The following are highlights of a Back Sports Page interview with Jonathan Coachman:

On whether or not his time in WWE helped him with ESPN: “It was a lot. Every time I sit on set on all the big shows I know, whether it’s on the 11PM Sports Center or the Sunday NFL show, everything I do, I find myself mentally referring back to the things I learned working with Vince McMahon and everybody in the WWE. People do not understand how difficult it is to entertain, act and make people believe, when most people don’t want to believe it is true. The one thing about working with the Rock, and I have people mentioning it every day to me, is about the skits that we did for so long. To see the evolution of our relationship going from him abusing me to him coming back and us doing things as we were at the same level, was awesome for me. The decision for me to get into the ring and get involved on a physical aspect was a difficult one for me. It was one I felt I needed to do because I had the size of 6’3 and 240lbs and it was something that would earn me the respect of the boys, while making me one of them. What I didn’t’t realize was what would happen and that I would learn to entertain on the highest level… the timing, how you say things, your facial expressions, you know all the little things I utilize today. I wish all of our anchors could go through all that training, knowing that Vince is watching your every move and he is ready to shred you and rip you apart. I lasted almost ten years in that environment, and because of that, it allowed me to be ahead of the game when I got here. I felt like I was working for Mr. Rodgers compared to Mr. McMahon. The different things I did over my career with WWE, has helped me when I am doing things at the highest level. ESPN is the highest level and that is not lost on me, and I do not forget that. Every single day when I come to work weather I am sick or I am healthy. I’m out to give it all I got because I want to improve, because I care. I love people who care and who show me that they want to give an effort in life, whatever it is, because you know you are gonna get my best effort.”

On personal stories he has regarding Vince McMahon: “Vince McMahon is a very unique guy, and he does not trust a lot of people. He had trust in me and because of that, he wanted me around him a lot, whether I was hosting something or not. If he wanted to yell and couldn’t find someone that he couldn’t yell at, he would yell at me just to get it out of his system. Because of Vince having the ability to trust me, and the fact I did anything he needed me to do, the first time we went over to the middle east to Afghanistan, I was one of the 18 people who got to go to represent WWE because I was able to talk, and get in the ring if I needed to. I did get in the ring as I had a match with Ric Flair over there, and I lost to him via the figure four leg lock, and it is a highlight in my career. Some people call it the figure two, but it is what it is (laughs). While there, I got to see firsthand what life was like out in the desert. It was a scary, as we were in the line of the fire, and we went in places that nobody really got to see up close. Those are some the greatest experiences I will look back on because of that relationship I had with him. I will be indebted to him. We get along great to this day, and if there was an opportunity to be on Monday Night Raw and do Sports Center at the same time I would that in a heartbeat.”

On factors that led to his decision to leave WWE: “Once I found out my daughter was on her way,that was what made the decision to leave. There was a lot thought that went into this decision, but at the end of the day, I wanted to be home with my children. I am lucky enough to have two children and I home everyday with them. Also, there were a lot of bad habits that I developed over the last decade, especially when I was in the ring. I knew if I wanted to survive and live a productive, healthy life, then I needed to get out that environment. The overriding feeling was that I really missed sports. I was craving sports. In my last three years in WWE I signed a deal knowing that I had three years to try and get out. I knew how difficult it would be to find a regular sports job after working in pro wrestling for so long. I spent a good portion of that three year contract working at MSG network in NY and CBS college sports. I was working almost every day creating a bridge, because I was not going to go from WWE to ESPN; it was not going to happen. The family aspect opened my eyes a bit, as the travel became difficult. I began dreading going to the airport and I don’t want to do something I would dread .I was burnt out.”

