Posts Tagged ‘Undertaker’
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official blog with his latest thoughts and opinions on a number of current topics. Below are some of the highlights.
On John Cena’s U.S. Challenge on Sunday: “WWE has a golden opportunity, no pun intended, to do some water cooler talk-like business this Sunday at the HIAC event in Los Angeles in the US Title Open Challenge offered up by the title holder John Cena. The table is perfectly set for a challenger to take a giant step in becoming much more relevant if they defeat John Cena for the United States Title. Cena is and will remain WWE’s biggest, full time star no matter the outcome of Sunday’s US Title match but what Cena can do is elevate a talent into the much needed main event sphere of WWE. With Cena stepping away from WWE for a few weeks to apparently tape a new TV show for Fox, or so I’m hearing, giving another wrestler the ‘rub’ elevates the new champion and gives Cena a destination, if desired, when he returns.
I’d love to see WWE take a bold more on this matter come Sunday notwithstanding taking other calculated risks to move additional talents up the ladder. It’s not an impossible feat if one has the courage to pull the trigger and try a new, creative approach. How about Samoa Joe getting the valued, Cena ‘rub?'”
On Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar this Sunday: “Been asked a lot about the outcome of the Lesnar vs. Taker match inside HIAC Sunday and I see Brock winning. Could there be a strong piece of creative waiting in the wings for this match? Will another competitor, or more, get involved? Could Lesnar AND Taker both be left down at the end of Sunday’s show or does that simply defy logic? That could help ‘make’ multiple heels to a large degree. If Lesnar wins and there is an opportunity, do the two warriors shake hands at the end of their battle? No matter the extracurricular stuff than may transpire, I’ve got Lesnar winning the match.”
On Tyler Breeze’s SmackDown debut: “Enjoyed antagonist, Tyler Breeze’s debut Thursday night on Smackdown and the Lance Storm Wrestling Academy product has some viable, old school traits that WWE should be able to monetize. Would WWE be so bold as to have Breeze upset John Cena to become the new WWE Champion Sunday in LA? Stranger things have happened in the biz over the years.”
On Jesse Ventura’s recent comments about him: “Been asked to comment on Jesse Ventura’s recent statements on “Busted Open Radio about working with me. I dropped the ball on that matter and I’m man enough to admit it. I was jealous and frustrated over what Jesse was earning for a few hours of work a week while I was hitting it hard multiple days a week and earning less than half of what he was earning. Just reading that sentence back is embarrassing as I was unnecessarily pissed at the wrong guy. Jesse and I did not have the chemistry that he had with Vince McMahon or Gorilla Monsoon and I did not have the mojo with the Governor that I had with the King, Paul Heyman, Bob Caudle, Jim Cornette and others. I wish we had done better for the fans sake but the failure to do so is on me. I was burning out and the stress and pressure of WCW politics was getting the better of me I’m sad to admit. As a result of that scenario, I soiled the sheets. Life Lesson learned.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted October 24th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, Hell in a Cell, Jesse Ventura, John Cena, Tyler Breeze, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official Q&A section, answering questions from fans on a number of various topics. Below are some of the highlights.
On WWE having a creative team of 25 people but still producing weak storylines: “This is news to me as it’s an area that I spend little time addressing. It’s a tough, thankless job but I’d agree that recent creative has not been, seemingly, what the TV viewers want to see.”
On if WWE asked him to take over RAW announcing again: “Everyone has their ‘magic’ number including yours truly.”
On his memories of the old “Livewire” show: “Everyone has their ‘magic’ number including yours truly.”
On WWE no longer using the Titan Tron for RAW or SmackDown: “I wasn’t aware of such as I have not been to a WWE RAW or Smackdown event in years. I don’t know why they would have stopped using the ‘Tron but I’d assume that there’s a good reason.”
On Undertaker’s WrestleMania match possibly having a retirement stipulation: “No one’s creative ideas are bad but simply different. Taker needs to be in a high profile match without a doubt come Wrestlemania but I don’t think that he’s retiring in 2016. That would surprise me.”
Check out more JR Q&A updates at his official website, JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted October 23rd, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Undertaker, WrestleMania.
Tyler Breeze and Erick Rowan were spotted by fans arriving at the Dallas airport last night. There’s no word yet if they’ll be appearing on camera, but they’ll both be at least backstage at Raw tonight.
We reported earlier today that Breeze is expected to be brought up to the main roster this week, so tonight could be the night. Rowan has been on the injured list since June with a torn bicep.
We’ll have coverage of tonight’s Raw on SEScoops.com and on our iOS app.
