According to an internal list that was just made in WWE, the company is projecting the following five guys to be the top Superstars, in order, going forward after WrestleMania XXX in April.
1. John Cena
2. Daniel Bryan
3. Randy Orton
4. Sheamus
5. Roman Reigns
Many found it interesting that both Sheamus came in at number two, and that Batista was not on the list at all. In the case of Sheamus, many point to the fact that Triple H has been very high on him for quite a while.
It should be noted, by the way, that this is a list of the guys they feel will be in those positions several months down the line, as opposed to where they are today. Obviously when they get to that point, things will likely have changed many times, but this is the list that the company just recently made.
– The New York Post is reporting that former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler is pregnant. Keibler married Jared Pobre on a beach in Mexico this past Saturday (3/8) after 8 months of dating. The two had been friends for years but didn’t start dating until this past fall, just a few months after Keibler and George Clooney split.
– WWE COO Triple H “no showed” this week’s sit-down interview with Michael Cole, playing up his frustration we saw on RAW due to Daniel Bryan’s #OccupyRAW movement.
The segment started with Michael Cole waiting for Triple H and recapping the events that transpired on Monday night. Hunter was supposed to explain why he gave in to Daniel Bryan’s demands and gave him a chance to wind up in the main event of WrestleMania, until Michael Cole “received an email” that Triple H was called into an “emergency meeting” related to the WWE Network.
Triple H will address the Daniel Bryan situation on Friday’s SmackDown. In light of Triple H’s absense, Michael Cole joked, “Can’t say that I’m surprised. Hopefully he’ll join us next week.”
On Monday’s RAW, WWE finally set the stage for Daniel Bryan to get his big moment at WrestleMania XXX. After weeks of teasing Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H, Bryan and his fans took over the show and demanded the match from the Authority.
After Triple H agreed to wrestle Bryan at WWE’s biggest show of the year, Bryan dropped his “one more thing” bombshell – if he defeats Triple H, he gets added to the main event WWE World Heavyweight Championship match. Triple H reluctantly agreed and Daniel Bryan now has a clear path to stand tall at WrestleMania as WWE champion. Here are some reactions from the wrestling world regarding this storyline development:
After taking over Monday’s WWE RAW show with “The Yes! Movement,” Daniel Bryan got Triple H to agree to two huge demands relating to WrestleMania XXX.
First up, “The Game” agreed to compete in a one-on-one match against Bryan, and second, he got HHH to agree that if he beats him, he gets added to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship mani event at WrestleMania. So, if Bryan beats HHH, the WrestleMania XXX main event will be switched to Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan for the title.
– Part two of Chris Jericho’s two-part interview with Rob Van Dam on his “Talk Is Jericho” podcast is now available. You can check that out at PodcastOne.com.
– As previously reported, New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski attended the recent WWE NXT television taping. The official WWE website has video of Triple H meeting the NFL star, which you can check out at WWE.com.
– Former WWE Diva and soon-to-be WWE Hall Of Famer Amy “Lita” Dumas has launched an official Facebook page. You can follow Dumas on Facebook at Facebook.com.
Triple H’s weekly sit down interview with Michael Cole is online now online, with the WWE COO talking about his ongoing feud with Daniel Bryan.
JBL filled in for Triple H for last week’s interview because Triple H was down in Orlando preparing for the NXT ArRival special. However, Michael Cole pointed out that it was convenient Triple H was unable to do their interview after Daniel Bryan challenged him to a match at WrestleMania.
Triple H explained on RAW why he doesn’t want to wrestle Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania, but Cole pushed the issue again, wanting to know the true underlying reason. Triple H said he’s the COO of WWE. He’s extremely busy and doesn’t have time for Daniel Bryan. Cole pointed out that Triple H has wrestled The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar in recent years, to which Triple H responded – they’re both A+ players. Daniel Bryan is nothing more than a B+ player and he’s not going to interrupt his day to day operations to lace up his boots against Bryan.
