steroids, why he loves Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy, and when he knew it was time to call it quits in the squared-circle.”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– The latest edition of Roddy Piper’s “Piper’s Pit” podcast, which features an interview with Bully Ray, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

PP-Ep11 – TNA Impact’s Bully Ray

“TNA’s Bully Ray aka Bubba Ray Dudley of The Dudley Boyz tag team fame steps into Piper’s Pit! He’s got ECW stories, Paul Heyman stories, WWE stories, Hulk Hogan stories, and a preview of what’s coming up at TNA!”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

As promised, here is the second half of the list…

5. Abundance Of Talent Led To Brand Extension

The WWE roster was absolutely stacked following the acquisition of WCW. This was especially true after the top WCW superstars such as Hulk Hogan, Goldberg, and Kevin Nash eventually signed with the company.

It quickly became apparent that there was too much talent to adequately feature everyone on a weekly basis. This led to the WWE splitting into two separate brands in the form of Raw and SmackDown. The brand extension seemed fresh at first, but it quickly lost traction after superstars were constantly shifted from one brand to the other as a way to increase ratings.

The brand extension era is characterized by pay-per-views that did not perform as well as those in the Attitude Era, largely because fans did not want to pay to see only half of the roster.

During the summer of 2001, the WWE was under attack and at risk of a hostile takeover. After finally winning the Monday Night Wars, the WWE had to find a way to integrate the influx of talent that was acquired with the purchase of WCW.

Their first attempt at doing so would come in the form of the Invasion storyline, which saw former WCW and ECW employees “invading” the WWE in an attempt to take over the company. If this sounds a bit like the nWo’s plot to conquer WCW, well that’s because it is essentially the same story.

Ultimately, the program forced the WWE to fend off the intruders by forming a coalition to battle Team Alliance, which was led by Shane and Stephanie McMahon, the respective on-screen owners of WCW and ECW at the time.

Many fans have cited the Invasion storyline as one of the most entertaining periods in recent WWE history, as it featured a number of matchups that had previously been unimaginable. However, there were many aspects of the storyline that could have been handled better, resulting in a program with great potential that was squandered by poor booking. Here are ten reasons why the Invasion storyline was not as memorable as some fans recall.

The following are highlights from the latest blog by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:

On today’s WWE talent cuts: “Unfortunate news coming out of WWE today regarding many talents being released. This was always the hardest part of my old job back in the day in WWE but it unfortunately comes with the territory. My theory was to make it as quick and painless for the talents that were being released as possible. One has to remember that this not only affects the individual but their families, friends and fans as well. I’m sure that many of those released will stay busy on the indy circuit, autograph functions, etc if they choose to travel that road. Hopefully, WWE is going to make it as easy as possible for these released talents to quickly and seamlessly move on to other opportunities that may be available now but might not be in a few weeks.”

On his appearance on Steve Austin’s podcast: “I’m doing a guest shot on today’s @steveaustinBSR show on podcastone.com and Steve and talk many things wresting and non-wrestling including the heel manager genius that was Gary Hart. The ‘Playboy’ was an evil genius to say the least who embraced legit heat where many of his peers back in the day and certainly many more today would crawl naked through broken glass to avoid. Steve and I also talked about teaming up on some shows together that would feature VIP meet and greets and a Slobber Knocker, Stone Cold Stunner of Q&A’s. This is going to happen but likely not until 2015. Steve’s got plenty of projects pending and I’m not working on the weekends during @Oklahoma_Football season.”

Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

CMT issued the following today:

“STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE” PUTS ELITE ATHLETES TO THE TEST WHEN THE HEART-POUNDING COMPETITION SERIES PREMIERES SUNDAY, JULY 6 ON CMT

NASHVILLE – June 12, 2014 – Just in time for the scorching months of summer, CMT debuts the most badass competition series yet when STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE premieres Sunday, July 6 at 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The brain-child of wrestling icon Steve Austin, the 10-episode series pits elite athletes against everyday men and women in the ultimate test of strength, stamina and wit. Each episode features eight contestants in head-to-head battles,until the last man or woman standing earns the right to take on the toughest obstacle course in America created by Austin himself, the “Skullbuster,” for a chance to win cash.

Austin, who previously helmed three seasons of REDNECK ISLAND on CMT, is known for being one of the toughest competitors in the wrestling arena. BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE combines his fierce love for physical competition with extreme challenges using the core tenants from such current fitness trends as CrossFit and Spartan Race. Austin’s half-mile “Skullbuster” features 10 obstacles designed to stop even the most hardcore athletes, built to progressively break the body down. Everyone’s equal at the ranch, as women find themselves subject to the same punishment as men.

In the first episode, there is no shortage of adrenaline as eight men battle for the win in Trench Warfare, The Pulverizer and The Junkyard. If they lose, they leave. Steve Austin’s rules are fair, and competitors are quick to learn that even those with the most physical power may not be a match against pure determination. In the end, only one athlete will make it to the Skullbuster and even then, there are no guarantees he will complete it.