Ric Flair and The Undertaker, who are both advertised to appear on the show, were also spotted at the Dallas airport:
https://instagram.com/p/8_v5-NmoA9/
Posted October 19th, 2015 in WWE. Tagged: Erick Rowan, Ric Flair, Tyler Breeze, Undertaker.
WWE kicked off their tour of Mexico on Friday with an official press conference, which featured among others, WWE Divas Champion Charlotte and King Barrett. You can check out photos of the press conference at WWE.com.
As noted, The Undertaker will make his return during the WWE tour of Mexico, as he is scheduled to team with Kane to take on the likes of Luke Harper and Braun Strowman. This will mark the first WWE live event for The Undertaker in over two years.
WWE Divas Paige and Team B.A.D. (Sasha Banks, Naomi and Tamina) posted the following photos from Mexico. Paige posted a clip of the arena set up for the WWE event in Mexico on Friday night, while the Team B.A.D. ladies posted photos of some of the sights.
https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/655166778931347457
Posted October 16th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Naomi, Paige, Sasha Banks, Undertaker.
– Stephanie McMahon and WWE Superstars met Susan G. Komen honorees before Raw in Boston to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Click here to see photos.
– A commemorative magazine on The Undertaker is now available on newsstands and WWEShop.com. The official description of the issue is as follows:
Take a journey through the dark and hallow halls of the world of Undertaker. WWE Magazine celebrates his career with a 25th anniversary commemorative special edition dedicated to The Deadman. Relive the reaper’s greatest moments, featuring:
WWE Superstars reflect on being in the ring with The Phenom
Definitive Brothers of Destruction Timeline
The rise and fall of The Streak
Undertaker’s evolution from the Western Mortician to The Last Outlaw.
– Dave “Batista” Bautista is once again a married man. The former WWE Superstar tweeted the following photo today of himself and his bride at their wedding.
This is Bautista’s third marriage.
Posted October 7th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Batista, Stephanie McMahon, Undertaker.
In addition to the Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker “Final Chapter” match and the Seth Rollins vs. Kane match with the WWE title or Kane’s “corporate duties” on the line, WWE announced another title match for this month’s WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view.
In tag-team title action, The Dudley Boyz will look to become ten-time champions in WWE as they battle the current WWE Tag-Team Champions The New Day at the event scheduled for the Staples Center in L.A.
WWE Hell In A Cell 2015 takes place on Sunday, October 25, 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Make sure to join us here on 10/25 for the best Hell In A Cell coverage on the web!
Posted October 5th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, Hell in a Cell, Kane, Seth Rollins, The Dudley Boyz, The New Day, Undertaker.
The Undertaker and his wife, former WWE Diva Michelle McCool, made a rare public appearance together on Sunday as they participated in the CC4C 4th Annual Micro Marathon 4 Inspiration in Bee Cave, Texas. It is a 2.62 mile family fun run around the Hill Country Galleria designed to raise funds to help inspire children suffering from rare and undiagnosed conditions. Here is a photo of the couple at the race, which Mark Henry also participated in.
https://instagram.com/p/8IyhDRADjW/
McCool also posted a photo of herself with The Undertaker.
https://instagram.com/p/8JG79Ehe0F/
While The Undertaker and McCool were out at the charity event, their home fell victim to a toilet paper prank. The former WWE Diva released these photos on Instagram, noting, “Hey big, bad TP’ers……have you ever heard of OUTDOOR security cameras? Not so bright, huh? #cowards #didnotevendogoodjob #seeyasoon #thelaseronlymissedyoubyaminute #youmaynotunderstandthatone #CHL #nobiggie #youreoncandidcamera.”
https://instagram.com/p/8JWDV7he8Q/
Posted September 27th, 2015 in WWE. Tagged: Michelle McCool, Undertaker.
WWE is pulling out a lot more stops than usual for their upcoming tour of Mexico, which has shows on October 16th in Merida, October 17th at Arena Ciudad in Mexico City and October 19th at Arena Monterrey.
WWE is building the tour around the fact that The Undertaker is working all three events, billing it as Undertaker’s return to Mexico after five years.
Additionally, WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair will be working the shows as the guest General Manager, and part-time WWE performer Chris Jericho is scheduled as well.
The reason they are building the shows up so strong is partially due to concerns of insinuations of racism against Mexicans related to the departure of Alberto Del Rio, as well as no longer having Rey Mysterio on the roster.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Posted September 9th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Alberto Del Rio, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross updated his official website blog on Monday with his thoughts and comments on a number of topics. Below are some of the highlights.