How long can Triple H deny fans a match between him and Daniel Bryan? Triple H acknowledges that fans across the world want the match. However, Daniel Bryan is Best for Business. He’s very popular with the fans, he sells a lot of merchandise, he’s a B+, he’s pretty good. Why would he want to end all that by destroying him at WrestleMania? It’s not good for business. Let the immortals wrestle at the showcase of the immortals. “Bryan is a 185 pound sawed-off midget.”
If Triple H wanted to end the Yes Movement, he’d just fire him. But Daniel Bryan has value and “people love the little guy.”
Michael Cole tells Triple H that everyone he’s spoken to believes he’s scared of Daniel Bryan – and wants to know if it’s true. Triple H says he’ll give him the same answer that he gave Daniel Bryan – NO.
After Monday’s WWE RAW in Chicago, Illinois went off the air, the WWE Network post-show opened with a look at Kane, Triple H and Randy Orton still in the ring standing over a beaten down Daniel Bryan. This led to both John Cena and Big Show coming out to make the save. Cena, of course, came to the ring with a limp, as he is continuing to sell his story line injury.
When the smoke cleared, Orton was left alone in the ring with Bryan, Cena and Big Show. All three guys hit their finishers on Orton and then led to the crowd in a big “Yes!” chant to end the show.
CM Punk is expected to return at Monday’s WWE RAW show in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Dave Meltzer reports that a “top WWE star” told him that Punk returning on Monday is “100 percent certain.”
While the news can’t be confirmed at this point, the reported plans for Punk if he were to return at RAW on Monday would see him back in his rumored role against Triple H leading into WrestleMania XXX, or possibly being added to the Randy Orton and Batista match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
– The official WWE website has a new featured article looking at the 15 “freakiest falls” of all-time. To the surprise of nobody, Mick Foley’s tumble off the top of the Hell In A Cell at the 1998 “King Of The Ring” pay-per-view came in at number one. Foley was quoted in the article as saying the following: “I think that I created a moment that was impossible to top and a moment that shouldn’t be topped. So many of the Superstars want to give people moments that they’ll never forget, but we don’t want to give them moments that could end Superstars’ careers. Mine easily could have ended that night in Pittsburgh.”
– The official WWE Twitter account tweeted a photo of Triple H giving a speech to the NXT roster during Friday’s television tapings at Winter Park, Florida. You can check that out below.
The following are highlights of the Twitter Q&A that Triple H held earlier today to promote tonight’s NXT “Arrival” live WWE Network special:
On if he considers Arrival to be the WrestleMania of NXT: “Everyone here has been saying it feels just like a WrestleMania. So, I would say yes.”
On if he could face anyone from NXT, who it would be: “Good question. I would have to say Neville and Zayn. Both awesome. Future of #WWE.”
On whether or not we can expect any NXT stars to be moved up to the main roster after tonight: “It’s all about timing and making sure it’s the right moment to succeed.”
On if he would encourage his daughters to go into the wrestling business: “I would support anything they wanted to do. If it’s WWE, then absolutely!”
On if he helps train the NXT stars and who his favorites are: “Work with them as much as I can when I’m here. No favorites. Want them all the succeed.”
On why Adrian Neville isn’t on RAW yet: “When he has the most chance to succeed, he will be.”
On the most innovating and compelling aspect of the WWE Performance Center: “From a learning and safety stance, the crash pad ring will add years to careers!”
On if we can expect a Best Of NXT DVD: “Once we have enough to fill one. BTW it’s called @WWENetwork”
On if WWE only looks at talent who develop in NXT: “We look for talent any place, any time, any where!”
Check out more of Triple H’s Q&A on Twitter @TripleH.
– WWE Studios’ Christmas Bounty starring The Miz has been added to Netflix.
– WWE has announced that NXT Tag Team Champions The Ascension will be in action tonight on the NXT ArRival live event airing on the WWE Network.
– Here is the full conference call with Triple H, discussing the developmental philosophy, NXT expanding, and the Arrival PPV that will kick off the WWE Network’s live in-ring programming.
