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Laurinaitis Losing More Duties With WWE, Backstage Note On RAW Going Three Hours, Sheen
- People within WWE are openly stating that they think RAW will be back to two hours by January 2013. Even more are hoping that will be the case.
- Regarding Charlie Sheen tweeting for the 1000th RAW episode later this month, Sheen doesn't tweet on his personal Twitter account but has a man named Bob Maron to do his tweeting. Maron has everything sent from Sheen before posting.
- John Laurinaitis continues to lose some of his real-life duties with WWE. Pete Leone now has been given more responsibilities with talent relations. Triple H has not been a big proponent of Laurinaitis which is why he has lost a lot of his duties to people Triple H has hired.
source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter | |
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Tom Cruise Named the Highest-Paid Actor Amid Divorce IssueJuly 04, 2012 09:18:22 GMT
 Photo credit: /WENN
Amid his headline-grabbing divorce news with , has been announced as the highest-paid actor according to Forbes. The actor, who turned 50 on Tuesday, July 3, successfully pocketed a walloping $75 million from his movies between May 2011 and May this year.
[Edited 7/5/12 17:18pm] | |
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Jim Ross on Jesse Ventura, Jim CornettePage 1 of 2
July 03, 2012
In the late ’80s and early ’90s, WCW would occasionally team manager extraordinaire Jim Cornette and me on a variety of broadcasts. Cornette, without question, was one of the most talented antagonist broadcasters that I ever worked with and certainly was as headstrong and convicted in his fundamental beliefs of the pro wrestling business as anyone with whom I ever teamed.
Cornette was similar to Paul Heyman inasmuch as both were lifelong fans who sort of backed into the biz by starting out as ringside photographers before losing their cameras and becoming managers. While Heyman grew up in Scarsdale, N.Y. watching the WWWF, Cornette grew up in Louisville and cut his teeth on “Memphis Wrestling.”
The “Louisville Lip” is best known as the incomparable manager of The Midnight Express and ranks with Bobby Heenan as one of the greatest, wrestling managers of all time. Cornette was always well prepared and was very glib much like one of his role models, Jerry Lawler, specifically when The King was a villain broadcaster in his early WWE days.
Even though Corny was naturally funny and entertaining, he liked his wrestling to be taken seriously and was never the first man in the humor line. I can recall a WCW Halloween Havoc PPV when the theme was, duh, Halloween and I dressed as a gangster and J.C.went as, befittingly, a Confederate Army officer. The costumes were rentals and the perturbed Kentucky native made sure that by the time that the night was over that his attire would never be worn by anyone again. During an in-ring skirmish the “Kentucky Colonel” got most of his uniform significantly torn in an act of defiance. So, Turner Broadcasting bought a tattered and torn Rebel uniform perfect for a “Gone with the Wind” party.
Jim Cornette had impeccable timing and a fascinating understanding of the business — specifically, the old school applications of the genre that few of his peers could rival. Cornette’s skill set was a great motivator for me, because if one wasn’t on top of their game, Cornette would make you look like “Ned in the First Reader.”Cornette knew how to verbally frame a wrestling villain and how to position the heroes in a manner that was both believable and memorable.
I’m grateful that J.C. and I came along when we did on the national scene at TBS, because in today’s marketplace we would seen as “too southern" to be a broadcast duo.
Cornette is known within the business for his combative personality and the occasional rant. None of it was an act as Jim Cornette is as passionate as anyone that I’ve ever met within the wrestling business. I’ve kidded him that when he "went off" that he could only be described as being like Eb, from the old "Green Acres" TV program, on crack. J.C. reminds me of the current Joe Walsh hit “Analog Man” where Joe sings, “I’m an analog man in a digital world.”
When I talk about announce talents and in-ring talents being at their greatest when they were natural extensions of themselves, Jim Cornette is a perfect example.
Jesse “The Body” Ventura and I had two occasions to collaborate — in 1992 in WCW and again in 2001 in the XFL. After leaving WWE under less than perfect circumstances, Jesse was out of the wrestling game for an extended length of time until K. Allen Frey, then the WCW head honcho, signed Ventura to a hefty contract and brought the former WWE broadcasting star to the dysfunctional WCW in 1992.
Jesse and I became a broadcast team and did our first PPV for WCW in February 1992 in Milwaukee at Super Brawl II. I remember that event as much for the Brian Pillman versus Jushin Liger bout as teaming with The Body for the first time. However, if one takes a look at that card, it was dotted with future Hall of Fame level talents.
1992 was a tumultuous year in WCW. Kip Frey was fired and my old boss and mentor Cowboy Bill Watts was hired to run WCW. Bill had a rocky tenure that resulted in his eventual resignation and the residual fall out on yours truly was something that I wouldn’t wish on my own worst enemy. Politics. Never liked them. Still don’t.
As a result of Jesse being hired to work a very limited schedule for big money, there were issues that I will readily admit that I did not embrace. I was happy Ventura got a big money deal, but I wasn’t happy that I was doing much more work, serving as VP of broadcasting, working on the creative committee and hosting multiple hours of TV per week while earning less than half of Jesse’s pay. Was the future Governor of Minnesota and WWE Hall of Famer twice as good as me? Perhaps he was, but even with JR’s BBQ Sauce poured on that particular corporate dish, it didn’t taste good.
So, as a result of the politics that many of us endured in WCW in 1992 it was, to put it mildly, not a good year professionally for the “Baron of BBQ.” I was hopeful that Jesse and I could form a great broadcasting team and that we could somehow approach the magic that Ventura had with Vince McMahon and the late Gorilla Monsoon in The Body’s WWE years, but that did not happen, at least in my opinion.
It wasn’t that we were horrible. We certainly weren’t, but I expected so much more from our ringside partnership. Perhaps my expectations were too high or I simply wasn’t a good fit with Jesse. Hopefully, those that remember our WCW run look back upon those broadcasts more fondly than do I. Maybe I’m being too critical.
In no way am I demeaning Jesse Ventura as a broadcaster, because that would be inaccurate. The Body had a magnificent delivery and excellent instincts, which he gained through his years of working in multiple wrestling territories and performing with some amazing talents. Working with Vince McMahon and Dick Ebersole on NBC’s Saturday Night’s Main Event broadcasts had to be an amazing learning experience for any broadcaster.
Plus, Jesse was very bright and I got to hear MANY of his conspiracy theories long before they were made into TV shows or before Jesse wrote about them. The experience working with Jesse Ventura wasn’t a negative one for me personally, but I’ve always thought that we should have made a better team.
Hopefully, I’m underselling Jesse and my short tenure as a broadcast team, however, I wish that wrestling politics and my own ego had not been a deterrent to what should have been one of the better broadcast teams to come along in the business in generations.
