WrestlingFigs.com reports former WWE Superstar Virgil appears today through Sunday at WonderCon 2012 at the Anaheim Convention Center 800 West Katella Ave. Anaheim, California.
– WWE.com has published a photo gallery highlighting masked wrestlers from throughout history. Besides Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio, those featured include Avatar, Battle Kat, CM Punk, Dos Caras, El Santo, Golga, Great Sasuke, Jushin Liger, Kim Chee, La Parka, Max Moon, Mil Mascaras, Mr. America, Mr. Wrestling II, Psicosis, The Destroyer, The Patriot, Tiger Mask and Ultimo Dragon.
– Jim Ross was asked on Twitter if the feud between CM Punk and Chris Jericho feud is getting personal following Jericho’s harsh words on Monday’s Raw SuperShow. He responded“That’s what sells.”
— WWE has posted the fifty-eighth episode of Z! True Long Island Story starring Zack Ryder. Dolph Ziggler appears and comments on not having a match at WrestleMania XXVIII. Meanwhile, Ryder urges his Twitter followers to write to SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long about being on his team at WrestleMania XXVIII. He also reveals being stood up by Eve on Monday night.
Zack Ryder is back with a special mid-week edition of the Z! True Long Island Story. In this episode, Zack petitions to be part of Team Teddy at WrestleMania 28:
– Ted DiBiase is going in for shoulder surgery this morning.
– WWE agent “Road Dogg” BG James wrote on Twitter that he and several WWE divas are flying out to Los Angeles to shoot on the set of Extra with Maria Menounos. As reported earlier, Menounos will be appearing at WrestleMania.
– Tyler Reks wants a spot on Team Long at WrestleMania 28. He tweeted on Tuesday:
“Teddy, me & @TheCurtHawkins want on ur team! We’ve been on RAW for a year and the only match we’ve had is w/ Brodus. Not cool, Johnny. #RAW”
– Zack Ryder’s movement to have comments re-enabled on his Z! True Long Island Story Youtube videos appears to be gaining momentum. Ryder tweeted to WWE that that “#LetsUsCommentOnZTLIS” has been trending.
On Monday’s RAW, Zack Ryder and Eve had a backstage segment where Ryder invited Eve to dinner. Eve apparently stood Ryder up, as Ryder posted several tweets late on Monday night while he was waiting for her to arrive for their date.
“Waiting on @EveMarieTorres to show up for our date. It’s gonna be #SSSIIICCCKKK”
“So I guess @EveMarieTorres isn’t coming. #worstnightever”
Eve later apologized:
“Soooooo sorry… Something came up.Promise I’ll make it up to u? ;-)”
WWE Divas Champion Beth Phoenix chimed in:
“@ZackRyder waited for @EveMarieTorres for hours?? He clearly is hung up on the wrong Diva.”
Phoenix expressed interest in Zack Ryder to Eve on RAW, but Eve told Beth to back off, despite the fact that she clearly “playing” Zack.
– Former TNA Wrestling talent Chase Stevens is backstage at today’s Raw SuperShow in Cleveland, Ohio as company officials are “taking a look at him.” The three-time NWA World Tag Team Champion has received favorable reviews for his work in Nashville, Tennessee based promotion Showtime All-Star Wrestling.
– CM Punk is featured on the cover of the latest issue of The Wrestler with the headline reading “Think You’re A Fan of CM Punk?” Visit www.pwi-online.com to see the cover.
— Former WWE star Carlito said of Dolph Ziggler and Zack Ryder on Twitter:
“Ziggler has actually gotten pretty damn good! I don’t get the whole Zack Ryder thing but I’m happy for him.”
– Acclaimed Japanese wrestler KENTA, who innovated CM Punk’s finishing maneuver Go 2 Sleep, turns 31 years old on Monday. Punk was asked Sunday on Twitter how he came up with the GTS and replied,
— Steve Austin confirmed in his latest blog that he and Shawn Michaels will be filming an episode of Shawn’s MacMillan River Adventures show at Austin’s Broken Skull Ranch in Texas soon. Both men are avid hunters and have been talking about working together in recent weeks.
Austin also spoke about his professional rivalry with Shawn Michaels, dating back to their 1998 feud that culminated in their main event match at WrestleMania 14:
“Shawn and I ran in two different packs while we were in WWE, but have always maintained a friendship and respect for one another,” Austin wrote. “It will be good to just hang out and hunt. The competitive nature and environment of putting everything on the line to be a top guy in WWE no longer exists for either one of us. It will be cool just to sit around and trade some war stories.”