On an infamous prank Vince McMahon pulled on him: “What you read and heard was 100% true. The thing about WWE is you have to be accepted on many different levels. From 2003 on, I was one of the boys. If you were willing to put your neck on the line and get in the ring, that separates you from everybody else. Up until that point, I had to be accepted into the crew, so to speak. Basically, Jerry Brisco came up to me in 2001 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and he said he wanted me to run a football pool. $10 to pick all the games, and everybody did it. And I started on a Tuesday, it was a Smackdown taping, I’ll never forget it. I had my own room I did interviews in, and all the sudden two cops show up. They were very serious, and said I understand you’re running a gambling pool. You sold one to one of our undercover cops here. It’s a felony in North Carolina and we’re going to have to take you in. So we’re walking down the hallway, and we stop in front of Vince’s office, and they said we should probably let him know because you’re not going to be here for a while. We walk in and it’s Vince, Triple H, Stephanie, The Rock, Kevin Dunn and Jerry Brisco. I should have known that, with Jerry in the room, something was going on, but I was so terrified because I was 26 years old. The real cops proceeded to tell Vince they’ve caught me in a gambling pool and we need to take him downtown. Vince got in my face, and he was an inch away from my nose. He was cursing, telling me my priorities were bad, and spending company time to run a gambling pool. This entire riff lasted 45 minutes. At the end of the office bit, the officer said it was $1,500 to get me out, and Vince said F-no, he’s on his own. They handcuffed me, and I asked if there was anything I could put over my face. Vince threw me a pair of sweaty gym shorts that got stuck on my face. I walked out of the office and the first person I see is The Undertaker. He looks at me with shock, and it was so real because no one else was in on it except those people in the office. They walked me out, and all the fans could see me and they drove me about a mile down the road, and got a call on the radio that they had to come back to pick up something. They turn around, come back, and everyone’s there with Vince in front of everybody laughing their asses off. Greatest rip in the history of the business, and for about 10 minutes I literally walked to a place in the building and started crying. I thought my career was over. I thought how can I tell my dad I got fired over a $10 football pool.”

Check out the complete interview at BackSportsPage.com.

I miss the pipe bombs.

I miss “The Best in the World.”

I miss CM Punk.

A few months ago, CM Punk walked out on WWE. That’s the catchy, grabby headline, anyway. In reality, he walked out on his fans. WWE will be fine without him. They have seen the best of all-time come and go and they continue to be a multi-billion dollar conglomerate.

When Punk first left, most of the attention was on the behind-the-scenes happenings of a business arrangement gone wrong. Everyone was focused on the story behind what led to his departure. As a fan, which I remain first and foremost, my initial reaction was more along the lines of, “damn, that sucks.” No more CM Punk pipe bombs? No more “Best in the World” in-ring performances?

When the “Chicago Made” Superstar first delivered his infamous “pipe bomb” promo in June of 2011, I fell back in love with the sport I have had a passion for since childhood. At the time, I was growing sweet on this new love of mine known as mixed-martial-arts. Pro wrestling became too PG. It was too geared for children.

CM Punk changed all of that.

After hearing of his promo, I checked it out on YouTube. From then on, my television was tuned into the USA Network every single Monday night. The key segment I looked forward to each week was one that featured Punk with a microphone in his hand. He never failed to deliver the type of entertainment that I had missed for so many years.

Eventually everyone in the pro wrestling business gets burned out. As of right now, I hold out hope that Punk will regain his passion for the business in the same way that he helped me regain mine. I fully expect to hear Living Colour’s “Cult Of Personality” again one day.

But what if I don’t?

After all of the focus on the answer to the question, “what happened?” died down, the attention now seems to be on ole’ Phil Brooks himself. After all of of those who cried “work” realized as the Chicago RAW came and went, the big WrestleMania XXX event came and went, and we still haven’t seen “The Best in the World” on our television sets, it seems like the reality is finally setting in.

He isn’t coming back. Not anytime soon, at least.

So what does this tell us as fans? Punk couldn’t work out an arrangement that would see him remain as an active WWE performer? In a time where many top-level Superstars are managing to secure special part-time contracts with limited dates and tons of dough, you mean to tell me that both sides couldn’t figure something out?

The job of a promoter is to deliver the matches and performers that people want to see. Clearly people want to see CM Punk in WWE. Having said that, how is it possible that Vince McMahon couldn’t come to some kind of arrangement to deliver Punk in Chicago, or in New Orleans?

Something isn’t right here.

I obviously don’t know Vince McMahon on a personal level, but I think it’s safe to say that his reputation as a guy who will bury the hatchet with people is well known. His reputation as a guy who delivers what people want to see is at the least above average. Knowing that, you would have to assume that he made every effort possible to get Punk back in the mix.

It didn’t happen.

The question now becomes, what is it that CM Punk wants? Based on behind-the-scenes rumblings, it seemed that Punk wanted a guaranteed spot in the main event of WrestleMania. Since he walked out, it seems as though anything short of that wasn’t good enough.