I wanted JR and The Body to be perfect, but we simply weren’t. I’ll take responsibility for that one. However, near perfect days would lie ahead . . . next “The Brain” and “Gorilla.” | |
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Eugune Talks WWE Wellness Policy, Return To TV, Sammartino Declining HOF, Orton
Mike Buda with SportstownChicago.com recently interviewed former WWE star and current OVW trainer Nick "Eugene" Dinsmore. Dinsmore discussed his character, his possible return to television, the drug wellness policy and his push to be the next Raw GM. Here are some highlights:
On possible return to television: "My legal team advises me that I can neither confirm nor deny that I am in talks with TNA and WWE at this time so take that for what it is. I can neither confirm nor deny the internet rumors that are running rampant that both TNA and WWE are chomping at the bit to get the best independent talent that you see today. The best free agent in wrestling. I can neither confirm nor deny that you'll see me on TV in the next two months."
On Bruno Sammartino declining WWE HOF: "…I didn't walk a mile in that guys shoes so I don't know what he's been through but I think it would be great for the fans, great for the Hall of Fame, and great for the WWE to really portray the legend, especially Bruno Sammartino and the great thing that he was and that he is."
On WWE drug wellness policy: "I think they're pretty much right on track with the Drug and Wellness Policy mostly with the equivalent to the other major sports of basketball, baseball, and football. I think years ago, as with all the sports the drugs and everything, people didn't know that much about them and didn't know how much they are bad for you and with the wellness policy the pure athlete, is just very good for the business I think."
On if WWE should allow Orton to participate in Raw 1,000: "Would the commissioner of the NFL do that for any NFL guy? I don't think so."
source: SportstownChicago | |
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Friday Blog..UFC Thoughts..JBL..Akbar..Big 12 Football..Pet Peeves of the Week..'The PUSH'...Order JR's Today at WWEShop.com
Fri, 07/06/2012 - 2:12pm — J.R. Crazy week with the July 4th holiday falling in the middle of the week. Nonetheless I'm happy that you dropped by and paid us a visit. If you sign up for our site, at no cost obviously, you will get email notifications of when we update our blogs, etc. WWEShop is doing steady business with JR's products at this link http://www.wweshop.com/Category/JimRoss. It's GRILLING TIME!
Big weekend in Las Vegas with UFC PPV and their version of fan fest. There's gonna be lots of ink and testosterone in attendance. I had thought about attending and going to the Silva vs. Sonnen fight but with all the travel that I have next week it just didn't work out. I'll be watching the PPV Saturday night from the comfort of my own home, as we used to say in the early days of PPV. Should be a heck of a presentation as the expectations for such are high. I'd love to see Chael Sonnen win but he may have let his magic moment slip by the last time that @sonnench fought 'Spider.' I see Silva doing nasty damage with his standup which could see this title bout end by round three. It won't go five in my opinion. Chael's wrestling game must be razor sharp to slice the spider.
Sonnen has a magnificent gift of gab and one can easily see that Chael has been influenced by the pro wrestling genre. I'm asked daily if I think that Sonnen would be able to make the transition from UFC to WWE and my guess would be, yes, but, as in anything, it would depend on how much of an emotional investment the Oregon native would be willing to make. Any MMA competitor who thinks that sports entertainment is a 'step down' or is 'easy' is sadly mistaken.
Let's hope that the 'Chael Sonnen to the WWE story' isn't the topic of conversation after this potential Slobber Knocker Saturday night in 'Sin City.'
With all the UFC fans in Vegas, it should be a record week in tattoo sales there not to mention adult beverages.Sans the ink, I'm sorry I'm not there.
I hope that UFC has their crowd mic'ed well and that it enhances the live event feel at home. Shooting a few, key celebs works for me and the announcers not over talking the entrances and allowing the natural ambiance to be heard/experienced is a good thing. Plus, unless it is an important moment to replay, I'd much rather hear what's happening in the corner between rounds than to watch replays. Saturday's PPV would be a nice time to add some subtle tweaks to the UFC TV presentation including some well placed, succinct pre-fight interviews.
I'm really proud of my old friend @JCLayfield for his tireless efforts to help the under privileged kids of Bermuda. JBL was a great success story in WWE coming in as essentially a remake of Dick Murdoch, Bobby Duncum, etc and evolving into a more sophisticated, refined, ass kicker who had a great run as World Champion and carried Smackdown for a long while. John is a smart guy who 'got it.'
Lesson to be learned by all talents, never rest on one's laurels and always look to improve your game and to evolve. Those that aren't willing to change are writing their own professional eulogy.
Some Oklahoma sportswriters are essentially anointing West Virginia University the Big 12 Title before playing a game. I do not concur.
Also, I don't concur that my Sooners are a lock to be in the top five this year. I hope so but it's damn sure not a 'lock.' Lots of work to be done on the defense side of the ball at every level. Plus, the OU receiving corps has been decimated thanks to the graduation of the great @RyanBroyles and some knuckleheads who are no longer a part of the team.
I'm still planning on attending every OU game and may even try and do some informal meet and greets while on the road if there's an interest.
@shawnmichaels is having me on his Outdoor Network show this year and we're likely to tape it in December. If the plan goes through I think that viewers will be VERY interested in the concept.
Recent questions on Twitter @JRsBBQ and here on our Q&A section of the site:
Would you like to be GM of Raw or Smackdown? No, thanks. Anoint someone who needs the TV time in hopes of building for the future. The role needs to be tweaked in my view and now is a good time to do so.
What's JR's favorite match? How would I pick one or two or three...? I've been blessed to broadcast SO many great ones. Been really lucky in that regard. I'm always willing to hear what you have to say regarding this daily question. BTW who's to say that I won't be adding to that list in the future? My tank is far from empty.
What's going to happen at Raw 1000? I honestly don't know and if I did I would not spoil any surprises. Am I scheduled to be there? Not at this time. That's the truth. However, it would be a nice opportunity to see many old friends.
Today is former OU star Darrell Royal's 88th birthday. The legend is from Hollis, Oklahoma and was an all American at OU and football captain back in the day before migrating to that college in Austin where they eventually named their football stadium after the native Oklahoman. Now that's some Red River Irony.
I used to bring Coach Royal being a Sooner up to the late, General Scandor Akbar regularly...in a nice way. Ak was a huge, Longhorn fan and knew football history and folklore in depth. RIP General.
What's the most overused and misunderstood insider term used by many wrestling fans? For my money it is ....THE PUSH. When will so and so get their much deserved PUSH? Ugh.
Often asked about DDP returning to the ring. I honestly don't know if Dallas has any interest whatsoever in doing so but folks can ask him directly @RealDDP. I hope that WWE books Page on another Legends Roundtable as he was a great panelist... plus adding @HeymanHustle to that mix would be fun, too.