— WWE Divas Alicia Fox and the Bella Twins were interviewed by Maria Menounos yesterday in Los Angeles. The interview will air on today’s Extra television show. Check your local listings for availability.
— Former WWE & WCW star Vader returns to the ring in Japan next Friday night for Real Japan Pro Wrestling. The 56 year old wrestler will be facing Tiger Shark.
— Zack Ryder is back with Episode 56 of his Z! True Long Island Story. Aside from the usual segments (Broski & Sign of the Week, etc.), Ryder talks about his kiss with Eve from RAW, which he called, “the most Zacktastic kiss ever.” Check it out:
After Eve declared on Raw SuperShow two weeks ago that she’d taken advantage of Zack Ryder’s feelings to further her own career and planned on doing the same with John Cena, she quickly became the recipient of great scorn. Cena proclaimed on the same show that he lost a “broski” for a “hoeski;” this has led to the WWE Diva being inundated with the derogatory name at live events and through social media outlets. Legendary wrestler Mick Foley, a friend of Eve’s, is not fond of this uncomplimentary storyline and is voicing his concern through Twitter.
Foley initially played up the storyline on the micro-blogging site by saying Ryder should give Eve another chance. A follower of Foley’s disagreed, writing, “Once a #Hoeski, always a #Hoeski.” He responded by saying both Ryder and Cena should apologize to Eve for calling her that name.
“Sorry, @LizBDecker, but @ZackRyder should take @EveMarieTorres back AND apologize for calling her that name. @JohnCena should apologize too,” Foley wrote. “It’s important to be able to disagree without being disagreeable. @ZackRyder should just say #noski when it comes to using the word #hoeski.”
Foley adds that WWE is sending a “mixed message” with the name-calling since it contradicts their anti-bullying campaign ‘be a STAR’ and Cena’s motto to “Rise Above Hate.”
“I wouldn’t be so uneasy with the name-calling if not for Be a Star and @JohnCena rising above hate. Mixed message,” he wrote in response to the following comment: “How does John Cena accusing Eve of being a skank and of being diseased fit with the Be a Star campaign?”
Foley continues, “I think @zackryder can come out of this looking good, but not if he gives into something as cheap and easy as name-calling.”
He was also asked whether the storyline is a product of lazy writing or indicative of a blatant sexism problem within WWE.
“I really love what WWE is doing with it’s anti-bullying campaign – but the “hoeski” thing did strike me as the lazy way out,” Foley responded.
This is not the first time where Foley has publicly taken a stand for a female being demeaned on WWE programming as he took offense online to Triple H belittling ring announcer Lilian Garcia with a hurtful behind-the-scenes joke during a 2010 episode of Raw. He acknowledged then that speaking out against the WWE head may have cost himself professionally down the road, but vehemently felt he had to take a stand.
Back in July 2011, Zack Ryder wrestled at several WWE live events as the “Ultimate Broski.” Ryder parodied Ultimate Warrior character, using Warrior’s facepaint, ring gear and mannerisms.
– During a recent interview with the Miami Herald, WWE’s giant Big Show was asked about the rumors of NBA star Shaquille O’Neal competing at WrestleMania 28. Big Show said:
“I know there are a lot of rumors this year that I might get a chance to compete against Shaq at WrestleMania [28 Miami]. I didn’t hear anything about it on my end.
I don’t know if Shaq was getting froggy, stirring up some stuff, but if he ever wants to take his Nike butt away from the announcers’ desk and try to step in the ring, he’s more than welcome to try.
I teach as well as I compete. So he can come on down and get a lesson.”
It was announced on SmackDown last week that Big Show will challenge Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania – so a match with Shaq seems highly unlikely at this point.
– Zack Ryder is telling his disgruntled fans to contact WWE and ask them to re-enable comments on his Z! True Long Island Stories videos:
“Broskis…if you want your voice to be heard and be able to leave comments again on Z! TLIS…tweet @WWEonYouTube #letuscomment”
– WWE Hall of Famer Sunny announced this week that she will be in attendance for the WWE Hall of Fame and WrestleMania 28 this year.