WWE doesn’t suffer, it’s the fans that suffer. Especially CM Punk fans. WWE fans will still find something to enjoy on Monday and Friday nights. WWE will be just fine. CM Punk fans, however, are screwed.

Unless you’re a fan of Mike Maron or Talking Dead, you’re not going to have the chance to see your favorite performer on television.

After reading a lot of feedback across a variety of platforms, I am noticing a trend. No longer are fans saying “screw WWE for not giving Punk what he wants.” The mood seems to be more along the lines of “what the hell, Punk, why aren’t you coming back?”

Listen, we don’t know what happens behind closed doors. It’s unfair to say with any kind of real certainty that the blame lies on this person or that person. But the bottom line is this: they need to figure out something that appeases both sides. The bottom line is WWE needs to deliver CM Punk. At the same time, CM Punk needs to figure out a way to get back in the mix. If he’s burnt out, that’s one thing. Take some time off, rest up, heal up, and get back in there. If he’s done, he’s done. But from all accounts, that’s not what happened. What happened, as best I can tell, is Punk didn’t get his way, so he up and left.

If Punk does come back, and shoots directly into the main event picture, does that make him a hypocrite? Isn’t that exactly what bothered Punk in the first place? Guys coming in and walking directly into main event spots? How is coming back and getting direct access to the top spot any different than what The Rock did? Or Brock Lesnar? Or Batista?

It’s not.

I’m an enormous CM Punk fan. For selfish reasons, I don’t care what happened. I don’t care what it takes to get him back. I just want it to happen. It’s up to WWE and Phil Brooks to find out a way to make that happen. Everything else is irrelevant.

I spoke about catchy, grabby headlines. I look forward to the day I can put a headline on an article that reads, “CM Punk Returns To WWE.”

I look forward to more pipe bombs.

I look forward to seeing more of “The Best in the World.”

I look forward to seeing CM Punk.

– Mia Tyler, daughter of Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler, paid tribute to the late Ultimate Warrior by getting his iconic facepaint image tattoo’d on her leg. You can check out photos below.

– The following is a photo of Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H joining Linda McMahon at the annual Prescott Bush Dinner in Stamford, Connecticut.

• Plans For THE SHIELD vs. EVOLUTION Revealed + EXTREME RULES PPV Matches!

As noted, Undertaker was legitimately hospitalized with a severe concussion sustained in his WrestleMania XXX match with Brock Lesnar. Undertaker was released on Monday, however, and was actually backstage at RAW. For whatever reason, the decision was made not to use him on the show.

Those who saw Undertaker backstage at RAW noted that he was limping around pretty badly, and appeared to be in rough shape.

Regarding the decision to end Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania, there is said to be a number of people in the company who were very unhappy about that decision, but couldn’t — and won’t — say anything about it publicly.

The decision was reportedly made by Vince McMahon, not Undertaker himself. There are conflicting reports regarding the call. Some “in the know” claim that McMahon had to talk Undertaker into it, while others, also “in the know,” say McMahon made the call and Undertaker simply went with it.

As previously reported, WWE referee Chad Patton, who served as the in-ring official for the Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker match at WrestleMania XXX, was not aware that Lesnar was going over in the bout. As noted, he was actually told that Undertaker was supposed to win.

As far as who else in the company knew ahead of time, that is hard to say. We can say for certain that Vince McMahon, Brock Lesnar, Undertaker, Paul Heyman, and likely Triple H and Stephanie McMahon all knew, but beyond that, it”s difficult to say.

On the actual script for the show, no finish was listed for the Lesnar-Undertaker match. However, that wasn’t unusual, as other matches on the card did not have a finish listed on the script as well.

According to reports, none of the agents who worked the show were aware that Undertaker was going to lose.

It should be noted, that despite the claim that not many were aware of the finish, enough people, or the right people, must have known. There were two major online betting websites that had Lesnar an unbelievable underdog, nearly 50-to-1 by some odds, that switched to him being an actual betting favorite when the match hit the ring, indicating that a ton of “smart money” came in once the finish was determined and told to whomever was in the loop to know these kind of things.

Triple H and Stephanie McMahon have taken on more of a leadership role within WWE over the past few weeks. As reported earlier, the two had more control than ever at WrestleMania XXX.