Has Undertaker retired? O.K., let's think about this one. IF Taker had retired, wouldn't one think that WWE would memorialize that occasion in a HUGE way? Come on folks, WWE is an entertainment company and when one of the biggest stars in history decides to call it a day, I think I can safely say, that we will all know. So the answer is "No" the Undertaker has not retired and "No" I don't know when he's returning and "No" I don't think that he will EVER lose at a WrestleMania. (Haven't heard so many NO's since my senior prom.)
Do I like wrestlers competing in jewelry, bandanas, etc? Absolutely not. It's another subtle thing that takes me out of the moment when attempting to sell the genre as being a real sport. (This likely REALLY makes me 'old school.')
When people ask why certain wrestlers aren't getting what some fans feel that the said wrestlers deserve, I ask what have those wrestlers done lately to make themselves better? If one thinks that only appearing on TV and live events plus working out and tanning is all the investment a talent needs to make to become viable then think again. I've encouraged countless talents to watch DVD's to study the greats of the business and to pick up on the small things that can still be utilized today. Some nod yes and never follow through.
What are the dangers of calling matches right at ringside with the announce table right next to the ring. Other than the obvious of becoming a landing pad for large men, one thing that is unsettling is to have another's blood squirt across one's face after they have hit an artery in their head. Another's warm, blood squirting across the face is not a "perk' " of the job.
Do I enjoy being involved with the new, NXT? Absolutely. I've always enjoyed working with young talents who want to get better daily and who want to main event a WrestleMania. Not overly interested in those that merely want a spot on the main roster. 'Special teams' players are important to any team but easier to find. 'Starters' that want to compete and win 'Super Bowls' are a different animal.
We'll be back at Full Sail University next Thursday July 12. Tickets are available to the public at the Full Sail box office.
Pet Peeve of the Week.. folks on Twitter asking me questions that they can easily answer themselves if they weren't so lazy. IE, when do tickets go on sale at ________ or why doesn't WWE tour_____? Any idea when WWE is returning to __________?
Pet Peeve of the Week #2...faux, Twitter accounts. I have ONE account and for better or for worse I am responsible for all that I throw out there.
We are awaiting word as to when @americansoda in the UK will begin stocking our BBQ sauces, ketchup and mustard. We don't have a firm date but it looks as if it's happening.
Pet Peeve of the Week #3...wrestlers who can't act but attempt to do so on wrestling shows. When in doubt simply be yourself. For the record, I've been told that my acting skills suck and that would be an accurate statement. Another personal annoyance on TV wrestling is 'faux' laughter. It's an eye rolling, channel changer.
Been watching lots of WWE On Demand this week and much of the content still holds up today. I'm really lucky to have come along when I did as my style works best in dramatic, athletic presentations.
Been asked a lot recently when JR's products are going to be in retail stores. There is nothing on the horizon. We're open to it and if anyone has any connections with grocery chains, buyers, distributors, etc email me at contact us here on the site. There's only three of us who manage this small, family business but it's growing thanks to many of you.
If you have shipping questions or other questions regarding WWEShop please tweet them @WWEShop.
Sleeper product...JR's All Purpose Seasoning...it's a great dry rub and arguably the only seasoning you would likely need for most dishes.
Looking forward to being in Waterloo, Iowa one week from today for a tryout camp with Jerry Brisco on Friday July 13 at 1 p.m. Perhaps we get lucky and find us a prospect or two.
Thanks for stopping by and for supporting our family business at http://www.wweshop.com/Ca...y/JimRoss.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R. | |
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Billy Gunn On Who Fans Remember When They Think About DX, Putting Wrestlers Over
Here is the latest episode of "The Gunn Show" with former WWE and TNA superstar Billy Gunn. If you missed part one, you can check it out at youtube.com/vegasfueltv. In this week's episode, Billy continues to pull no punches on issues like TNA and how it compares to WWE, whether fans consider the NAO when they think of D-Generation X, why they were so good at putting others over and much more. Here are some highlights:
On who fans think of when they remember DX: "Honestly, I think it's Shawn and Hunter... yeah, you're right, me, Bryan [Road Dogg], X-Pac, we were complete degenerates, to the word... but I think when you think of it all around, from a fan's perspective, DX is Shawn and Hunter because we were short-lived... every time they bring DX back around, which is helping, it's always Shawn and Hunter. It's never us. Even the book [Unauthorized History of DX] just kind of mentioned us in there... it was like a two-paragraph, 'Oh yeah, Brian and Billy, they were in there too', so... I get it. They kind of started it, we made it really good, and then they still finish it off."
On putting over so many stars, like The Rock, Austin: "The reason me and Brian put all these guys over, and took their finishes... one, we loved it. Two, we were very good at it. Three, we were probably the best in the whole locker room that could get it done. You know, it wouldn't do any good if Barry Horowitz and whoever came out and did it... the New Age Outlaws, by themselves, were over, and I don't mean to say all this just because I was a part of that.. I'm just stating what I feel is right."
source: WrestlingInc/YouTube | |
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Daniel Puder Talks About Almost Breaking Kurt Angle's Arm On WWE TV, Calls Angle 'A Wimp'
The full interview, including his thoughts about the other Tough Enough contestants, training with Hardcore Holly, the infamous Kurt Angle shoot on Smackdown, his opinion of Al Snow as a trainer, his time in ROH and launching the MyLifeMyPower anti-bullying charity can be found WrestleShark.com or by searching WrestleShark in the iTunes store.
Daniel Puder tries to make Kurt Angle tap out in an unscripted manner during a 2004 episode of SmackDown: "It's funny, before that entire thing they made us run sprints to start the day, then they brought us in for a pasta eating contest. Two guys puked from it. I'm sitting there, and I knew they were gonna run us again…they had us in the ring doing an up down competition…they told the ref to get the blond guy out of the ring. Chris and I were both blond. So Kurt Angle wrestled him, broke three of his ribs, he rolled out and Kurt came over and said who wants a chance, I raised my hand as fast as I could. Just because, I knew that I wrestled, my old coach was Danny Shay…Danny only lost to him in the Olympic trials by a couple of points, so I knew I had trained with guys that are as good as him. I wasn't really scared of him, plus I had the MMA stuff and I knew he wasn't really into that as much. So I got in there, they said the rules were no striking…and I caught him in a key lock…he's a strong guy. He's freakin' strong. So I caught him in a key lock, pulled him into a Kamura and tried to snap his arm off. It nearly worked, you guys can see how close it was…I'm guessing it was five seconds away from snapping."
