BestofOrlando.com reports that a physical WWE Hall of Fame building (as well as a new WWE-themed restaurant) could be coming to the Universal CityWalk complex in Orlando, Florida.
The Universal Studios theme park recently filed for several demolition permits in an effort to renovate several of the existing CityWalk properties. NBA City in particular is rumored to be shut down and renovated to make way for a physical WWE Hall of Fame building and WWE restaurant.
In recent months, WWE has downplayed the idea that there are plans in place to bring a WWE Hall of Fame building to Orlando. However, construction is already underway on some of the CityWalk venues, so it’s only a matter of time before we find out what new establishments will be opening.
With Orlando, Florida being the home of the new WWE Performance Center and Orlando pushing to host another WrestleMania event in the coming years and the tremendous amount of tourist traffic at Universal CityWalk, it will be interesting to see if this pans out.
“Leapin” Lanny Poffo, real-life brother to the late “Macho Man” Randy Savage recently spoke to the Pro Wrestling Torch about the latest on his brother being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame.
Poffo originally noted that his brother’s wishes were for he, Lanny, and his father Angelo Poffo, to all be inducted as a family into the WWE Hall Of Fame. Since then, Poffo has apparently given WWE permission to induct Savage by himself.
“I gave them permission to do it without my permission. Just don’t invite me and don’t pay me. I don’t need their 30 pieces of silver to defy my brother’s wishes. Kayfabe Commentaries had my best interview regarding the reasons Randy had for this position.”
-Former WWE Superstar Stevie Richards was at the house of fellow former WWE Superstar Diamond Dallas Page this week in Atlanta, Georgia. Apparently Richards was receiving his certification to become an official DDPYoga trainer. Richards will be doing classes in multiple markets.
-Next week’s edition of the Top Chef show on the Bravo Network will feature a Lucha Libre theme. The show will also feature appearances from multiple Lucha Va Voom personalities.
-WWE Hall Of Famer “Iron” Mike Tyson was a guest on the Conan show on TBS on Wednesday night.
-Speaking of WWE Hall Of Famers, Pete Rose is back in the news, as he’s currently dealing with another tax lien from the IRS.
-WWE legend The Ultimate Warrior appeared at the PAX Convention in Seattle, Washington this past weekend. When asked about the possibility of being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in the near future, Warrior replied by simply saying, “Probably not, but we will see.”
-The official WWE website recently added an article that features a look at a list of the top 15 World Heavyweight Champions in company history. Coming in at number one, of course, was Triple H. Rounding out the top five were Batista, Edge, The Undertaker and Booker T. Check out the complete list online at WWE.com.
-Former WWE Superstar and ECW original Tommy Dreamer revealed in a new tweet on Monday evening that he will be tagging with hardcore icon and WWE Hall Of Famer Terry Funk, for “the last time ever”, at the House Of Hardcore event on November 9th. Dreamer and Funk will team up to take on the duo of Lance Storm and Sean “X-Pac” Waltman. For more information, visit HouseOfHardcore.net.
-WWE Superstar CM Punk recently made his argument for The Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage to be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame. In a new tweet, Punk wrote:
“Ultimate Warrior. Better be hall of fame bound. Savage too. All them Poffos.”
-WWE posted the latest edition of “Backstage Fallout” for this week’s RAW on their official YouTube channel. The description for the video reads: “Miz tangos with Fandango, and the Divas division breaks down.”
Check out the RAW “Backstage Fallout” for this week below:
-Miami Herald writer Scott Fishman recently posted a blog about the HBO Real Sports piece on Diamond Dallas Page. He also makes his case for DDP in the WWE Hall Of Fame. Check that out online at LayfieldReport.com.
-WWE Diva Brie Bella tweeted the following about what she has learned from her sister Nikki’s injury:
“Nikki’s Injury has taught me how strong I am on my own! it’s just the start of the strength you’ll see! Just wait Xxoo B #briebella #bellaarmy”
-WWE Hall Of Famer “Iron” Mike Tyson announced during a press conference this past Friday that he has been lying for years about being sober. Tyson claimed he is still a bad alcoholic, but was proud to be clean 6 days (as of the interview). Celebrity-gossip website TMZ.com picked up the story as well. Here’s the footage:
-The new film “Riddick,” which features former WWE Superstar Dave Bautista, will be released in theaters on Friday, September 6th.
-Add USAToday.com to the list of mainstream outlets that covered Bill Goldberg at the Marlins game.