While Vince McMahon is still the top decision maker and WWE and has not shown any signs of stepping away any time soon, there’s a feeling behind the scenes that this is a transition period in WWE.

Analyzing WWE’s Changing Of The Guard

Regarding the death of the Ultimate Warrior, it was Triple H who informed the WWE talent about the tragic news. As you can imagine, Vince McMahon was said to be very shaken up by it.

Photo: Vince McMahon & Warrior At RAW

(Source: F4Wonline.com)

Never say never…@VinceMcMahon and #WWE Hall of Famer @UltimateWarrior pic.twitter.com/WH2HZG9VJ0

— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) April 8, 2014

After Warriors promo on Raw Pat was happy we were friends,UW told me his wife was also happy too,oh love HH pic.twitter.com/bHjoJSnimk

— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) April 9, 2014

As previously reported, The Undertaker went to the hospital almost immediately after his match at WrestleMania XXX against Brock Lesnar. While we haven’t heard anything yet about Undertaker’s condition, we can report that Vince McMahon accompanied him to the hospital and actually missed the WrestleMania main event as a result.

Triple H and Stephanie, who got physically involved in the main event, ran the show while Vince was with Undertaker.

(Source: PWInsider.com)

The following are highlights of a lengthy Buzz Feed interview-article on Shane McMahon:

On if a family feud led to his WWE departure: “No, there was no civil war. My sister is still involved in the company now with her husband Triple H. They’re there. My dad is there. Things are moving forward.”

On it being difficult to work for his father, Vince McMahon: “My dad held me to a different standard, without question, sometimes unfairly so and that’s OK. It’s tough to bat .1000 all the time. It’s that one wrong all the time. It teaches you. It definitely teaches you. It’s a way of teaching…”

Shane, who admitted he won’t be returning to TV at WrestleMania XXX, said the following regarding a possible WWE return: “Would I ever come back? I would never count it out because anything can happen in the WWE.”

Check out the complete article at BuzzFeed.com.

– WWE updated their official YouTube channel with video footage of the backstage scene at the WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony in New Orleans on Saturday night. The clip features the 2014 inductees receiving their rings and taking photos with Vince McMahon and Triple H. You can check that out below:

– Speaking of the WWE Hall Of Fame and the inductees receiving their rings, here’s a photo of Scott Hall, who was inducted as “Razor Ramon” on Saturday night, showing off his new bling:

@MBoone420 @RyanClarkWZR Scott Hall Showing Off His #WWEHOF Ring! #RazorRamon #Congratulations #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/q6mFJouzcP

— Ranjit Chahal (@TheRsc20) April 6, 2014

– The following is a photo of Stephanie McMahon, Triple H and Vince McMahon backstage at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans watching the final touches being made to the WrestleMania XXX set.

Backstage shot of #WWE Vince & Stephanie along with Triple H watch the final touches on #WrestleManiaset @MBoone420 pic.twitter.com/QdaQ23Q7dP

— Jorge Romero (@Jromer0) April 5, 2014

– WWE has added a new video to their official YouTube channel that features soon-to-be WWE Hall Of Famer Ultimate Warrior reflecting on his legacy. You can watch that below:

The Boston Herald has a new WrestleMania XXX feature up that features comments from Ric Flair, Jim Ross and Daniel Bryan.

Ric Flair gave credit to Vince McMahon for making WrestleMania what it has become today. “WrestleMania is what it is because of Vince,” said Flair. “He’s made this the Mecca of Sports Entertainment.”

Jim Ross added, “Vince doesn’t go to ball games, golf, or any of that rich-guy stuff. He just works, and nobody works harder than him.” JR continued, “He’s always had that unrelenting work ethic, and I think a lot of it stems from his father. His father was such an iconic figure in the wrestling business. Vince idolized his father from afar, and he wanted to do anything he could to draw favor from his dad. When his dad reluctantly allowed Vince to get into the wrestling business, that overwhelming work ethic kicked in.”

Finally, Daniel Bryan noted that he would like to start a new era at WWE RAW on Monday night after WrestleMania XXX. “I’d like to go out on Monday Night Raw on the day after WrestleMania and start a new era with guys who can go out in the ring and perform,” said Bryan. “John Cena and Randy Orton are great performers, but so are Cesaro and The Shield. It’s time to give some new guys some new opportunities.”

Check out the complete article at BostonHerald.com.