WWE has reportedly changed their initial plans for The Authority story line. Originally, there was talk of bringing Vince McMahon back to television as a regular character, with the idea of having him battle with Triple H for control of the company leading into WrestleMania XXX. Those plans have apparently been scratched.
Additionally, for whatever reason, WWE decided to change the on-air role for Stephanie McMahon, as they stopped referring to her as one of the owners of the company.
Triple H posted a tweet on Sunday night after The Wyatt Family vs. The Shield match at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. He wrote the following about the match:
Incredible….. Was that the beginning of the end? Or the end of the beginning? pic.twitter.com/tQGsJsZD4o
The Associated Press has published an article about Hulk Hogan’s return to WWE, including quotes from Hogan and WWE COO Triple H.
Hogan returns to WWE on Monday’s episode of RAW and will be the guest host of WrestleMania XXX on April 6th from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Hogan said:
“I definitely want to stay here in the WWE. I just can’t see myself ever being anywhere else. This is home. It always has been home. In the twilight of my career, what a great way to be part of the final hurrah for Hulk Hogan and all the Hulkamaniacs.”
“It looks like this was always the direction I was going to go in. It’s like I drifted apart from home base for a while. But this time, everything seems to be a perfect fit.”
Despite his triumphant return to WWE, Hogan denies that he’ll be getting back in the ring at WWE’s biggest show of the year.
“Right now, it’s not in the plans. But like they say in the WWE, never say never.”
WWE COO Triple H also commented on Hogan’s return, stating:
“It’s time for him to come home.”
Hogan and Triple H met at a charity event late last year, which started to lay the groundwork for The Hulkster’s return. Despite his time away from WWE, Triple H said it was inevitable that he’d come home once again:
“I don’t think there’s ever been a doubt that Hulk Hogan was, in some way, a WWE commodity.”
The official WWE website features a new article focusing on the Elimination Chamber match. In the article, Triple H talks about how he created the match. HHH noted:
“I’m the one who invented it. I drew a square cage and put four other squares in the corners, and I said, ‘It’s six guys. Two start and every few minutes, another cage opens and one more guys enters the fight, and everyone fights until there’s one guy left.’ I thought it could be interesting because, if the Superstars involved have issues, then there’s intrigue.”
“In typical WWE form, it was twice as big as I envisioned it and twice as elaborate. We don’t do anything small, so I should have known better. When I stood in it for the first time, I thought, ‘Jeez. Please don’t tell anybody this was my idea!’”
Triple H’s weekly sit down meeting with Michael Cole is now online, with the WWE COO talking about Sunday’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view and analyzing each of the 6 chamber match participants.
Hunter said that WWE World Heavyweight champion Randy Orton is dangerous because he’s been in several Elimination Chamber matches already. John Cena’s mantra of “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect” will be put to the test. Cesaro is at a “different playing level” than just a few weks ago, while Sheamus “enjoys the physicality” of the Chamber and Christian is desperate with nothing to lose. He said added that Daniel Bryan is not 100 percent, which allows the audience to get behind him as the underdog.
He said The Authority is prepared to anoint the Chamber winner the “Face of WWE.” When Cole asked, “Even if it’s not Orton?” Hunter responded, “Yes!” and did Daniel Bryan’s hand motion.
The latest sit-down interview between Triple H and Michael Cole has been added to the official WWE YouTube channel. This week’s video, which you can view above, is accompanied by the following description: “The WWE COO announces the entire 2014 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony with be broadcast on WWE Network, and weighs in on the hunt for Randy Orton’s WWE World Heavyweight Title as Elimination Chamber draws near.”
– It’s rumored that The Usos will be getting a WWE tag team title shot against The New Age Outlaws at the upcoming Elimination Chamber pay-per-view on February 23rd.