How Angle responded to the incident: "Oh Kurt was very very upset, [laughs] yeah he doesn't like me too much for some reason. But he's a wimp you know. If the guy was really tough he'd say like 'OK lets have a fight', you know. Even Dana White offered him $2-3 million dollars to fight me and he turned it down. I'm pretty sure you guys would fight me for $2-3 million dollars [laughs] that's a lot of money.
"He yelled at me, he got pretty upset. I said 'hey, I'm playing by the rules, they told me no striking'. I was being respectful, you know, because I was in his world. But you know, if he came to my gym and did something dumb, outside the rules, I probably would have broken him right there. I would have knocked him out, made him cry like a girl."
"MyLifeMyPower.org is the charity, the main thing we're going for is, we don't tell kids no…we try to ask the right questions…our idea is not to tell kids "don't do this, don't do that", I wanna encourage kids. A lot of kids are trained the wrong way or just not trained at all, and they just succumb to their environment…our program is goal setting, mentoring, leadership, character development, personal branding. We've had over 300 celebrities and pro-athletes film videos and PSA's. We're gonna start launching some on Youtube. We give schools different videos every week…It's stuff kids don't learn in School…A lot of kids you ask 'hey what do you wanna do?' and they go 'oh I wanna be a vetenarian' and I said 'OK how are you going to get there?'. So we ask them the right questions, get the right answers and it drives them to become more successful."
source: Wrestleshark.com | |
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Some WWE on YouTube programming & Viscera interview:
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The video here is not the best quality, but look closely. You'll see Chris Benoit, Owen Hart, John Laurinitis, Steve Austin, Great Khali, Lord Tensai, Rey Misterio, Hulk Hogan, Lance Storm, Samoa Joe, etc...performing moves they are seldom allowed to perform in America, or showing MAD SKILLS that are watered down here in the states to cater to 'sports entertainment'. Only in Japan, baby...where WRESTLING REALLY MATTERS!
Some notes...the blond at :43 is Owen Hart facing Jushin Thunder Liger...great match...look it up!
The guy with the "magic cacrpet" is Shawn Daivari...remember him?
The blond from 1:26-1:34 is John "Johnny Ace" Laurinitis himself.
The reverse pile driver at 1:49 is Steve Austin legit breaking Masa Chono's neck...just like his was broken by Owen in 97...karma?
2:56-2:59 is Hogan vs. Antonio Inoki from 1983, the crowning of the first New Japan IWGP Champion (Hogan won on accident when Inoki was legit KO'd falling out of the ring...Inoki was booked to win.
[Edited 7/7/12 20:53pm]   She has robes and she has monkeys, lazy diamond studded flunkies.... | |
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Cool video, Stoned!
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Damn, my boy Bryan's getting SERIOUS!! You go get that Bella pussy, homie!
And I really hope it's true that Kharma will return in a couple of weeks. The Divas division is just one bad joke without her. Leave it to WWE to fuck her up and water her down, though. | |
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Press Release: WWE Superstar David Otunga Joins The Hive Cast
STAMFORD, Conn. – As first reported by Deadline, WWE Studios and Troika Pictures announced they will co-produce and co-finance the upcoming thriller, "The Hive," starring Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin. WWE Superstar David Otunga has also announced he'll join the cast. Principal photography is scheduled to commence July 6 in and around Los Angeles.
"Finally! Excited to start on my first movie role alongside Halle Berry in "The Hive" Thank you @TroikaPictures / Sony @WWEStudios," @DavidOtunga Tweeted Thursday.
The thriller, to be directed by Brad Anderson ("The Machinist," "Transsiberian"), was written by Rich D'Ovidio ("Exit Wounds," "Thir13en Ghosts") and based on a story by Rich D'Ovidio, Nicole D'Ovidio and Jon Bokencamp.
In the film, Emergency Call Center Operator Jordan (Berry) takes a call from a teenage girl, Casey (Breslin), who has been abducted and carried away in the trunk of a car. The kidnapping plays out in real time as Jordan and Casey work together to track down the killer in this high stakes thriller. Otunga plays Officer Devans, a Los Angeles cop who works hand-in-hand with Jordan to find the kidnapper.
"The Hive" is being produced by Troika's Michael Helfant, Robert Stein and Bradley Gallo, WWE Studios' Michael Luisi and Jeff Graup. William Gallo, Philip M. Cohen and Chip Rosenbloom are executive producers.
"'The Hive' is an ideal addition to WWE Studios' slate of films given its strong award-winning cast and exciting story," said WWE Studios president Michael Luisi. "We are looking forward to working with Brad Anderson and Troika Pictures on this picture."
"We are very excited to partner with WWE Studios on this production," added Stein and Helfant. "WWE has a passionate fan base and incredible marketing muscle. We look forward to working with Michael and his entire team."
WWE will utilize its extensive global reach through its television, digital media and print assets to market the release of the film. Sierra Affinity is handling foreign pre-sales. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) has U.S. rights.
Bradley Buchanan, Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, negotiated on behalf of WWE Studios.
source: WWE
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According to PROWRESTLING.NET, WWE has signed two of the best indy wrestlers out there to developmental deals...
1) "The Man That Gravity Forgot" PAC - Amazing fucking worker. A mainstay in Japan with DragonGate, he has also worked in the US for ROH, TNA, Pro Wrestling Guerilla, and (mostly) DragonGate USA. Again...amazing, but I fear for him big time. I could easily see him becoming another Mistico/Sin Cara. WWE does not have a good track record with these guys, especially when the water them down like they do.
2) Sara Del Rey - SHE IS NO DIVA! This chick can work! Spent time in the All Japan Women's Dojo before it shut down in 2005, worked for ROH for years, made appearances wrestling in mixed-tag matches for Pro Wrestling Guerilla, now mostly works for SHIMMER. WWE could really build their entire women's division into something with her, Kong, and Phoenix at the top. We'll see if this triggers a change to a more "wrestling minded" Diva-division, or if it's just a one-off to give Kong a challenge other than Phoenix. I'll bet it's the latter. She has robes and she has monkeys, lazy diamond studded flunkies.... | |
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DDP On Whether He Was Asked To Wrestle On Raw, If He Was Contacted By WWE In The 90's
Diamond Dallas Page appeared on Busted Open, which airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on Sirius 94 and XM 208 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Visit facebook.com/bustedopen for more information. Here are some highlights:
The reaction he received last week on Raw: "I'll tell you, more than anything, it sort of made me say, 'Wow.' It set me back a second, you know? I always hear DDP chants when I do these independent things but that building, I don't think I ever wrestled there. If I did, I don't remember because it was just a blur at that point when we were going everywhere, but I don't remember ever coming to Laredo.
"You'd think I grew up there with the way the people were chanting. I knew they didn't have a big segment for me to come out there and do this, and just to hit someone with the Diamond Cutter again and to hear the explosion - those DDP chants were so loud, I had to look back like seriously? Wow. I must have done something right 10-plus years ago, because I haven't been on TV in over 10 years."