On comparing the Jimmy Snuka/Hulk Hogan incidents: “Amazing that some people want me to compare Hulk’s untimely remarks to the 3rd degree murder charges filed against Jimmy Snuka. How do I do that? What sense does that question even make? What am I missing? How can they possibly be in the same ball park.”
On tonight’s RAW: “RAW tonight will feature Sasha Banks vs. Paige tonight from what I read. Give them time to tell a compelling story and it will do wonders for the women’s division. Why book the women any differently than the men are utilized? WWE needs to focus on fewer women and they will get over and then in turn they can help others get over. Right now the division has little marketable identity and is too cluttered but the good news is that there is talent in abundance available to work with.”
On Undertaker and Sting retirement rumors: “From what I can determine, Wrestlemania Texas will NOT be the Undertaker’s final match but the jury is still out on whether it will be Sting’s last one. No, I don’t see them having a match vs each other there either. Plus, I don’t see how WWE gets all the way to April for the Taker vs. Lesnar ‘rubber match’ if that’s in the cards.”
On Lana’s injury: “Apparently Lana will be out of commission as it relates to physicality for approximately four months with a wrist injury. Perhaps this will give her time to get her back in those business suits and not what she’s been wearing lately. We wish her a speedy recovery.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted September 7th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Hulk Hogan, Jimmy Snuka, Lana, Sting, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official Q&A section, answering questions from fans a wide variety of topics. Below are some of the highlights.
On WWE possibly cross-promoting a big event with New Japan Pro Wrestling: “I’d never count WWE out of any negotiations as it relates to building their brand or associating with other groups as a source for securing new talents. In the big picture, would NJPW rather have a great deal with WWE or a great deal with ROH?”
On how WWE kept the identity of the Kane character under wraps during the Attitude Era: “I actually have never thought of that nor do I know if WWE was truly successful in keeping Kane’s identity a secret. You know the old saying…..telephone, telegraph, tell a wrestler.”
On how much WWE management would talk about the internet wrestling community: “Not much unless it was news that was meant to be kept off the grid. All in all, a non issue for the most part. Don’t know how it is today. ”
On Greg Valentine saying women have no place in wrestling: “Greg was a great in ring performer just like his Dad Johnny Valentine. Solid as a rock. I did not read his opinions on women in wrestling and he has a right to his take whether it’s a popular take or not.”
On Sting vs. Undertaker rumors: “I think that we can forget about Sting vs. Taker. All storylines in the biz can be simpler and more logical and it would make me happier. Plus, paying more attention to continuity would be smart on their part as well.”
On how to get over as an outstanding wrestling announcer: “Product knowledge, sense of timing and humor, ability to communicate in sound bytes are all good starting points with the bottom line being that the goal is to get talents over and not yourself.”
Check out more of JR’s Q&A updates at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted August 30th, 2015 in News, NJPW, WWE. Tagged: Greg Valentine, Kane, Sting, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official Q&A section with his thoughts and opinions on a number of questions sent in by wrestling fans. Below are some of the highlights:
On possibly doing more announcing for New Japan Pro Wrestling: “I don’t know what NJPW has planned but I’d love to do some more projects with them. Their wrestlers are from top to bottom arguably the best in the world right now.”
On how Undertaker stays this athletic at his age: “Taker is a great natural athlete who is over his surgeries, by and large, is eating clean thanks to his amazingly fit wife and training MMA style which suits his body. In other words he’s working his ass off and living right.”
On who makes the cool video packages in WWE: “Adam Pennucci produced those and they fired me up as well. He also produced my HOF video. Brilliant young man who’s still there working away.”
On main eventing RAW with Steve Austin against Triple H and Chyna: “I was out of place all a cow on ice but I did my job as instructed. Teaming w/ Steve was fun but taking the pedigree from Chyna wasn’t.”
On the late Umaga: “His untapped upside, athleticism and his uncanny in ring abilities for a 350 pounder. Great feet, agility, and quickness.”
Check out more Jim Ross Q&A updates online at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted August 25th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Chyna, Steve Austin, Triple H, Umaga, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross updated his official blog following the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn and WWE SummerSlam events this past weekend. Below are some of the highlights.
On his overall thoughts of WWE SummerSlam: “I certainly would give Summer Slam a good grade as in a B+. I enjoyed watching it at home even though my Chrome Cast apparatus did not work for me and forced me to watch the show on my iPad. It still worked but not as easy to watch as our big screen TV.
One thing for sure and that it s impossible to make all fans happy these days when it comes to match structure or how the matches end. As I have said, and it’s true, there are multiple ways to do something right in a pro wrestling match and everyone’s taste will never be the same. I had no major issues with any thing that I saw but I liked some things better than others.”