The following are highlights from a recent Q&A with WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:
On rumors that he was drunk at the WWE 2K14 symposium: “I wasn’t but thanks for asking.”
On Daniel Bryan not holding the WWE Championship for any real length of time: “I think Bryan is more popular today than he ever has been. I’ll enjoy the chase.”
On whether or not Bill Watts ever owned a part of Georgia Championship Wrestling, and talent-sharing in those days: “WATTS at one time owned a piece of Georgia. Talent trades were not unusual in those days either way. JYD & others wrestled in Atlanta.”
On what The Undertaker’s reaction was following the infamous Hell In A Cell match at King Of The Ring 1998: “That was 15 years ago. I really don’t recall. He was likely spent.”
On chances of a Steve Austin vs. CM Punk match in WWE: “Seems like that ship has sailed but I’m merely guessing. I’d love to see it.”
On politics in WWE: “I think politics are overrated and discussed usually on hearsay & by disgruntled individuals. Cream always rises to the top w/ few exceptions.”
On the subject of wrestling newsletters back in the day: “Newsletters weren’t a big topic of open discussion back in the day. Most guys tried to distance themselves from wrestling while traveling.”
On who will replace John Cena as the face of WWE and if a “streak” storyline would work: “I’d say Daniel Bryan is next man up. Don’t see Streak launching a new face of WWE.”
On if Owen Hart will ever be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame: “Likely so. Don’t know when.”
On the career of “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin: “Ronnie was a tough, highly skilled, intelligent in ring talent. Also a pilot. I thought the sharpshooter was a Japanese submission.”
On past WWE Divas in the new WWE 2K14 video game: “I’m not aware of the Diva involvement. Sorry.”
Check out more of JR’s Q&A online at JRsBarBQ.com.
The following are highlights from a recent Grantland.com interview with WWE’s Triple H:
On his role as head of talent relations for WWE: “Everything that has to do with talent, from the legends to the developmental system, to the live events and all of its operations and the towns we book, to where the pay-per-views are, all of it. Obviously I have a massive team that does all that, but they report to me.
“I started in the office full-time a few years ago. Vince had been bugging me for a while, saying ‘When are you going to stop messing around in the ring and come get a real job?’ So one time when I was injured, I shadowed him in the office for three months. I did everything he did. When I finally started full-time, he was like, ‘Take a few months. I want you to dig into everything. Have meetings with finance, dig into every part of this company and see what you think needs work.’
“And the thing I came back to him with was we have this huge global marketing juggernaut, but we’re a victim of our own success. We’ve shut down all the other territories. There’s almost no place for guys to go learn, and when they do, they’re learning how to work in a junior high in front of 50 people. It’s a completely different thing than working in front of 10,000 or a million on TV with a camera in your face.
“So I started this little division called talent development. It was basically to build a bridge between creative and the developmental wrestlers. Now, other than Vince saying, “OK, you can have that amount of money,” he doesn’t have anything to do with it. Honest to god, he hasn’t even seen the Performance Center yet. He’s supposed to go next week.
On Stephanie McMahon’s role in WWE: “Technically, creative reports to Steph, but Steph is kind of the aggregator. Her office does everything from the magazine to digital to the shows, so it’s funny when people will say, ‘Oh, Steph and the creatives.’ She really doesn’t have anything to do with the day-to-day. I mean, she’ll weigh in on something if Vince asks or if the writers ask her what she thinks before they bring something to Vince.”
On a physical WWE Hall Of Fame building: “Halls of fame are not a lucrative business. But here’s the bigger reason: If and when the time is right to do a Hall of Fame, it’s not just going to be a place where you walk in and say, “Oh, look, there’s a pair of trunks.” If we do it, it’ll be an immersive experience. With technology the way it is, a 4-D experience, whether it’s a ride, or, picture this: You walk into a locker room, lights go down, smoke comes out, and Andre the Giant walks out in a hologram and stands there and talks to you. That’s what it has to be. But is the Hall of Fame the priority? Absolutely not. It’s out there someplace in the stratosphere. But if we do it, it takes a lot of research because we want to do it right.”
On what is written about him on the internet: “I wish I had the brainpower and the wherewithal and the drive to be as maniacal and devious as people f—-ing think I am. I’d be f—ing Darth Vader. I’d run the Empire, and I guess maybe that’s how some people see it, right? They’d say ‘Oh, he went in there and he buried this guy,’ and it’s like, f—, I had nothing to do with that. I didn’t even know he was coming in until I saw him that day.”