I said, 'No, Hulk, no.' He goes, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'The only reason I'm on this tour is because we're in Germany, and my last real name is Falkenberg. And, I got a smoking hot wife who walks me to the ring. That's the only reason I'm here.' He goes, 'Well, how are you getting so much better?' and I tried to explain to him that I went back to the Power Plant and started training guys. Because what I found out was the more I taught guys, the more I learned. It applies to everything, I don't care what it is. "If you teach someone your craft, while you're teaching them, you're going to learn because you're going to get better at teaching, which is going to make you better at whatever you're doing. In my case, it made me a better worker. And he didn't understand that because he had territories when he came up, and Hulk is only about two and a half years older than I am, you have to remember that. Hulk had said to me, 'Whatever you're doing, you need to keep doing it. Because it's not today, or next year, or the year after but somewhere down the line, because of your character and how you make people believe, you have the ability to draw huge money with me.' So four years later, I walk out on that stage with Karl Malone, and Rodman and Hogan are there. It was the biggest press conference I'd ever seen that morning. It was crazy."
"I said, 'Michael, I understand that history is written by the winners and I get that you guys won the war, so you can say what you want to say but we kicked your ass for almost two years. I was there. It was David and Goliath and we killed you in the ratings, so I'm not going to backhand compliment WCW ever. Did we make mistakes? Hell yeah, and I'll talk about that, but I'm not going to act like it never happened. I'm just not going to do that; you should get someone else to do that.' He said, 'Well, what are the things you're talking about?' I went, 'Boom, boom, boom' and he went, 'No problem, change it.' I was like, 'Really?' He said, 'Yeah man, we want this to be good.' I was like, 'OK, cool.'
His rising popularity in WCW: "I remember wrestling on Monday night in Panama City, and that was the first time those kids were chanting DDP so loud and I had just started my feud with Scott and Kevin. It was just starting to take off and when I walked back through the curtain again, Hulk's there. He goes, 'Do you know how hard that is? It's starting to happen.' Hulk Hogan over periods of time would tell me different things, and that was one of them. He said, 'It's so hard to get them to chant your name like that, but once you got that, you got something big. It was an awesome ride."
Whether Vince McMahon ever contacted him about joining WWE during the Monday Night Wars: "No, he would never do that. Anybody who said he did, I would really tend not to believe that because Vince was not going to get in that potential lawsuit. Vince is way too smart for that on so many levels. But Steve Austin had called me once after a match I had with I can't remember who; I want to say it was Hogan. He said, 'How the hell did you bring that match out of him?' Because there's never been any love lost with Hulk and Steve. But they got respect of course, how could they not? But Austin had said, 'If you ever want to come on up here, it'd be a pretty easy trip for you.' It was like that. Maybe they thought because of my affiliation with Bischoff and all that stuff, I never would've left."
His run in WWE: "I always saw myself working a WrestleMania. There was no question. The run that I had, which really was like four months in the WWE; it wasn't great. But my opening day was great. My opening day was humongous. And then WrestleMania was pretty much my closing card. I did one Raw after that, but that WrestleMania 18 match that I had with Christian, that was a hell of a match. And then being able to show up now and getting that reaction; hitting that Cutter and getting that pop, I literally can fade off into the sunset very easily. Bottom line is, it was what it was and it was a great ride."
source: WrestlingInc/Busted Open | |
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"So getting that out of the way, when I told David, he started laughing. He was like, 'Yeah, right.' And I was like, 'They really want to do it.' He said, 'We can't do that. No, I can't do that.' And then I said, 'They're going to do it no matter what. You're here, they want to do it. Unless you're going to adamantly say no, they want to do it.' So they talked him into it and he did it, and I wanted J.R. to know. But I thought it was the stupidest thing ever too; they didn't have to preach to the choir to me about it because I felt the same way. But I said, 'Did you know that David Arquette made like $10,000 for that spot or something, and he gave it to Melanie Pillman?' When [Jim Ross] heard that, finally his demeanor changed.
Arquette NEVER should have had that title, but giving the money to the Losse Cannon's widow is one of the coolest things I've ever heard. She has robes and she has monkeys, lazy diamond studded flunkies.... | |
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Yeah, I think I heard that before, that he gave Brian's widow his money for that. As much as people vilify him being made the champion, they apparently don't know the full story. The anger should be made at the idiots who decided to do that, not at David.
But like you said, helluva great move by him to do that. | |
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Smackdown Spoilers (to be aired on 7/13):
Smackdown is now Zackdown. Zack Rider kicks off the show. His first thing to do as acting GM is to do the biggest fist pump. The whole crowd does it. Out comes Alberto Del Rio. Ryder announces that Del Rio will face Sin Cara tonight.
Alberto Del Rio defeated Sin Cara via submission.
The Big show tells Ryder that he's doing a sucky job as GM. Ryder makes a match between Big Show and The Great Khali for tonight. Khali does the fist pump.
Primo (w/ Epico and Rosa Mendes) defeated Darren Young (with Titus O'Neil).
Sheamus and Ryder are backstage talking and are interrupted by Chris Jericho. Sheamus calls Jericho out, but Jericho says he's not there to fight. Ryder makes Jericho vs. Sheamus for tonight.
Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes defeated Christian and Santino Marella after Ziggler pinned Marella.
The Big Show defeated The Great Khali. They slapped each other, and then Show knocked out Khali with the WMD to win the match.
Ryback defeated Tyler Reks.
Damien Sandow defeated Justin Gabriel.
World heavyweight champion Sheamus defeated Chris Jericho. Del rio come out as Sheamus is celebrating and attacks him. Del Rio then locks the arm bar on Sheamus. This is probably where the show goes off the air.
Afterward, Del Rio is in the ring talking and Sheamus comes back out. Del Rio throws Ricardo Rodriguez at Sheamus and started to rough him up. Sheamus ended up coming back and planting Del Rio with a Brogue Kick.
source: WrestlingInc | |
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Backstage News on The Rock's 1,000th Raw Appearance & Other News
The Rock announced that he will be appearing at the 1,000th RAW episode on July 23rd. The Rock added that his goal is the WWE Title.
Regarding the appearance, Rock is expected to appear live in person, not via satellite. Overseas filming for Fast 6 doesn't begin until late July or early August so he should be in the country for RAW.
The belief is that Rock will be making some sort of major announcement on the 1,000th RAW.
- We've noted before that WWE offered top women's wrestler Sara Del Rey a developmental deal. She was waiting on medical testing to come back but the feeling is that she will pass just fine.
There's speculation among some in WWE that Del Rey may be hired to help train the WWE Divas but that's not confirmed yet. Either way, Del Rey joining the company is seen as a major move.