On Jon Stewart’s heel turn: “The Jon Stewart using a chair on John Cena was a head scratcher but hopefully we will find out more about that matter tonight on RAW. I hope that the reason leads to something significant as it should. It would be poor booking if it doesn’t.”
On the finish to Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar: “Interesting and controversial conclusion to the Lesnar-Taker bout that did not adversely affect either man and facilitated a potential rematch in the future, likely at Wrestlemania in April, but perhaps not. That’s TBD I assume but if Taker considers retiring there then a Lesnar-Taker Hell in a Cell match with Lesnar winning in Satan’s Playground would be another ground breaking moment for Brock. Does Taker need to win his ‘retirement’ match? Not specifically and especially if it elevates WWE’s biggest star and monetizes their investment in Brock. Perhaps the ‘rubber match’ will be help prior to WM32 and Taker ends his ‘run’ at the Texas sized event with another opponent that’s unlikely to be Sting.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted August 24th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, SummerSlam, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently spoke to Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard blog about this Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker: “A brawl is the only way to go for these two. What a great story it would be if both guys try to make their opponent submit. Think of what it would mean for a victory if both men were working for a submission–if the Undertaker continued to go for his gogoplata chokehold, and Lesnar was trying to get the kimura, which is a double wrist lock. Getting your opponent to tap out is the most macho of all the ways to win, and I can see that story woven in there by the announcers.”
On Divas triple threat match: “The Divas feuds are lacking structure and a reason to care. The emotional investment is not there yet in this rivalry. Who goes over with nine of them fighting? And how much time do they have? They need two good finishes in this match, and then you need to have Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Paige win. But I don’t know where they’re going with this–they haven’t established any real rivalries yet. They’re on the roster, getting some exposure, but it’s inevitable that some of them are going to have to take out some of their repertoire in a match with nine people.”
On Seth Rollins being a great heel: “But I sincerely hope there are no plans, somewhere down the road, to turn Rollins babyface. He’s still learning how to be a great heel, and it’s doing a damn good job with it. He’s a student of the game, works hard, and every week he adds another nuance of being a heel. He’s a major block in the foundation, so Cena beating him at SummerSlam is not the right thing to do. Rollins needs to retain the title, even if it’s with the help of plenty of outside interference.”
Check out the complete interview at SI.com.
Posted August 22nd, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, SummerSlam, Undertaker.
Paul Heyman recently took part in a Q&A with WTOP out of Washington, D.C. to promote Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view. Below are some of the highlights.
On what Brock Lesnar is doing to get ready for SummerSlam: “The same thing he did to get ready for Wrestlemania 30. He’s training, he’s hunting, he’s eating right, he’s getting ready to just walk in the ring and destroy The Undertaker.”
On if Brock has to up his game to beat Undertaker again: “I think The Undertaker is the one who needs to up his game. I don’t understand why anybody doesn’t understand the correlation here. I don’t think The Undertaker wanted to lose at Wrestlemania 30 either, but he had no choice in the matter. He got his ass kicked by Brock Lesnar, he got beaten by Brock Lesnar, he got beat up by Brock Lesnar, he got victimized by Brock Lesnar, and he got conquered by Brock Lesnar. And the very same thing is going to happen next Sunday at SummerSlam.”
On The Undertaker’s time being up: “I didn’t say Undertaker’s time is up. That’s putting words in my mouth. I think if The Undertaker picked a fight with anybody right now, The Undertaker would easily win. I don’t see anybody being able to stand up to The Undertaker. There’s not a man alive right now that can step into the ring with The Undertaker who’s this driven, this focused and now has something to make up for since he lost at Wrestlemania 30. The problem is, The Undertaker isn’t fighting a man, he’s fighting a beast. He’s fighting a conqueror. He’s fighting a once-in-a-lifetime athlete named Brock Lesnar. So it’s no slight to The Undertaker that he’s going to get his ass kicked by Brock Lesnar. Any human being who steps in the ring with Brock Lesnar is going to get his ass kicked. It’s not even a fair fight!”
On why fans should look forward to John Cena vs. Seth Rollins at SummerSlam as well: “It’s a double title match. It’s a pretty interesting situation where one man is going to walk out with the undisputed WWE Heavyweight Championship of the World and the U.S. Championship, so it’s certainly not a match with just typical stakes on the line. It’s a match with both titles on the line, which I think is a unique situation with two of the top stars of not only the past year, but the past decade.”
Check out the complete interview at WTOP.com.