Check out the complete interview online at Grantland.com.
-As noted, WWE recently released developmental wrestler Jody Kristofferson, the real-life son of actor Kris Kristofferson.
Kristofferson, who performed under the ring name “Garrett Dylan”, was said to be a nice guy with a ton of passion for pro wrestling, but unfortunately came up short in terms of actual in-ring skills and the ability to portray a wrestling character, or gimmick.
It was said that if he could portray himself, as opposed to a character, he would be able to do well. WWE also felt he didn’t do much to stand out, and didn’t have the body-type they look for in a wrestler.
-According to reports, one big name that is up for consideration as a 2014 WWE Hall Of Fame inductee is former WWE Superstar “Dr. Death” Steve Williams.
Williams, a legitimate tough guy, was at one point during his WWE career considered for a run as champion until he was knocked out by Bart Gunn in the infamous “Brawl For All” series, which mixed amateur wrestling and boxing in “shoot” style matches.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated the Q&A section of JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
An Off-Season for WWE: “I do not think that an off season is necessary in our biz. I do think that giving talents ample off time is imperative along with strict adherence to the Wellness Policy and stellar PT for injuries.”
Why Undertaker Left WCW In 1990: “WCW was underpaying him and undervaluing his worth and potential. Great ‘get’ by WWE obviously”
Dudley Boyz Promos from ECW: “Good, old school, effective promos.”
The Best In-ring Storytellers: “Too many to mention. There have been tons of great one’s. It’s a vague, subjective question, with no right or wrong answer.”
The Need to Sound Excited On Commentary During Boring Matches: “One has to be creative and not try to sell something that isn’t there. Overselling something is not a good thing. Every facet of a broadcast will never be ‘great.’ ”
WWE Not Properly Hyping PPV Undercards: “Those are a production or creative issue. Times change. I don’t know why that was gone away from but it is what it is.”
Chris Benoit In The WWE Hall of Fame? “I do not think that Benoit will ever be inducted into the WWE HOF.”
John Cena Not Selling The Effects Of His PPV Matches: “How John Cena is booked is not an issue to me whatsoever.”.
As always, you can buy JR’s amazing line of BBQ products from WWEShop.com.
-WWE Superstar Triple H recently spoke to the Orlando Business Journal about a potential physical WWE Hall Of Fame building. Hunter said, “I don’t want a Hall of Fame or some other attraction to just be something where people see some guy’s shorts. We are the WWE and we are big, so whatever we do needs to be the same. If I were to say what it could be, think of it as something that has shows or live interactive things for fans. For example, something like a 4-D experience where the fan would come face-to-face with a 3-D Andre the Giant – something along that scale.”
-The Xtreme Sports Entertainment (XSE) mixed-martial-arts promotion announced an appearance by former WWE Superstar Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes for their next event, which is scheduled for Saturday, July 27th in Melbourne, Florida. Goldust will be doing a meet-and-greet with fans at the live event.
– Despite being the most important figure in the history of WWE, Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon has yet to be enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame. Triple H addressed the topic in a Twitter post today.
A user asked, “Of all the people who are in the HOF how come @VinceMcMahon isn’t in there??” He responded, “Cause he won’t let us put him in.”
Meanwhile, both WWE executive tweeted messages in honor of Independence Day. Triple H said, “Happy Independence Day!!!! Freedom isn’t free… Thank you to all who paid that price..” McMahon wrote, “Work hard, play hard. Let’s have a party. Happy 4th of July!
– In an interview with EOnline.com, Natalya discussed her recent wedding to fellow WWE Superstar Tyson Kidd, her bachelorette party in Las Vegas, and what viewers can expect to see on the upcoming reality show, Total Divas.
The WWE Diva reveals that her beloved cat Gismo, who she says, “is like my child,” accompanied her and her dad as she walked down the aisle. “My mom had made [Gismo] a tuxedo to match the groom tuxedo. It was so cute!”
She also revealed her favorite moment during the wedding, stating, “It was when I walked down the spiral staircase that led to the ceremony where all my guests were waiting, and the string quartet was playing. I had my cat in one arm and had my dad on my other arm. I saw TJ’s face and I saw all of my guests and I realized I was right where I was supposed to be in my life.”