The following are highlights of a new Diamond Dallas Page interview:

On WWE purchasing WCW: “I knew my career was going to continue in WWE no matter what. So it didn’t affect me personally until I realized that a lot of people were going to lose their jobs and essentially lose their dreams. However, I always knew I would get to WWE because that was my goal since I was 17 years old.”

On his time in WWE: “The positive side of it is it was an awesome learning experience. What I should have done was say “This is an awesome angle, but not for me; let me know when you want to do People’s Champion vs People’s Champion” and then walk away. Since I didn’t, I learned a huge lesson. I always tell people it doesn’t matter if you make mistakes as long as you learn from them. So in reality, the Stalker angle was probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“I may not have had the run that I wanted in WWE, but I got a great Wrestlemania match with Christian and I got to be on the same card as The Rock vs Hulk Hogan. It’s also funny how things come around because I was a competitor at Wrestlemania X8, but 12 years ago when Wrestlemania was held in that same arena, I was driving a pink Cadillac.”

On Eric Bischoff: “Bischoff was my close friend that I met in the AWA. We were nobodies together and we came up together. Nobody believed in either of us. We helped each other out with angles, matches, etc. He protected me when guys tried to mess with me. I missed having that when I got to WWE because there was a ton of egos.”

On Vince McMahon: “As far as Vince is concerned, I never really got to know him. I have respect for him, but I don’t know the guy that well because I wasn’t a top guy in WWE.”

Check out the complete DDP interview at PWMania.com.

For whatever this is worth, in the investment community, many have interpreted Vince McMahon’s comments in the recent Forbes article to mean that he’s willing to either sell WWE, or at least a major ownership stake in the company. The speculation is he would structure a deal that would see him remain in charge, but monetize his ownership value for his family before he passes away.

Those in the investment community seem to feel that McMahon should recognize the need to strike a deal where he can retain control, but also have the company in the hands of someone who can create a suitable successor for him.

Even if McMahon sells an ownership stake in his company, the feeling is that nobody would actually replace him as the guy in charge, unless of course he’s simply too old to function at his job at that point in time.

For those wondering, the companies most speculated regarding media partners who would be the best fit in a situation like this are Madison Square Garden and Liberty.

WWE has denied rumors of merger talks, however the speculation has resulted in some of the stock increases we have seen over the past week.

The general feeling among most behind-the-scenes in WWE is that Brock Lesnar should have been booked differently during the build up to his match with Undertaker at WrestleMania XXX. The basic feeling is that Lesnar should have come off as more of a threat to Undertaker and his streak.

Vince McMahon made the call originally to have Undertaker go the entire build-up to the match without being touched, although he ended up changing that plan on the “go-home” edition of RAW on Monday night, as we witnessed, with Lesnar giving Undertaker his F-5 finisher. Even then, however, the call was made to have Lesnar’s attack be a sneak attack from behind, with the announcers painting Lesnar as a coward.

2014 WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts recently spoke with Philly.com to promote WrestleMania weekend. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

The Significance Of His Hall of Fame Induction: “There’s so much electricity in the air and so many good thoughts going through me. Nothing can take the shine off what’s about to happen because not only am I being inducted into the Hall of Fame, which is something I didn’t think would ever happen because of my out-of-the-ring antics and some of the things I said.”

Vince McMahon Forgiving Him: “People have to remember that an alcoholic and a drug addict can be known to tell a lie or two and I certainly did my share of it with lashing out and was pretty ugly about it. For Vince McMahon to forgive and forget — maybe he hasn’t forgotten, but at least he’s forgiven — and to invite me into the Hall of Fame … it’s going to be an awesome, awesome moment.”

Diamond Dallas Page Saving His Life: “There would have been no other choice other than god himself. Diamond Dallas saved my life. He didn’t have to, but that’s the kind of guy he is. He’s helped so many people with his DDP Yoga. It’s just incredible with the lives he’s changing, the lives he’s affecting. I am so honored to be part of that. Me making my journey, Scott Hall making his journey, we opened the doors for a lot of people out there that are struggling with all sorts of addictions. Whether it’s food or sex or whatever it’s still an addiction and addictions aren’t healthy.”