Posted August 17th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Paul Heyman, Seth Rollins, SummerSlam, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official blog with his latest thoughts and comments on a number of topics. Below are some of the highlights.
On SummerSlam “go-home” edition of RAW: “Key, Monday night RAW broadcast especially as it pertains to what WWE does with the main event of Summer Slam, Brock vs.Taker. After the massive, multi person pull apart of a few weeks ago, what’s next? More physicality? No physicality? Another award winning @HeymanHustle promo? Will Heyman fall prey to the Undertaker?
There are always several, right ways to do something good on a pro wrestling show which is why the biz is so subjective. Nonetheless, Lesnar w/ Heyman vs. the Undertaker is the primary match fans are paying to see come this Sunday night in Brooklyn. It’s a little predictable if Taker wins to even the score against Brock to set up a rubber match at WrestleMania but that’s not what I would do.”
On what he would like to see at SummerSlam: “I’d love to see clear cut winners and losers in the two main events at Summer Slam including the Title vs Title match featuring Seth Rollins vs. John Cena. For some reason, I see HHH getting involved in this match and not for any specific reason as to why.
In today’s world, it seems that most fans are non plussed when it comes to untimely disqualifications and count outs. Keeping the fans happy, content and enjoying the product has to be any company’s #1 priority.”
On his issue with wrestlers and titles: “Does it bother anyone else that so many pro wrestling champions carry their titles over their shoulder to the ring instead of wearing them? That makes the titles look even more like a show biz ‘prop.'”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted August 17th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, SummerSlam, Undertaker.
– There will be no new content airing on the WWE Network following this Monday night’s edition of WWE RAW. Instead, WWE has decided to re-air the new Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar hype special for their upcoming match at this month’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view.
– A new episode of “The WWE List” will premiere on the WWE Network this Tuesday at 4pm EST. The official description for the show reads as follows:
“Is there anything more buzzworthy than a true Cinderella story? Find out why as we examine the top Underdogs in WWE history!”
– A new episode of “Unfiltered with Renee Young” will debut on the WWE Network on Wednesday at 4pm EST. The description for that one reads as follows:
“With his match against Stardust and King Barrett looming, Renee and Stephen discuss everything from Arrow to TMNT 2 to his love of WWE!”
Posted August 14th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, Renee Young, Stephen Amell, SummerSlam, Undertaker, WWE Network.
As noted earlier, a WWE Network special called “Undertaker vs. Lesnar: One on One” will be airing this coming Monday night immediately following RAW.
The official synopsis for the special reads as follows: “Will Undertaker have vengeance or will Brock Lesnar dominate? Watch WWE Superstars break down the highly anticipated SummerSlam matchup!”
Additionally, the official WWE website has released a brief promo from Lesnar and Heyman where the two talk about The Undertaker and their upcoming historic rematch at the four-hour WWE SummerSlam special event.
You can check out the brand new Lesnar and Heyman online promo by visiting WWE.com.
Posted August 7th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman, SummerSlam, Undertaker, WWE Network.
The Monday, July 27, 2015 edition of WWE RAW had a weak first hour, but grew to finish with 3.68 million viewers, which is about what the show has been doing all summer.
This week’s show was down three percent from last week’s post-Battleground editionof the show, which featured the Brock Lesnar and Undertaker brawl.
Below is the hourly viewership breakdown for Monday’s RAW.
Hour One: 3.42 million viewers
Hour Two: 3.75 million viewers
Hour Three: 3.84 million viewers
Posted July 28th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, Undertaker.
The Monday, July 20th, post-Battleground edition of WWE RAW averaged 3.79 million viewers, up by 250,000 viewers from last week, although last week was the second lowest number for a summer, non-July 4th edition of RAW dating back to 1997.
The second hour of last night’s show, which featured the Brock Lesnar/Undertaker angle, did the best, but once it was clear that their segments were over with, the audience dropped significantly.
Below is the hourly viewership breakdown for this week’s RAW:
Hour One: 3.84 million viewers
Hour Two: 4.03 million viewers
Hour Three: 3.54 million viewers
Posted July 21st, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official blog with his predictions and thoughts on tonight’s WWE Battleground pay-per-view. Below are some of the highlights.
On Undertaker and Sting rumors: “There is no reason for WWE to ‘save’ Taker and/or Sting for Monday night when they can easily creatively position both on the PPV Sunday leaving the air with more questions posed than answers provided that would drive viewers to the Monday night flagship broadcast. Sting still has a massive fan following as his two appearances on my podcast garnered over 3M+ downloads combined for the two shows.”