Total Divas premieres Sunday, July 28 at 10/9c on E!. In regards to what people can expect to see on the show, she said, “I think Total Divas will give people a crazy backstage look at our lives behind the scenes. There’s so much work that goes into what we do. There’s so much more than us just doing headlocks and drop kicks.”
Former WWE superstar Lanny “The Genius” Poffo, brother of the late “Macho Man” Randy Savage, was a guest on Live Audio Wrestling on Sunday night. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
The issue between Vince McMahon and Randy Savage:
“If I didn’t have the guts to ask Randy to his face about what you’re referring to, then I wouldn’t dare speculate about it now.”
If the WWE has contacted the family about the Hall of Fame:
“I got a call from John Laurinaitis before the Miami (WrestleMania), the year before last. He was real nice to me, he just forgot to extend his condolences. I’m from the old school; even if you’re glad he’s dead, just pretend like you loved him and extend your condolences. That’s all I ask.
“He was just trying to get my feedback on that. I said, ‘Go ahead and do it, but make sure you play the video of the Huckster and the Nacho Man,’ so he can keep it even.”
You can catch The LAW every Sunday night at 11pm EST on TSN 1050 Toronto, The TEAM 1410 Vancouver and Sirius/XM channel 167.
Bret Hart relayed his frustration with late brother Owen Hart’s exclusion from the WWE Hall of Fame in a recent interview with 660News, a Calgary-based radio station.
“You know, it’s time to remember what he was. He was a great wrestler, and WWE fans around the world remember Owen, everyday. And, they ask me, everyday. It’s kind of childish,” said Hart.
Hart noted to the radio station that he’s considering writing a book chronicling the life of Owen, who died on May 23, 1999 at a WWE pay-per-view event when an equipment malfunction occurred during his entrance from the rafters of Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
F4WOnline.com reported last November that some WWE employees were lobbying for Hart to be enshrined at this year’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which took place on April 6 at Madison Square Garden. The enshrinement did not materialize, and may not ever because his widow, Martha Hart, would not allow it, according to brother Smith Hart.
“Because she blames the wrestling business in its entirety for his death,” he revealed in a Twitter post last year. “She is the sole owner of his estate. With Martha, there will never B a way, perhaps his kids may eventually make the choice. But that’s at least 20 yrs in future.”
In April, Martha reached a a settlement with WWE in her lawsuit over royalties and the use of her husband’s image. Terms, however, were not disclosed.
[wweshop]- With the late Paul Bearer considered to be a lock for next year’s WWE Hall of Fame class, there is already speculation that The Undertaker will be inducted along with him. Going back several years, the plan has always been for them to be inducted together. According to f4wonline.com, Jake “The Snake” Roberts is also a potential inductee for next year.
– The latest on Christian’s return is that he’ll be back soon after Extreme Rules. He’s been medically cleared to wrestle for months now, but his return has been delayed due to the creative team not having anything for him.
* PAUL HEYMAN Scouting A Third Person To Manage?! Who Could It Be [>]
– The UK’s The Sun newspaper has published an article “confirming” our earlier report about Paul Bearer being the first confirmed member of the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2014.
– Here’s the latest edition of WWE Inbox is now online:
“WWE partners with Susan G. Komen to present a special Mother’s Day edition of “WWE Inbox.” Hear from World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler and his fellow Superstars as they talk about the most special women in their lives … their moms!”
Word going around backstage at Monday’s RAW was that the late Paul Bearer is the first name locked in for the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame.
Now the discussion is shifting to who will induct Paul Bearer – with virtually everybody suggesting that he should be inducted by The Undertaker. The Dead Man never appears at the Hall of Fame ceremonies (because he is very protective of his character) – but is expected to induct his close friend. Another name brought up for Bearer’s inductor is Michael “PS” Hayes.
With Paul Bearer getting inducted next year – it seems highly unlikely that WWE will induct another (equally deserving) deceased performer, Randy Savage.
This week’s edition of WWE Inbox is now online – looking at who should be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame next year. WWE superstars and divas overwhelmingly name “Macho Man” Randy Savage as a potential inductee, with Paul Bearer also being suggested.
Former WWE superstar Lanny “The Genius” Poffo has stated publicly that before his passing, his brother Randy Savage was willing to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame only if the entire Poffo family was inducted together, including Lanny and their father Angelo Poffo.
– WWE.com has posted a video of Stephanie McMahon’s new theme song, titled “Welcome to the Queendom.” The song is also available on iTunes.