– With production of THQ’s upcoming WWE ’13 video game under way, we can confirm that two former WWE talents are doing motion capture work for the game. Former WWE diva Angela “Savannah” Fong wrote on Twitter this week that she and former WWE Superstar David Hart Smith are working on motion capture work for the game.
– Jim Ross tweeted the following message about the tremendous amount of pressure put on the shoulders of The Rock and John Cena if they are indeed the last match to go on at WrestleMania:
“Think of the pressure @JohnCena & @TheRock must feel if they are, obviously, called upon to follow everything at WM28 especially HIAC.”
Hit up the comments below and tell us who should go on last at Wrestlemania and how WWE should structure the card’s lineup.
– Zack Ryder mentioned on Twitter that he’s headed to the UK today to do promotional work for WWE.
– The security guards on RAW last night that escorted John Laurinaitis and David Otunga out of the building were independent wrestlers Mark Shurman, Max Bauer, Matt Taven and Andy McKenzie. They train at Boston’s New England Pro Wrestling Academy.
– WWE is heading to Brazil in May with the following live events:
May 23rd: Sao Paulo, Brazil (Ibirapuera Gymnasium)
May 24t: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil (Maracanazinho Gymnasium)
– According to Joey Styles, the upcoming ECW DVD that is set to be released this summer will NOT feature any content from WWE’s revived version of ECW. Styles Tweeted:
“I’m being asked by many if WWECW will be included on this Summer’s new ECW home video release. The answer is OH MY GOD NO! Original ECW only”
— It was announced at Monday’s Raw SuperShow at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts that Night of Champions will take place at the same venue on September 16, 2012. There will be a pre-sale this week on Ticketmaster.com with the code WWENOC.
— Triple H will compete at WWE’s Road to WrestleMania event at Madison Square Garden on March 18, 2012 as he teams up with CM Punk and Randy Orton in a Six-Man Tag Team Match against Chris Jericho, Cody Rhodes and Dolph Ziggler.
Also announced for the show: World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry; John Cena vs. Kane in a Last Man Standing Match; R-Truth vs. The Miz; Jack Swagger vs. Zack Ryder.
— WWE Champion CM Punk shot footage for his upcoming DVD Monday in Boston, Massachusetts.
“Oh hey. Day 1 of filming for this little DVD thing I’m doing. No time like 5:30 AM to capture my true crabby essence,” he wrote on Twitter. “Man. This DVD is going to be so great. #LWF #MAW #SDW #IWA #IWC #ROH #OVW #WWE.”
McIntyre, who was fired by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long last Friday on SmackDown, cut a promo prior to the match proclaiming that his lawyers had found a loop hole and a victory over his opponent would give him his job back.
— World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan stated the following on Twitter Sunday regarding Ring of Honor’s 10th Anniversary show in New York City: “Congratulations to Ring of Honor for celebrating their 10th Anniversary tonight… I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people there.”
— Smashing Pumpkins frontman and independent wrestling promoter Billy Corgan will appear on Chris Jericho’s Rock of Jericho show this Saturday at 5:00 p.m. on XM 164.
— Zack Ryder plans to release Z! True Long Island Story based action figures in the near future.
– WWE will be releasing a new DVD set on the “Biggest Matches in ECW History.” Amazon.com has the release date listed as June 5th – and the project will feature a countdown of the Top 25 Matches in ECW history.
– WWE’s upcoming DVD set on CM Punk is still in production and content is still being filmed for it.
– John Cena and Zack Ryder are booked to challenge Primo & Epico for the WWE Tag Team Titles on May 11th at WWE’s live event from Glens Falls, New York.
Also on that show, Dolph Ziggler will challenge CM Punk for the WWE championship in a Best of 3 Falls match.
— WWE developmental wrestler Xavier Woods, who formerly competed as Consequences Creed for TNA Wrestling, appeared before a WWE crowd for the first time at Friday’s Raw live event in Cornwall, Ontario. He defeated Curt Hawkins in a singles match.
Woods signed a developmental contract with WWE in July 2010 and has appeared for Florida Championship Wrestling ever since.
— Prior to Eve’s victory over Natalya on Friday’s SmackDown, the third generation wrestler confronted Eve to give her opinion on the situation with Zack Ryder. The dueling Divas have extended their feud to Twitter. Natalya wrote of Eve’s actions, “After SD last night I’m more disgusted than ever by @EveMarieTorres’ behavior toward both @ZackRyder and @JohnCena. #TeamZack.”