On WWE Battleground main event: “I do not feel that it is time for Seth Rollins to lose the WWE Title and in my mind, as I’ve discussed on my podcast, I’d have Rollins hold the title until Wrestlemania Texas in April in Arlington, Texas where Brock Lesnar would beat him after Lesnar wins the Royal Rumble in January. That’s one school of thought but that scenario could be efficiently changed if decided early and worked toward whatever plan is chosen with strategic, long term planning.
So I have Rollins retaining the title Sunday and it’s certainly possible for Taker to leave both Lesnar and Rollins in a bad way as the show goes off the air. I don’t know and I’m happy that I don’t as I don’t lke the spoilers aka the Jardine’s and prefer to watch the big shows just as I would a movie without knowing all the details.”
On John Cena vs. Kevin Owens: “John Cena will likely retain the US Title unless WWE is really going to be bold and do all they can to make Kevin Owens a ‘made man’ which would not hurt Cena one iota. I can also see the underutilized Cesaro playing into this equation Sunday night. Cesaro is as I’ve expressed here before a main event level talent who could be the WWE World Champion as easy as anyone on the roster….he’s that good.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted July 19th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Sting, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official blog with his latest thoughts and opinions on a number of subjects. Below are some of the highlights.
On Monday’s RAW: “Interesting RAW Monday night from Atlanta as the new, females from NXT had more people talking on my timelines than anyone else on the show including the combatants for the WWE World Title. Sara Del Ray has done an amazing of training/coaching the women who pass through NXT. Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch should be stalwarts for years to come in WWE and I see no reason why they cannot move to the top or near the top of primary WWE events sooner than later. It’s a sign of the times and a changing of he guard not unlike the days of Jennie Finch putting women’s softball on the map or Ronda Rousey becoming a mega star in UFC. The only thing that can hold these women back is old school thinking and not being willing to take a chance on adding something new to the top of the cards.”
On Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar: “WWE has positioned Seth Rollins to lose to Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Title Sunday night in St. Louis which is why I don’t think it happens. Sunday would be a great place to add a new talent or two to the mix as allies of Rollins considering that Lesnar and Heyman have eliminated the rest. Could HHH cost Lesnar the title and then face Brock at Summer Slam? Bottom line is that I don’t see Rollins losing Sunday at Battleground.”
On a SummerSlam prediction he has: “Here’s one for you…Undertaker comes back to Summer Slam, causes Lesnar to lose to Rollins and then Taker faces Lesnar at Summer Slam. Yes, I’m on meds.”
On TNA and ROH: “Hope TNA and ROH have a good TV ratings night tonight (Wednesday) on Destination America. This is especially important for TNA. I don’t need to see their World Champion wrestle three times on one show, that I do know and I am a fan of the talent that EC3 has evolved into. TNA needs to really hone in on their booking right now, not allow too many cooks in the kitchen and focus on the handful of stars that they know that they have access to over the long haul.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted July 16th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, SummerSlam, Undertaker.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official Q&A section, answering questions from fans on a wide variety of topics. Below are some of the highlights:
On if he was on the infamous WWE “Plane Ride from Hell.”: “There was one plane ride from hell and yes I was on it. Of course we knew the details would become public. What in wrestling doesn’t?”
On if Tyson Kidd getting injured in match with Samoa Joe will hurt Joe in WWE: “I think not…just one of those things that can happen in the ring unfortunately.”
On possibly having a big Divas elimination match at Survivor Series: “That might work but I agree that something needs to be done with the main roster Divas. Any creative idea is all about the build and execution as many things solely look good on paper.”
On if WWE will have Conor McGregor at WrestleMania 32: “Haven’t thought that aspect of it through but if Rousey is in Wrestlemania Texas she would likely be the only UFC star involved.”
On Undertaker’s future: “I don’t share the feeling that the match has been overlooked. I see Taker perhaps having one more match this year and calling it a career at Wrestlemania Texas.”
Check out more Jim Ross Q&A online at JRsBarBQ.com.
Posted July 12th, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Ronda Rousey, Samoa Joe, Tyson Kidd, Undertaker, WrestleMania, WrestleMania 32, WWE Survivor Series.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated the Q&A section on his official website with his thoughts and opinions on a wide variety of topics submitted by fans. Below are some highlights from his latest Q&A update:
On if WWE should hire more proven talents from the international scene: “Likely all are viable suggestions assuming that they all want to join WWE of which I don’t know. WWE does a good job of evaluating talent such as you mention so I’m sure that they will continue to make good selections.”