- We also reported that top British wrestler Pac has signed with WWE and is in the middle of re-locating to Florida for WWE developmental. Some expected him to go right to the main roster but that likely won't be the case. Pac wrote the following on Twitter about the reports of him joining WWE:
"THANK YOU to everyone who has sent me well wishes, truly humbled and grateful...but PLEASE don't believe EVERYTHING you read..."
source: F4WOnline | |
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http://blog.viacom.com/20...y-july-10/
DirecTV to Drop 26 Viacom Channels at Midnight on Tuesday, July 10
DirecTV to drop 26 Viacom channels – Spot #2 from Viacom on Vimeo.
Viacom’s distribution agreement with DirecTV is set to expire at midnight on Tuesday, July 10. We’ve been negotiating for months and even offered DirecTV an extension past the agreement’s original June 30th expiration date. As recently as today, we made significant economic movement in direct conversations with DirecTV.
However, despite our best efforts, DirecTV has rejected all of our proposals to renew our agreement. This evening, DirecTV provided Viacom with a counter proposal that included a lower rate than Viacom receives from any other distributor in the industry. With this offer, our negotiations have reached an impasse.
This means that, as of tomorrow night, nearly 20 million DirecTV subscribers will be without entertainment from the programmer they watch most. A total of 26 Viacom channels, including Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, VH1, CMT, Spike TV, TV Land and more won’t be available.
Our agreement with DirecTV is seven years old – ancient by the standards of the ever-evolving media industry – which means that DirecTV has enjoyed way below market rates for Viacom’s networks for a very long time.
If negotiations remain stalled, DirecTV will drop Viacom’s channels tomorrow tonight. No Dora, no SpongeBob, no Teen Wolf, no 106 & Park, no Daily Show, no Colbert, and no Snooki – a regrettable and avoidable turn of events if there ever was one, and an outcome that our team has worked tirelessly to avoid.
Here’s the official statement from Viacom:
Here are some indisputable facts about Viacom and the strength of its networks on DirecTV:
And here are some indisputable facts about DirecTV:
Needless to say, Viacom will continue to work to convince DirecTV to keep our channels, and strike a fair and equitable agreement. Check this space for updates on the situation.
For more information, you can visit the website Viacom has set up to notify consumers of DirecTV’s decision to drop its channels at www.whendirectvdrops.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WhenDirecTVDrops.
Also, you can check below for some of the addtional spots we’re airing to notify viewers across our networks.
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1st bold point ..NEGRO PLEASE in order 2 be a champ it means U HAVE 2 BE ON THE SHOW EVERY WEEK AND NOT RUSHING OFF 2 MAKE A FUCKING MOVIE DWAYNE!
2nd bold point..good! train them fake ass divas 2 WRESTLE and give my babies beth, kaitlyn and nat some real competition! man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81 | |
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Stop hatin' on my boy, Rock!!!!!!!! You fuckin' Cena ball lickers get on my GD nerves!!!! | |
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Maria Kanellis Talks Signing With ROH, Turning Down TNA, Problems In WWE & More
WrestlingINC: You started off your career with the Diva Search, how did that come about?
Maria Kanellis: I was watching Monday Night Raw and they were advertising for it. [Laughs.] Honestly, everybody asks me this question and everybody thinks that I just came from a model search. But, me and Michelle McCool were the only two that self-entered online -- not from an agency -- we just loved wrestling. So, I entered online and I made it to the next round. The only reason I knew I made it to the next round before they told me a week after was that I saw my picture on Monday Night Raw when I was watching the show.
WrestlingINC: Had you been a wrestling fan for a long time before that?
Maria: Yeah, I've been a wrestling fan. I probably got back into it when I was 16, 17. But I was a wrestling fan since I was a little girl. I used to watch it with my dad and my brother.
WrestlingINC: Who were some of your favorites growing up?
Maria: I loved 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper. I love the guys that can talk. I'm a big fan of The Rock, but I'm also a fan of Coach. I just thought Johnathan Coachman did such a great job -- every single time he was there with somebody, he just really brought out the personality of anybody he was interviewing.
WrestlingINC: When you got the call, what was that like having been a fan and getting that opportunity?
Maria: It was insane. The most insane thing in the world. I was screaming and jumping up and down. At the time, I was in Louisville, Kentucky, coming back from living in my car down in Miami, Florida. So, you can only imagine how I was feeling going from living in my car down in Miami, Florida to coming back to Louisville, Kentucky. I just had done "Outback Jack," which was a reality show, and I got the call to do World Wrestling Entertainment. It was insane.
WrestlingINC: After the Diva Search, you went to OVW. What was that experience like?
Maria: It was two and a half years that I was down in Ohio Valley Wrestling. It's been a big part of my life now in the sense that I love that period of my life so much. It was like my college years. I didn't go to college other than here and there in my failed attempts to go to school. So, Ohio Valley Wrestling was my college years.
WrestlingINC: So, you started your run in WWE in 2005, can you describe that run?
Maria: Oh, my gosh. It was a mix of everything. I was 22-years-old, I never experienced anything like that in my entire life. The first time I was on live television, was the first time I'd ever been in front of a live crowd that size. Just getting over that in itself was insane. I didn't come from the independents, so wrestling was all new to me. I was training down in Ohio Valley Wrestling at the same time I was on the road. I was training with Fit Finley.
I didn't get as much time in the ring as I would have liked. It's funny, because now I'm getting more time in the ring then I ever did when I was in WWE. I'm learning a whole lot more. But, it was insane. It was wonderful, it was one of the greatest experiences in my life. I considered WWE my family for a long time. They gave me my start, really.
WrestlingINC: You were involved in a lot of high profile angles and matches during that time.
Maria: I didn't have the craziest matches in the ring, but I certainly got to work with some of the best. I got to work with Ric Flair. I got to work with John Cena when he was just coming into his own. I got to work with Santino when that character was just started. I got to be in the ring with Umaga, Orton, Carlito. It was insane. Insane times.
WrestlingINC: What was it like being at your first WrestleMania at WrestleMania XXIV?
Maria: That was insane. Ashley Massaro showed up so late that day, she was sick. So, I was flipping out. It was tremendous. But I watch that match back now, and I'm like, 'Oh, my gosh. I could have done so much better. Please, just let me have that moment back because I would kill it now.' Compared to the person I was then to now -- it's like night and day! [Laughs] It was great for what it was, but I wish I could have that moment back because this time around, I would do something completely different with that match.
WrestlingINC: What were some of your most memorable memories from your WWE run?