His New Book That Comes Out in June: “Right now, it’s 600 pages and that doesn’t even get me to the WWE years. It’s going to be a really, really intense book. I think it will help a lot of people understand more about addiction and more about people that have had struggles in their lives with sexual abuse. I’m opening the doors to my life. I’m not talking about anybody else. It’s just my own. I really look forward to having out there and traveling around and promoting it.”

The New York Times recently ran a featured article regarding the WWE Network and the upcoming WrestleMania XXX event, which takes place at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, April 6th.

The article features quotes from various WWE executives, pro wrestling insiders, as well as Vince McMahon himself. “I think any good entertainment product has to change with the times,” said McMahon in the article. “You have to have your fingers on the pulse of the marketplace.”

Check out the complete article at NYTimes.com.

The following are highlights of a WGD Weekly interview with Ron Simmons:

On the significance of becoming the first African American World Champion in WCW: “Out of everything that I’ve accomplished in professional wrestling, that, without any doubt, tops the list. As I have stated before, once we leave this earth, man or woman, we want to be known or leave something behind that is good for mankind, period and that to me was the best gift I could’ve given, not only to my race, but to any aspiring wrestler, or anyone aspiring to do the best in anything they can…at that time there wasn’t many African Americans in the business, and then for myself to come along and be the one, while not setting out to be that one, or that trailblazer, or the first to wear that heavyweight belt. it means a lot to me. To see the other guys like Booker T, or Mark Henry who had come after me and for them to come up to me and say ‘Thank you, Ron, for inspiring me and opening the door for me to get an opportunity to pursue my dream. That’s what sums the whole thirty years of this business, that I have been in the ring, that’s what makes it all worth while.”

On who he feels deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame that has not yet been inducted: “My brother, as I do say, at some point he definitely has to go in there. Whether it is as a tag team or as a singles, he was a world champion there and in numerous world championship tag teams there with myself, and that’s my partner, Bradshaw.”

On sitting down with Vince McMahon and being pitched the Faarooq Asad gimmick: “We sat down and we started going over things, and we thought about how I was going to be presented in my gimmick…so, he said, ‘This is when I sat down with my team and envisioned you as.’ Now this was far from my mind, but, he pulls these drawings out and says, ‘I see you as this gladiator, as this spartan. Now, so far I’m thinking, man, this is great, I can get with that. Then he starts to show me more and more and then he says, ‘And this will be something like what you’ll be wearing, this helmet right here, it’s made out if leather.’ So, at first I’m waiting there, you know, I’m waiting for him to laugh or to joke. Because, I’m laughing at this point and I’m thinking, this guy has a good sense of humor, he is ribbing me. So, as I’m laughing, I look at his face and think, ‘Oh god, he is serious.’ So, my face goes right back to poker face right then and all I can say is, ‘You know, I think that is great. That is fantastic and it will be the best thing I’ve ever done.’ I’m thinking in the back of my mind, ‘I can’t believe this.'”

On he and Bradshaw having to “welcome” incoming talent to the WWF that may have not had the best attitude coming in: “There is a lot of truth to that, absolutely. There were guys that came there from other organizations that perhaps they thought they should just skip everybody else and skip right to the top and have things right away the way they wanted. I mean, hey, there are rules and things that you have to abide by as far as this business goes…and you have to respect those. But, when you don’t respect those, then hey, we have got a problem. So, yes, we had a lot of guys who came in with that attitude, and John and I would have to be called upon to let them know ‘hey, that is not how it works here’.”

You can check out the complete interview above.

The following are clips of Hulk Hogan’s recent appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show:

Hulk Hogan on John Cena: ‘Somebody Needs To Drag Him Around The Ring For 30 Minutes’

Hulk Hogan has some surprising things to say about WWE star John Cena, but it’s why he says it that might shock you the most.

http://youtu.be/Zy99k9i_BHE

How Mr. T Changed Wrestling Forever

As Hulk Hogan preps for Wrestlemania 30, he looks back on the first Wrestlemania ever. He tells Arsenio that it was Mr. T who changed professional wrestling forever.

http://youtu.be/phAfcG6MmBA

Hulk Hogan Owns Up To Problems With Vince McMahon

Hulk Hogan is taking the high road when he looks back on his days with Vince McMahon. See what problems he takes credits for.

http://youtu.be/S6a2NPUXpsI

Hulk Hogan Opens Up About The Toll Reality TV Took On His Family

Hulk Hogan speaks very candidly about the issues his family faced following their reality show.

http://youtu.be/B49Qu9MDWXE

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon recently took part in a rare interview with Forbes.com following his recent placement on the 2014 Forbes Billionaires List. McMahon spoke about a number of topics, including the transformative over-the-top WWE Network, going to war with Ted Turner, having to “feed the monster” of the WWE audience and why he expects to “die a very frustrated man.”