On if the internet provides more behind-the-scenes news than it used to: “Times are always changing I would assume and more info becomes available through various sources today so I’d say the answer would be yes.”
On Vince McMahon’s issues with sneezing: “Vince can’t control his sneezing, like all of us, and he doesn’t like things occurring that he can’t control. Many of us found it a source of humor.”
On who he thinks will win at UFC 189: Conor McGregor or Jose Aldo: “UFC is in a no lose situation here but until someone beats Aldo he’s my choice.”
On which match interests him more: Steve Austin vs. John Cena or Undertaker vs. John Cena: “Austin is out so of the two I’d obviously go with Cena vs. Taker of which I’ve fantasy booked on my podcast months ago. Do you listen to the Ross Report?”
On problems he has with ROH’s style and how he feels they could improve: “I am a ROH fan but they wrestle too fast, sell too little and need to slow their pace so that when they hit the next gear it means more.”
Check out more updates from Jim Ross’ Q&A segment by visiting his website at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Posted June 20th, 2015 in News, ROH, WWE. Tagged: John Cena, Steve Austin, Undertaker, Vince McMahon.
Longtime WWE Superstar Kane recently did an in-depth interview with The Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast, talking about a lot of the big moments throughout his career. Below are some highlights.
On memorable thoughts reflecting on his participation at WrestleMania: “My most memorable WrestleMania ever was my first; At WrestleMania 14 in Boston against The Undertaker that was a huge high point in my career and an absolute highlight of my career. The next year I wrestled Triple H when DX was breaking up and that led to me and Xpac becoming partners and that was a really great time, after that was WrestleMania that was in Anaheim and I was teaming with Rikishi against X-Pac and his partner, which actually is terrible of me but I can’t remember who his partner was. Then the next year it was against Kurt Angle and after that another match with The Undertaker, there has been a lot of stuff.”
On his favorite WrestleMania match: “For me personally it was WrestleMania 14 against Undertaker. I believe that the story of Undertaker and Kane was some of the most epic storytelling WWE he’s ever done. It was something out of Greek Mythology and of course that was the culmination of that whole story and for that reason it made it very special. As for my favorite match as a fan, I would have to say that was Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25. If I were to tell anyone, that would be the match that I would point them to. In my opinion it is the greatest match in history and it is just incredible what those two guys did, two absolute icons of our industry and they put on a spectacular performance.”
On wrestling Undertaker at WrestleMania 20: “That one was special because Undertaker had just come back after a hiatus a it was the first time he had been seen and it was completely different than the first WrestleMania match. That was two supernatural figures duking it out essentially and leaving a path of waste wherever they went. Whereas WrestleMania 20 was a little more conventional and that you had just a bad guy versus a very popular good guy so in that respect the build was different and certainly my character was different so if you ask is it one of my favorites? I would take WrestleMania 14 over WrestleMania 20.”
On if he was always a wrestling fan growing up: “I grew up in rural Missouri about two hours north of St. Louis and if the wind was blowing right on a Saturday night I could catch All Star Wrestling out of Kansas City which was run by Bob Geigel and some of the stars there were Bulldog Bob Brower and Ray Candy. Harley Race was based there but Harley was often World Champion so he didn’t wrestle as much there. Once a month though we would go down to my grandmother’s house in St. Louis and at the time in question Wrestling at the Chase was one of the most popular promotions and shows in the country, so once a month I’d get to see all the stars that came through there like Harley Race, Ric Flair and the Von Erich’s. Actually, Baron Von Raschke stands out in my mind because he was such a great villain. Unfortunately, this was before cable TV so I fell off for a while and into high school because I was doing athletics of my own and all that sort of thing but I got back into it at the end of high school and in college. I remember it was at the height of Hulkamania in the late eighties and I still remember going downstairs into a lounge in my dorm room and they were watching Savage vs Steamboat from WrestleMania 3 and I thought it was really awesome. Of course Hogan was on top of the world he was one of biggest things in entertainment and you had the crossover going on with MTV so the WWF was extremely hot and I was always a fan after that. I’ll never forget their first live event I went to at the old Checker-Dome in St. Louis and when Hulk Hogan came out and 10,000 people just lost their minds and I thought to myself that would be really cool to do that and have that sort of impact on somebody. I always thought that it was great athletics and great drama combined into one and I am a fan of both of those.”