Maria: Winning the [Diva of the Year Slammy] award was amazing. I would definitely say when Michelle McCool first started becoming a bad guy -- oh, my gosh, it was after the match and she just kicked the crap out of me. That was amazing. Michelle is one of the greatest workers ever but no one got to see it because we just didn't have enough time.
Definitely working with Santino -- oh, my gosh. It was just getting funnier and funnier every single week. Ric Flair bumping off a kiss. Wow! That was definitely something. When I did Playboy. I was getting pyro when I was coming out. One of my favorite matches was against Natalya, it was my last singles match on TV. Working with Victoria, oh, my gosh, she is just amazing. When I came back after two years of being out of the wrestling ring, that was the only person I wanted to work with. [Laughs.]
WrestlingINC: How did you get the gig on Celebrity Apprentice? Was that through WWE or did they contact you?
Maria: No, I did that myself. They like to claim it. I walked up to Donald Trump and said, 'I want to be on your show.' He said, 'You want to be on my show, Celebrity Apprentice?' And I said, 'Yes, I do.' I continued to calling every single day until I got an interview. Then, from there, they gave me the interview and I heard nothing for months. I continued e-mailing every single day saying, 'I want this job. I'm going to be on this show.' They let me have it and I did it.
WrestlingINC: Do you think there was heat on you for doing it on your own?
Maria: You know what? If there was, I don't care. If they were paying me millions and millions of dollars, that'd be one thing, but they weren't. So, for me, as great as WWE is and I love them and adore them for everything they did for me, at the same time, I didn't make enough money to support me and whatever family I have in the future. So, I had to start making decisions for myself.
WrestlingINC: So, when you made that decision and you told them, what was their reaction?
Maria: Oh, they loved it because they love Donald Trump. If it was any other show, they probably would have been upset but they love Donald Trump.
WrestlingINC: You did great on that show. Do you feel like you helped the company out since you represented the business so well. I think a lot of people that don't watch wrestling have a certain stereotype of what wrestlers are like. I think you kind of shattered that stereotype when you were on that show. Do you think you got any appreciation for that?
Maria: I got no appreciation for it whatsoever. I went on that show completely -- this was not who anybody expected me to be. I have old ladies in supermarkets grabbing my arm after I had done the show and saying, 'Oh, my gosh. I loved you so much on it. You were so good, you were so smart.' They've never seen wrestling before, they just saw me on Celebrity Apprentice. Which was being seen by 10 million people per week.
So, when it came to them giving me my new contract and I didn't want to sign it -- I wanted my lawyer to look over it -- WWE just did not see me as a smart girl. They saw me as a stupid girl and they wanted me to be a stupid girl. When I broke that and I changed into the person that I actually am, they hated it. That's when I got that phone call on Saturday.
WrestlingINC: Did you have any idea that they were probably going to release you? You had just started an angle with Matt Hardy, so it seemed very out of the blue.
Maria: It was out of the blue. My discussion with John Laurinaitis went like this: 'Are you going to sign the contract?' It was the same contract that I signed when I was 22-years-old and had never been on television before. Everybody gets a raise, even a bus girl. They had given me a raise, but because I didn't sign it right away, they took that contract from me and gave me a different contract. The contract was exactly the same as when I started.
So, I said, 'No, I'm not going to sign that contract. And yes, I want my lawyer to look at it.' I knew that they were probably going to release me. But, see, that's the thing: If I was a guy, that wouldn't have happened. But, because I was a girl that stood up for what I believed in and I'm not going to be caught in a hot tub with the office and I'm not going to be caught being shady -- but I will be there working every single day, I will be doing every single media thing and I will go on Celebrity Apprentice and do a good job -- because I'm that kind of girl, they didn't want to re-sign me.
WrestlingINC: When you first got released, did you think that you were done with the business or did it motivate you to get more involved.
Maria Kanellis: With wrestling, at first, I didn't want anything to do with it. At first, I was angry. And at first, I don't know -- I was very disappointed in a company that I gave so much of my life to. Then, all of a sudden, just because I didn't want to be the girl that just continues to resign a contract that doesn't help my life -- I just didn't want to be that girl anymore. I just thought I was done with wrestling.
Then, of course, you start getting that itch. Then, you miss it. Then, you want more. So, what started as me just doing signings at wrestling shows, ended up with me starting to talk wrestling more and more. I blame it all on Mike, actually. He's the one that made me start talking about wrestling again, truly. ... When I started talking about wrestling more and then I got asked to do After Buzz TV for Maria Menounos' network, that's when I knew I was never going to get away from it.
WrestlingINC: When did you meet [boyfriend] Mike Bennett? Was it after you got released?
Maria: It was after I got released, but we had done shows together because we could have met at one of the shows because he's been to a million try outs. I just never met him. I don't know where the click didn't happen or what. But, I met him at a show, it was in March of last year. I met him there and I was dating someone and he was dating someone. So, nothing could really happen. But, I literally said to one of his friends that I could really get myself in a lot of trouble with him.
So, the whole night, I made sure I was standing next to him or sitting across from him. I made fun of how he ate his cheese sticks and low and behold, in May of last year, I get a direct message on Twitter about the fact that he wanted to help me with his cheese stick. That's how we started talking again. It was so weird. It was just meant to be, I knew it the moment I met him.
WrestlingINC: Later that year, you made your debut with ROH. What are your thoughts on ROH as a company? It seems as though if you want to watch "real" wrestling with good matches and performers being given real pushes -- I think you see it more there than other places.
Maria: There are so many opportunities at Ring Of Honor. If you do a good job, you get to do more. If you do a crappy job, then you don't. [Laughs.] I love that. I love that excellent work is rewarded. I love that hard work is important in Ring Of Honor. It's really the most important thing is working hard. I've been a fan of Ring Of Honor for a long time. I probably went to my first Ring Of Honor show in maybe 2006 or 2007.
I'm a fan, I've been a fan of the product for a long time. It came up as a very strange thing in the beginning. But, they were just like, 'Hey, would you want to come and be at a pay-per-view?' I said, 'Sure, I would love to.' Then, I ended up being with Mike and I was in town, and I was like, 'You know what? I'll just go to the show with him.' All of a sudden, I'm on the show all of the time. [Laughs.] It's just a very strange thing.
WrestlingINC: When you made your appearance at "ROH Final Battle" last year, did you think it was going to be a one time thing or did you get the feeling that you were going to be more involved?
Maria: I had a feeling I was going to be there more than once.
WrestlingINC: Since you've left WWE, it seems like their Diva's division has deteriorated. You see more women quitting than in the past. Did you see a gradual disinterest in the division while you were there?
Maria: I just want to say that AJ's doing a tremendous job. She's absolutely amazing. She was given the ball and she's just running like hell with it. I don't think she's the only girl that could do it. I think that Beth [Phoenix] could definitely do something with it. I think there are a couple of other girls like Natalya that could run with the story.