The Challenge of Pleasing The WWE Audience:

Sitting next to the desk in his office at WWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut is a huge dinosaur skull – a gift from Triple H. “I look at it like it’s a really nice monster,” Vince said. “When you feed the monster, the monster is happy. The problem with that is, the monster grows. And as the monster grows, then the monster wants more to eat. And as long as you do that, everything’s great. And if you don’t provide the food, then bad things start to happen.”

When asked by Forbes’ Michael Solomon if that ‘monster’ represents the WWE audience, Vince said with a smile, “You can look at it that way, absolutely.”

WWE vs. WCW:

Regarding his ‘war’ with former rival Ted Turner,  Vince expressed that he was pushed to his limits, saying “it came down to attrition” and “Who was going to burn out before the other guy did?”

Talk Of Companies Wanting To Buy WWE:

Vince was coy about rumors of WWE being for sale, but there are no guarantees that the company will be run by McMahon family members forever, Vince did admit, “I would like to see a degree of that. I just think as times go on, things will evaporate. Eventually Uncle Sam sees the benefit. You can’t do anything without Uncle Sam taking a huge bite of it.”

Never Being Truly Satisfied Despite His Enormous Success:

Despite Vince’s exceptional professional accomplishments, he admits that he’ll never be satisfied, a trait that is common amongst the most successful people in the world.  “I have a voracious appetite, for life and everything in it,” he said. “To a certain extent I will die a very frustrated man because I didn’t do this or accomplish that.”

There’s much more to the interview, which you can read in its entirety at Forbes.com.

As previously reported, WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan appeared on Huffington Post Live on Monday to promote WrestleMania XXX. Beyond the sex tape information that was reported yesterday, Hogan also talked about a couple of current WWE-related topics.

As far as his actual WWE return, Hogan noted that it came about when Triple H saw him at a charity event in New York City a few years ago. He said Triple H approached him and asked him straight out, “when are you coming home?” Hogan said that he mentioned to Triple H that he didn’t think Vince McMahon wanted him back, but Triple H assured him that he did. Hogan noted that TNA public relations executive Mike Weber was standing right next to him when Triple H was talking to him.

Hogan again dropped the “never say never” line when asked about working one final match, but did note that he wouldn’t ever be able to do his trademark leg drop again.

When the subject of The Ultimate Warrior came up, Hogan mentioned that he and Warrior don’t communicate much these days, but did say that he’s excited to see him be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame this year.

You can watch the complete appearance of Hogan on the show by going to HuffingtonPost.com.

– WWE’s “Scooby Doo WrestleMania Mystery” DVD and Blu-Ray were officially released today.

– The official theme songs for WrestleMania XXX are “Legacy” by Eminem, “Celebrate” by Kid Rock and “In Time” by Mark Collie.

– WWE.com is running a contest where fans can win a copy of the WWE 50 Encyclopedia signed by Vince McMahon.

– John Cena appeared on Neil Cavuto’s show on FOX Business News once again last night:

There is said to be a general feeling within WWE that while Triple H would likely never admit it publicly, he’s offended that CM Punk didn’t want to work with him at WrestleMania XXX. The mindset among many top WWE executives, including Triple H himself, is that working with him is a big deal.

Additionally, it should be noted that the attitude within WWE in regards to the CM Punk situation has changed. At first, many felt like Vince McMahon would eventually resolve the situation, however now the feeling is that Punk isn’t coming back anytime in the forseeable future.

There’s also a feeling that ‘WWE made Punk a lot of money and then he left’ when he got fed up.

• VERY DETAILED Breakdown Of EXACTLY How Much Money HHH & The McMahon’s Earn >>

(Credit: PWInsider.com)

The following is a breakdown of WWE executive pay. Senior management within the company currently consists of Vince McMahon (CEO), George Barrios (CFO & Chief Strategy Officer), Michelle Wilson (Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Marketing Officer), Stephanie McMahon (Chief Branding Officer), Paul Levesque (Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events and Creative), Kevin Dunn (Executive Producer), Casey Collins (Executive Vice President of Consumer Products), Michael Luisi (President, WWE Studios), Gerret Meier (Executive Vice President, International), Laura Brevetti (Senior Vice President, General Counsel) and Basil DeVito Jr. (Senior Advisor, Business Strategy).