Eve responded, “And I’m disgusted by… you @NatbyNature. I wouldn’t expect u, or any of these people to know how it feels to be beautiful & have to use it.”
— WWE will hold a Raw live event at Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia on July 27, 2012. It was originally scheduled to take place on May 6, 2012.
— Kelly Kelly posted a pseudo-shoot statement Monday night on Twitter lambasting fellow WWE Diva Eve Torres’ mucky behavior in recent weeks.
“I’ve seen what u guys have been saying about @EveMarieTorres And you know what I agree she is a sipping on that skankjuice,” she wrote. “I mean who hooks up with her guy’s best friend and uses everyone of the people she works..well Ive seen the real her and she’s no friend of mine.”
Kelly continues, “Just when you think you know someone…YOU DON’T.”
— Former ECW star Francine and her husband Joe welcomed the birth of their first son, Connor Joseph, Monday afternoon. She gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Molly Rose, on July 28, 2009.
Francine retired from the professional wrestling industry in 2006 following her short-lived stint with WWE.
— Tuesday’s SuperSmackDown LIVE! show featuring a Champion vs. Champion match between WWE Champion CM Punk and World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan garnered a 1.7 rating with 2,326,000 viewers.
It is SmackDown‘s lowest rating since the September 16, 2011 show, which drew a 1.78.
— Following her actions involving John Cena and Zack Ryder on Monday’s Raw SuperShow, Eve has turned over a new leaf. She wrote to Zack Ryder today on Twitter, “I miss you.”
— WWE.com is advertising a match between Justin Gabriel and Jinder Mahal for today’s episode of WWE Superstars. Other bouts taking place include Alex Riley vs. Michael McGillicutty and Mason Ryan vs. Tyler Reks.
— Mike Sydal, brother of WWE Superstar Evan Bourne, turns 28 years old today.
— A match involving the WWE Divas is expected to take place WrestleMania XXVIII although some company officials are against utilizing the women for the sake of it since the affair would take away time from the bouts people are most interested in seeing.
It’s also been suggested as the pre-show dark match.
— In light of her actions involving John Cena and Zack Ryder on Monday’s Raw SuperShow, Eve addressed fans during an unaired segment at last night’s SuperSmackDown LIVE! show. The two-time WWE Divas Champion described herself as a “woman of class” and that she does not deserve the angry reaction she has been receiving. Eve admitted to using Ryder but that she is no different than everybody else.
To see her speech as well as Zack Ryder’s video response, click here.
— The February 18, 2012 episode of A.M. Raw scored a 0.64 cable rating with 755,000 viewers.
sources: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, PWInsider.com
– Teddy Long says he’ll be appearing on Mondy’s RAW to continue his ongoing battle for power with John Laurinaitis. Long tweeted:
“Since @WWERawGM did MY dance on MY show, next week, I’m gonna be on #Raw making declarations in a husky monotone. Eye for an eye, playa.”
– As previously reported, former ROH star Chris Hero is now wrestling as Kassius Ohno at WWE developmental. The initials, KO, are inspired by Hero’s nickname in Ring of Honor – “That Young Knockout Kid.”
– Eve Torres wrote a “get well message” to Zack Ryder via Twitter. Ryder responded with the following:
“@EveMarieTorres ’cause in time you will find what goes around goes around goes around comes all the way back around #hoeski”
Torres also shot back at the “haters” calling her all sorts of bad names for her recent actions:
“All of you calling me names and degrading women are no better than I. How dare you judge me!”
–- Drew McIntyre’s current losing streak on SmackDown is expected to culminate with a character makeover. PWInsider.com reports that the Scottish wrestler will become an “arrogant playboy.”
— Layla, who has been sidelined since May 2011 due to tears of both her Anterior cruciate and Medial collateral ligaments, stated on Twitter that her knee is stronger than ever. She stated during a recent radio interview that she could return in time for WrestleMania XXVIII.
— Zack Ryder continues to complain on Twitter about John Cena and Eve kissing last Monday on Raw. He wrote, “I’m trying to convince @WWEShop to take “LOYALTY” and “RESPECT” off of @JohnCena’s t-shirts. #broskisbeforehoeskis.”
— Shelly Martinez appears in The Social Rules, a new web series about the do’s and dont’s of dating and relating. In her latest video, she offers advice on breaking up.