– Daniel Bryan’s opponent at WrestleMania XXX remains undecided. Following the WWE departure of CM Punk, Bryan has been discussed as a possible opponent for Triple H at WrestleMania There’s also talk of Bryan being added to the Randy Orton vs. Batista WWE World Heavyweight title match. However, based on the way Orton has been booked in recent weeks, it remains to be seen if Orton will still be champion in 2 weeks time.
It appears that Bryan’s proposed match against Shemus is no longer being considered and WWE might wait until after Elimination Chamber to make a decision.
– Next week’s episode of WWE RAW from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado will feature WWE World Heavyweight champion Randy Orton vs. Sheamus in a non-title match.
The match was announced by Triple H last week during his Wednesday interview for WWE.com.
– As previously reported, Rob Van Dam was backstage at the Staples Center on Monday afternoon to meet with Triple H.
Dan Masters posted this video on Facebook of himself and RVD after leaving the Staples Center:
WWE COO Triple H was interviewed recently by bodybuilding website RX Muscle. The interview mostly focused on NXT. Here are some highlights:
– He talked about being very involved with the WWE Performance Center. NXT is his own pet project and Vince McMahon is relatively hands-off, although Vince does have the final say about what appears on the NXT shows.
– Triple H manages developmental and decides which talents are ready to be brought up to the main roster. Vince then reviews Triple H’s picks and decides how to incorporate them into the main roster.
– Contrary to reports that WWE currently looking for bigger guys, Triple H said they accept small guys, technical guys, high flying guys, big powerful guys, and said that it’s about having a variety of talent.
– He also said that he doesn’t want his kids to be spoiled rich kids and that his oldest daughter attended a recent NXT taping.
Other topics discussed included Vince’s training habits, going two straight days with only 45 minutes of sleep and much more.
The latest Triple H and Michael Cole sit-down interview, which we posted notes from earlier today, has been added to the official WWE YouTube channel.
The interview, which can be seen above, is accompanied by the following description: “The WWE COO addresses Kane’s actions toward Daniel Bryan and reveals Randy Orton will face Christian on SmackDown and John Cena on Raw.”
WWE has posted the latest sit-down interview between Triple H and Michael Cole on their official company website. As usual, “The Game” talks about a number of topics.
HHH spoke about the upcoming main event on next Monday’s RAW between Randy Orton and John Cena, referring to the match as an “epic main event.” He also noted that big things are expected for the match.
Regarding Kane’s attack on Daniel Bryan at this past Monday’s RAW, Hunter claimed Kane was just defending himself. He claimed that there will be an internal investigation to determine whether or not Kane made a mistake on the job.
Triple H also praised Bryan’s effort on Monday’s RAW and noted that he expected Orton to have a better performance.
You can check out the new HHH and Cole interview right now at WWE.com.
According to F4WOnline.com, there are a number of people behind-the-scenes in WWE right now that are said to be “not unhappy” that CM Punk is gone. Apparently there has been a lot of negativity towards Punk from many people in the company.
As noted previously, Vince McMahon is personally handling the Punk situation. McMahon reportedly wants Punk to stay because he feels like there aren’t many top Superstars in the company right now.
Regarding WrestleMania XXX, the feeling is that Punk knew the company was aware that his contract expires in July, and that he wasn’t expected to re-sign, meaning he felt like he knew what direction his match against Triple H would head as a result.
WWE has added the latest sit-down interview between Triple H and Michael Cole. In the interview, “The Game” discusses a number of current WWE-related topics.
HHH spoke about Paul Heyman’s demands from Monday’s RAW that his “client” Brock Lesnar be given a title shot or number one contender match. Triple H noted Lesnar must earn his shot like everyone else.
Hunter announced Cody Rhodes and Goldust vs. The New Age Outlaws in a steel cage match for next Monday’s RAW, a match that we already reported earlier today.
Triple H also spoke about Jake “The Snake” Roberts being announced as a 2014 WWE Hall Of Fame inductee. HHH called Roberts one of his personal all-time favorites.
You can watch the latest HHH and Cole interview online at WWE.com.