The current base salaries are Vince McMahon at $1,184,500, George Barrios at $700,000, Triple H at $550,000 (as well as a $1 million per year contract as a talent), Kevin Dunn at $700,000 and Michael Luisi at $600,000.

Actual total compensation, which includes stock grants, for the top WWE executives in 2013 saw Vince McMahon end up with $1,724,958 (McMahon doesn’t receive additional stock grants since he owns so much company stock to begin with). In 2012, McMahon’s earnings were $2,456,359, and in 2011 were $1,111,395. The difference in 2011 was mainly because McMahon earned no additional compensation from profit incentives in 2011. The profit levels needed for incentives to begin for senior management lowered in 2012, so he ended up earning an additional $1.3 million that way.

Also in 2013, Barrios earned $1,378,197. Triple H earned $2,511,331 in 2013. His actual earnings as a talent between match payoffs, as well as merchandise and licensing money was $1,868,639. In 2012, HHH made $2,912,231, which was $488,482 in executive salary, $305,000 in profit sharing incentive bonuses and $2,118,769 as a talent. In 2011, Triple H earned $336,538 as an executive, $74,100 in stock grants and $2,074,042 as a talent, for a total of $2,484,680 for the year.

In 2013, Dunn earned $1,744,184. Luisi earned $1,403,228. Stephanie McMahon earned $778,394 in 2013, $325,000 of which was as a television talent.

As far as WWE stock goes, Vince McMahon is obviously the top earner, with 39,272,641 shares, which has a current value of approximately $1.21 billion. Linda McMahon, who has 9,066,770 shares, which is currently valued at $280.2 million. Stephanie McMahon has 2,511,071, so despite her selling off so much stock last year, with the recent stock increase, she’s still worth about $77.6 million in stock alone. Triple H owns 50,764 shares, which is currently valued at $1.57 million.

The following are highlights of a new Boston Herald interview with Bret “The Hitman” Hart:

On his classic Iron Man match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania: “We both made that a classic match that will never, ever lose its shine. I remember there was a certain point when I had to be setting up a move with exactly five minutes left in the match. I remember setting up on the second rope and looking at the score clock, and there was exactly four minutes and 59 seconds left in the match. There’s no wasted moves, and there was precision in every move.”

On his classic WrestleMania match with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin: “They ended up throwing me and Steve together and it was kind of an ice-cold story line,” said Hart. “That was a big disappointment, at first, for Steve and me. We’d just fought months earlier at the Survivor Series, and even though we loved working together, he was looking for someone new to work with and I was looking for Shawn.”

“The match with Austin was pro wrestling’s version of the best MMA fight,” said Hart. “Steve even calls me once in a while and goes, ‘I got our match on.’ He always tells me it’s his favorite he’s ever had, and it’s the same for me.”

“I’ve always felt that Steve was good enough to make it on his own anyway, but I do like to think I played a role in helping him.”

On how he would book WrestleMania XXX: “I hope they give Daniel Bryan his chance to win the belt at WrestleMania. He earned it a long time ago, but it wouldn’t surprise me — like Charlie Brown with the football — if they pull it away from him one last time. I really hope they give him his proper run, as he hasn’t had the opportunity yet to be the champion he deserves to be. Hopefully this year at WrestleMania, it will be a crowning achievement for Daniel Bryan.”

On the CM Punk situation: “When you look at it closely, Punk’s burned out. He’s always given 100 percent in all his matches, and delivered some of the best pay-per-view matches in the past 10 years. And it’s not easy when there are legends who only work part-time, and guys like Punk and Bryan do all the work, and watch someone like Brock Lesnar walk in and take those big matches and big paydays without having to be on the road all the time. I think that had a lot to do with his decision, and rightfully so.”

“One of Vince McMahon’s favorite sayings is, ‘Life’s not fair.’ I don’t see Punk being a factor at WrestleMania, but he still has a lot of greatness left in him. As a fan, I hope he comes back, and as a wrestler, I have a lot of respect for him, too.”

Check out the complete interview at BostonHerald.com.