— WWE will hold a SmackDown live event at the Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia on May 6, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.
– The Rock tweeted a few messages to Zack Ryder this week – and took another jab at John Cena in the process:
“@ZackRyder If you don’t stop using my tweets and phrases – I’ll be forced to drop #ThePeoplesWooWoo on you.”
“@ZackRyder Btw, sorry to hear about your girl and John. Been told his breath smells like a dog’s anus. #DontSweatItBro.”
– Zack Ryder’s latest Z! True Long Island Story is now online, marking the 1 year anniversary of the show. Episode 53 includes a cameo from a recently released WWE superstar:
WWE.com has published a pseudo-shoot interview with Eve regarding her abrupt kissing session with John Cena in front of Zack Ryder on Monday’s Raw SuperShow as well as the backlash on Twitter.
“I never intended for anything bad to happen to Zack,” Torres said. “How this turned out is not how I intended. I acted in the moment – we all make mistakes. I can’t really say I’m sorry, but isn’t it better to be honest than to lead Zack on?”
Torres received an avalanche of angry messages on Twitter, many of which are “not suitable for publishing on WWE.com.”
“It’s been a hard adjustment for me, reading my Twitter timeline,” she said. “But, people need to realize that there’s more than one side to people. I always try to put my best foot forward both inside and outside the ring. But I have emotions, and that goes for anyone – sometimes emotions just take over.”
As if fans didn’t already have enough reasons to dislike John Cena, Monday’s RAW gave us what might be the best reason yet. Zack Ryder is still in bad shape from the attack he suffered at the hands of Kane weeks ago, wearing a neck brace and confined to a wheelchair. Despite his physical condition, Zack’s love for Eve brought him to RAW, where he planned to finally tell her how he feels. That’s where things started to head south for the Long Island native.
Check out the videos below and tell us what you feel about this shocking twist in the Ryder-Cena-Eve storyline. Do you think this ultimate betrayal will result in Zack Ryder turning heel?
One thing’s for sure .. Cena just took himself out of the running for the 2012 Slammy Award for “Friend of The Year” …
Zack Ryder tells John Cena he plans to profess his love to Eve:
John Cena Saves Eve from Kane and Gets A Nice Reward:
(The chance to stab his friend in the back)
Eve tells Zack Ryder she “Just Wants To Be Friends”
A Distraught Zack Ryder Gets Wheeled Off The Stage By Kane:
(Eve and Cena act concerned, like they give a shit)
– After Monday’s RAW Supershow went off the air, Kane came back out as the crowd sang “nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey, goodbye.” As Kane made his way to the ring, John Cena gave him the Attitude Adjustment. Their advertised dark match then took place.
The other advertised dark match did take place, as CM Punk retained the WWE championship against Dolph Ziggler after nailing Ziggler with the Go To Sleep. After the match, Punk grabbed a mic and dedicated his win to Zack Ryder, who had his heart (and possibly a few bones) broken on RAW at the hands of John Cena and Kane.
– Hardcore wrestling legend Mick Foley expressed concern over Zack Ryder’s bump off the entrance ramp at the end of RAW last night. Foley tweeted the following:
“I’m legit concerned for @zackryder. There’s just way too much risk there. That fall off the ramp might not be something you can get through with fortitude and ice packs. Zack has such a bright future; I hate to see his knees, ankles, and spine at such risk. That’s the type of thing that could cost him weeks or months at the most vital time of his career.”
– Episode 52 of Zack Ryder’s Z! True Long Island Story is now online. This week, Ryder (who is still selling Kane’s attack from RAW) defends himself and explains why he’s not a sellout. Plus, Ryder reveals why he was at Lucas Films studios a few weeks ago:
– The WWE YouTube channel’s latest “Backstage Fallout” video is also online, featuring post-SmackDown interviews with WWE Divas Champion Beth Phoenix, Ted DiBiase and Hunico:
WWE’s relaunched YouTube channel has posted the debut episode of a new show featuring BG James and Josh Matthews titled, “Are You Serious?” The show features the hosts looking at wacky moments in WWE history.
“Injured” RAW superstar Zack Ryder wrote the following on Twitter regarding “Are You Serious?” –
“There is a show called Are You Serious? on WWE’s YouTube channel? Um…#areyouseriousbro?!”