– Tommy Dreamer and Joey Styles were together this week working on the upcoming “ECW Unreleased: Volume 2” DVD/Blu-Ray, which will be released July 30th. Here’s a preview of what’s confirmed thus far:
Taz vs. Tommy Dreamer (October 1993, first ever match in ECW)
Sabu vs. Chris Jericho (August 1996, their only singles match)
Cactus Jack vs. Terry Funk
– Ed Leslie (Brutus Beefcake) was interviewed by John Pollock of The Fight Network at WrestleCon last weekend. Leslie took exception to Donald Trump being inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame before other wrestlers who are more deserving, but mentioned he is friends with Trump.
– WWE’s YouTube channel has posted the following video of the Top 10 WWE Debuts:
– Tuesday night’s 2013 WWE Hall of Fame special on the USA Network drew a 1.23 rating with 1.63 million viewers.
– WWE star Jack Swagger is scheduled to appear in court on June 25th for charges stemming from his DUI arrest in Mississippi back on February 19th. The Sun Hearld reports that city prosecutor Kirk Clark “always recommends the maximum sentence of two days in jail for first-time offenders and completion of victim-impact classes.”
– Check out the following video of what took place after Tuesday night’s WWE SmackDown tapings featuring John Cena and Fandango:
The 2013 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place tonight from a sold out Madison Square Garden in New York City. The ceremony begins at 8pm. Here is the full list of inductees for this year’s class:
* Bruno Sammartino, inducted by Arnold Schwarzenneger
– WWE is currently advertising Intercontinental Wade Barrett vs. The Miz for the 1-hour WrestleMania 29 pre-show, that will be broadcast online at Youtube.com, WWE.com and the WWE mobile app. According to sources in WWE, there is talk that a second match added to the pre-show that allows many wrestlers to appear and get their WrestleMania paydays. This could include a Battle Royal or even Antonio Cesaro defending his title against Sin Cara in a Lumberjack match.
– The USA Network sent out a press release today confirming which WWE Hall of Fame inductees will be featured on the television special that airs on Tuesday night:
WWE 2013 HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY – 10/9c
“WWE Superstars and fans pay tribute to the legends of the past at the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in front of a sold out crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The ceremony will include the induction of “The Living Legend” Bruno Sammartino and Donald J. Trump. Sammartino is a two-time WWE Champion and the longest reigning WWE Champion in history, holding the title for a combined 11 years. Trump has been a part of WWE’s most popular events and storylines dating back to WrestleMania® IV in 1988 and WrestleMania V in 1989 when he hosted the pop-culture extravaganzas in Atlantic City. In his most famous WWE storyline, Mr. Trump challenged Mr. McMahon to a “hair vs. hair” match at WrestleMania XXIII, resulting in Mr. McMahon’s head being shaved at the hands of “The Donald.”
The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player will be promoting The Moment, the new USA reality series that gives individuals the opportunity for a second chance at their dream career. A “sneak peek” of the show will air following Raw.
The synopsis for Raw reads, “The Superstars and Divas from the World Wrestling Entertainment® Universe take the stage live in front of thousands in attendance at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ and millions watching at home. MONDAY NIGHT RAW continues to be the most watched regularly scheduled year-round program on basic cable television. RAW Superstars include John Cena, CM Punk, AJ Lee, Daniel Bryan, Kane, The Miz, Eve and Zack Ryder. Special guest appearance by legendary NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, host of USA’s new reality series THE MOMENT.”
USA also confirmed that Tuesday’s television broadcast of the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be centered on Bruno Sammartino and Donald Trump. During Raw, a commercial promoting the broadcast indicated that the inductions of Sammartino, Donald Trump and Trish Stratus would be televised.
The synopsis for the Hall of Fame broadcast reads, “WWE Superstars and fans pay tribute to the legends of the past at the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in front of a sold out crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The ceremony will include the induction of “The Living Legend” Bruno Sammartino and Donald J. Trump. Sammartino is a two-time WWE Champion and the longest reigning WWE Champion in history, holding the title for a combined 11 years. Trump has been a part of WWE’s most popular events and storylines dating back to WrestleMania® IV in 1988 and WrestleMania V in 1989 when he hosted the pop-culture extravaganzas in Atlantic City. In his most famous WWE storyline, Mr. Trump challenged Mr. McMahon to a “hair vs. hair” match at WrestleMania XXIII, resulting in Mr. McMahon’s head being shaved at the hands of “The Donald.”