One of the most popular pro-wrestling superstars of all time, Steve Austin has been busy since retiring from the ring in 2003. The hugely popular WWE Hall of Fame inductee hit the big screen in 2010 in Sylvester Stallone’s action thriller, The Expendables, co-starring alongside a who’s who in action films. Since then, he amassed a number of movie credits including Damage, one of Fox Home Video’s best-selling releases; The Stranger and Hunt To Kill, both released by Anchor Bay; The Package opposite Dolph Lungdren; and, Maximum Conviction opposite Steven Segal. TV roles include hosting CMT’s Redneck Island, along with USA’s hit series Tough Enough. In 2012, Austin launched his podcast The Steve Austin Show, where he lets loose with his no-holds-barred interview style. During his down time, Austin likes to spend time at his 2,100-acre Broken Skull Ranch in South Texas with his wife Kristin and their three Labradors. Follow @steveaustinBSR on Twitter.

For more information and exclusive BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE content, visit CMT.com and download the CMT App. Fans can also join the conversation on the series’ official Facebook page and follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #BrokenSkullChallenge.

STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE is produced by 51 Minds Entertainment with executive producers Christian Sarabia, Rabih Gholam, Steve Austin and co-executive producer Vincent Cariati. Julia Silverton, Jayson Dinsmore and Joe Livecchi executive produce for CMT.

• MORE WWE Superstars & Divas To Get FIRED Today — DETAILS HERE!

WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin recently appeared on Ring Rust Radio with Donald Wood.Here are some highlights of what he said about:

If He Will Be Part Of The New Tough Enough:

“I’d certainly be open to it, but I get my Google Alerts and I read that they were bringing back Tough Enough, but then there have been delays in it. I would consider doing something along the lines of Tough Enough because that was my first endeavor into reality television and that is a world I know and love, and that’s why I was on that show. I’m not going to blow smoke up my ass. I love the business of pro wrestling and it is something I know better than anything else I know about. So if I get a chance to do that show or they offer that spot to me and we could make it work, I’d love to do that show.”

If He Will Ever Wrestle Again:

 “I’d consider anything if the perfect situation or opportunity arose and it would be more than a million-dollar question. I don’t want to sit here and promote a match, sell a match or talk about making a comeback. The dirt sheets, or whatever you call them, and I talk to Dave Meltzer and Wade Keller all the time and they’re nice guys and I would consider them friends. I see Dave at almost every MMA fight, but I don’t want to stir any pots or hint or tease anything. People get their panties in a wad and say, “Stone Cold, either do it or not.” So, anything can happen, but I’m not going to endorse, promote, sell or tease anything in regards to a match.”

How He Would Bring CM Punk Back To WWE:

“Man, I don’t know. I haven’t made too much of it. I predicted he would make a comeback at WrestleMania 30 and obviously that didn’t happen. He left the company and whenever he comes back, that’s up to him. I don’t know how I would bring him back. I just know that when I got out of the business for about six-to-10 months, I lost a **** load of money and I believe that if you have got some miles left in the tank, you should make your money while you can and don’t leave it on the table because you’ll never make that money back.

At the end of the day, you can say, “It ain’t about the money.” Well, it is about the money because you need to make as much of it as you can before you can’t make that money anymore.

I don’t know how you bring him back. Certainly the fans would welcome him back because he was doing a great job before he left. And when he gets his head right and wants to come back, I believe he will. As far as me playing Mr. Booker, I don’t have a clue.”

Which Current WWE Stars Have The Most Potential: 

“Man, I think it could be any one of a pool of people. I can’t sit here and drop names because I haven’t paid that much attention to the roster. I’ve been trying to DVR the shows. I am several months behind. I just subscribed to the WWE Network and I watched half of the pay-per-view so far. Just from guys on the radar right now, I think all of the guys from The Shield have got big futures ahead of them. I don’t think they’re all carved in stone yet and there are still some missing pieces within each individual part of The Shield.

Antonio Cesaro still has a hole somewhere in his game, but he’s certainly there. I predict a lot of success for that guy. I think Bray Wyatt is starting to kick ass and do a lot of great things. When they put Cesaro with Heyman, that was an interesting move because there were a lot of people starting to get off on Cesaro, and so they put him with Heyman, which put him back as a heel. The rest of the roster, I don’t know enough about.

Here’s one thing that I will say; I remember watching some of my matches from Dallas on my email, and I was watching them back and I see an athletic body and a guy that’s stable, but the look was just not that great. So there are some guys down there that, as they go through the process and they’re not afraid to embrace making some changes and making some alterations to their gear, to their look to find the right gimmick and package to bring it all together.

Man, there’s probably two or three diamonds in the rough down there because they’re not close to an appearance that is going to be the final thing that actually helps them get over and be received by the crowd as a heel or a baby face.”

– Jim Ross posted his first blog since getting out of the hospital this past week on his official website. In the blog, JR noted that while he was in the hospital, he received calls from Vince McMahon, Steve Austin, Jerry Lawler and others. You can read the full blog at JRsBarBQ.com.

– The official WWE YouTube channel recently added the following video looking at the most barbaric moments in history.

After Seth Rollins turned on The Shield on Monday’s RAW, Roman Reigns, who was attacked by Rollins with a chair, tweeted the following about trust, showing off his back again.

Trust is completely dead to me. pic.twitter.com/ytvu6LSO1r

— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) June 3, 2014

WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin also weighed in on the angle, tweeting the following:

Caught the last half of that angle on #raw. @WWERollins headed back to the dark side, perhaps…#cliffhanger

— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) June 3, 2014