On how he broke into the wrestling business: “I was playing college football and I hurt my knee very badly my senior year and I didn’t want to get a real job. I am a fan of the wrestling stuff and because it was pretty hot at the time, I said I am going to go try that (wrestling). I was still trying to play football and at the time the now defunct “World League” was still around but my football future looked very dim and I got involved with a local (wrestling) group and probably didn’t learn great stuff but things that would hamper me down the road as far as the business actually works. But nevertheless, through networking that’s how I met Dutch Mantell (Zeb Coulture) at an Independent show in Southern Illinois and he helped me out. I ended up going to The Malenko Wrestling Academy which was run by Dean (Malenko) but Dean wasn’t spending much time there because he was in Japan but I had the great fortune of being with Larry Simon (The Great Malenko) and I actually got to live with him for about six months. That helped me out tremendously. Eventually, I would go back and forth to Japan for Fujiwara Gumi which was a shoot fighting organization and from there Dutch called for me one day and said that he’d like to bring me to Puerto Rico, so that was my first full-time job and that was in 1994. I spent about nine months working for Carlos Colon and then Dutch was able to get me in with Jim Cornette and Smoky Mountain Wrestling.”
On working with the Rock N’ Roll Express in Smoky Mountain Wrestling: “I learned so much from those guys, especially Ricky Morton. As far as being one of the greatest baby-faces of all time, Ricky Morton is and he really taught me a lot. All those guys who had been around so long like Tracy Smothers, Tony Anthony and Al Snow learning from them the inside the ring performance aspect of the business is not something you can learn by going to a wrestling school.”
On working for Jim Cornette: “Jim wasn’t spending a lot of time with us; he was up in the WWF with the Heavenly Bodies. So it was sort of hit or miss. Jim has a great mind for the business and I think his absence really hurt Smoky Mountain Wrestling because he just wasn’t there to do it every day. At that point he had other fish to fry, but nevertheless you are talking bout a guy that understands especially that particular area and that particular crowd, the “Southern” wrestling, Jim gets it and Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a great example. The motto was “how it ought to be and how you like it” and Jim certainly understood that. But it was a lot of fun working there and a lot of fun working for him.”
On taking his mask off: “Actually, it was my idea because I did feel it was at the point where the mask was restricting what I could do. People ask what the advantages are of wearing a mask and the first thing of course is the mystery people don’t know exactly what Kane is thinking. Taking it off, it also made me a much better performer and that really is what our business is all about. What do you do with the emotion of the audience? Do you want them to you empathize with what you’re doing if you’re the bad guy? You want them to hate you. If you are the good guy, you want them to have sympathy for you. It could be thought of as a form of communication in that respect and because I didn’t have my face, which is how we normally show emotion. I had to rely a lot more on body language and I think that really helped me because I had to concentrate on that and had to think of different ways to be able to betray that emotion without using my face. But then I’m thinking it became a hindrance because at a certain point the novelty is gone and at a certain point it’s time for us all to move along and I think that the most successful characters and most successful people in WWE have been able to reinvent themselves. We see that with Undertaker. He has always been able to reinvent himself and tweak his characters or sometimes change it entirely or Shawn Michaels. The Shawn Michaels that we see today or the one right before he retired is not the Shawn Michaels from 1995. Triple H is that way, John Cena is that way. It is just the nature of our business. Eventually, the novelty is going to wear off. The only people who are behind that decision probably were the only two people that counted and that was Vince and I. Everyone else is of the opinion if it isn’t broke don’t fix it but I think Vince had enough confidence in me as performer that he knew I could pull off and I knew that I could pull it off as well. Not to say there was some trepidation because it is true that if you have something successful you don’t want to mess with it. To me it wasn’t that huge deal because you know you could always put the mask back on, which we would eventually do. At the time it was a pretty big risk and what it did actually was gave me an entirely new career and an entirely new character. It allowed me to do things that I had not been able to be before. Which always makes my job a lot more fun.”
Check out the complete interview at TMPTOfWrestling.com.
Posted April 2nd, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Jim Cornette, Kane, Undertaker, WrestleMania.
After Monday’s post-WrestleMania 31 edition of WWE RAW in San Jose, California, Sting took part in an interview segment in the ring with Renee Young.
Sting spoke about finally wrestling a match in WWE and having his first “WrestleMania moment.” Young asks what the future holds for Sting, but he says he doesn’t know. The fans loudly chant “Undertaker” at him, which Sting acknowledges, but again he assures the fans that he doesn’t know what’s next for him.
Eventually, Bo Dallas came out and dressed Sting down. He tells Sting he blew his legacy in front of a record breaking crowd by losing to Triple H. Dallas gets in the ring and gets hit with a Scorpion Death Drop by Sting. Sting’s music hits again to end the segment.
Posted March 31st, 2015 in News, WWE. Tagged: Bo Dallas, Renee Young, Sting, Triple H, Undertaker.