But, when I was there, I just remember that me and Michelle [McCool] -- and Melina -- we all were fighting so hard to keep that Diva's division together. We were working so hard to make it bigger and better. And Beth was, too. We were all a very cohesive unit on that one subject.
After I left, it was me and then it was Mickie [James]. Soon after Mickie, it was Michelle and she left on her own. Then, soon after than, it was Melina and then Jillian. Maryse just recently left. Then it was the Bella Twins. Gail Kim -- oh, my gosh. Maxine... I didn't really know her I was really there. And, I think that every one of the girls that I've mentioned had something else in their life that made them realize that since WWE wasn't going to allow them the time or the place to do something that they're passionate about, they were going to go out and fulfill that passion elsewhere.
Mickie had music. Jillian had recently gotten married. Michelle got married. Melina got released, but you go down the list -- The Bella Twins have all these opportunities in acting. Maryse has modeling, she been a huge star in Canada. But, you go down the list and WWE could have used all these talents that these girls have and make their product even better. But, they want to ignore that these women are tremendous and can be tremendously successful and use their mainstream impact within the company. I find that extremely stupid.
Who in their right mind does not use the extra eyes that could be on these girls within their own company? It's an ego trip and I am not a fan of ego trips. So, what I'm hoping that they do with AJ is the same thing they continue to do in the future with other girls.
WrestlingINC: You never know, it's hard to tell. You always see those false pushes given.
Maria: Exactly. I knew they were going to do it. As soon as Kelly Kelly was out of the picture a little bit, I said, 'I bet you they were going to push someone else a bit and drop the ball.' Then, they started pushing AJ. That's what they do every single time. Who knows what's going to happen with Kelly? She's extremely happy with her boyfriend and they might be making bigger plans in the future.
WrestlingINC: I guess it's not just a problem with women. There's a lot of men that are given these pushes and then they're taken away. Then, no new stars are ever created.
Maria: They say it's lonely on top and it is lonely on top. But, there are so many balls dropped with guys like Carlito. When you see him in the ring -- and I've seen him in the ring on the indies millions of times -- it's like, 'Oh, my God. This guy could be making so much money for WWE.' But, they didn't. He did make tons of money. His t-shirts were one of the top sellers for a long time. Why not go with that?
They could have continued on that road with him for a long time, but they just didn't. As a business plan, it just seems very strange.
Dolph Ziggler should be on every single show, three times per show. He is tremendous. It's just so silly to me. [Laughs.] If I were to build a company, I would make every single person the biggest star possible because you are only as strong as your weakest link. That's it. Everybody would learn media, everybody would learn how to do everything. So, no matter what happened, there would be people that were just amazing!
WrestlingINC: Yeah, the popularity of the business keeps falling, and one of the reasons is they don't create enough new stars. The same guys have been on top for ten years.
Maria: You're not seeing new stars. You're not taking full advantage of the opportunities that are created. Such as; Celebrity Apprentice. It doesn't matter what kinds of things I asked for, like the rights to my music or asking for a better contract or whatever. If I owned the company, I would have given me whatever. If you are going to have one of your stars seen by 10 million people a week and then there also going to be on your show as well. Plus, they're going to be on all the major media outlets out there? Please. I would take full advantage.
Plus, I think it's a trust thing. I only do things that represent me in a very smart, intelligent way. Or a sexy way. That's it. I don't do things that would ever hurt my career. So, I don't think that they trusted me enough to do that. If they would have, then it would have been a completely different story. That's just one example. There are a million examples. There really is.
I've heard of people wanting outside endorsement deals that would have paid them lots of money, but they didn't want their superstars to do it. For what reason? I have no idea. I know that there are conflicts between different major companies and what they own, etc. All of that kind of stuff. I understand that. But there is a way around these things. There really is. So, I just don't understand it.
WrestlingINC: What are your thoughts on TNA?
Maria: I don't watch it. I've heard that the girls over there are tremendous. I think that Lisa/Victoria/Tara [laughs] is one of the greatest female wrestlers of all time. One of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Right now, she is the best that is out there. The only people that I probably could compare her to is Sara Del Rey and Beth Phoenix. Those are the only other two that I think are on that level of amazingness. But, I don't watch the show very often.
They have approached me, but I love my spot at Ring Of Honor. I can't imagine leaving. [Laughs.]
WrestlingINC: When they approached you, what did you say to them?
Maria: I just said, 'Not at this time.' You never know what the future holds but just not at this time.
WrestlingINC: [Radio announcer] Mark Madden recently insulted you on Twitter. Where did that beef come from?
Maria: He recently said that Ring Of Honor was failing. It would be one thing if it was based on facts. It wasn't based on facts, it was based on opinions. If you're going to say, 'This is my opinion,' -- that's one thing. But if you're going to say it's facts and you're going to act like a sportscaster that is giving facts about one thing -- that's a different thing completely than it is going out and giving your opinion and pretend like they're facts.
Then, you give our audience these lies! Making stuff up and saying that there are no stars. I think it's hilarious though, because this is the same guy who said Daniel Bryan couldn't make any money. [Laughs.] How many "Yes!" shirts do you need to see in an audience to see that the man did make some money? Maybe you should go back and realize that you're not always the best when it comes to having these opinions or these fake facts.
I don't care about that kind of stuff but I do care when you start attacking people that I'm close with and when you start to teach Ring Of Honor fans that this is what's really happening when it's not. We're drawing. We're hitting more and more networks. We're trying new things. There are different champions and new story lines. Our pay-per-view was one of the best pay-per-views we've ever had. And we had all those problems before.
We're trying and we're out there and doing it. It's not like we're just sitting on our tails, saying, 'Oh, well. This is just going to fall apart.' No, we're working our butts off. I hate when people are just like, 'Oh, it's going to fall. Blah, blah, blah.'
Then, he comments about seeing me naked? I mean, really. I've seen what he writes on his Twitter and he's not worth my time. I surround myself with very positive people. People that are on the move and people that are intelligent. He doesn't even know what the word analytical means and that means he's not worth my time. That's the thing that I thought was the funniest. He says it was analytical, but you weren't solving any problems. It wasn't analytical. It was an opinionated rant on a company just because you don't like Jim Cornette.
So, he wants to say that it's this fact-y, analytically thing, but -- really -- it's just someone being bitter because they don't like someone else. I can talk now! He wants to make it out like, 'WWE stars, they would never...' No, they can't! I couldn't before, I can talk now. I can say whatever I want now. WWE stars have plenty to say about what's out there about their product. But, they can't. It's against their contract.
It wasn't that I was stooping to anybody's level, but I saw an opportunity to have a media battle with somebody that I knew would get more followers and more people hearing about Ring Of Honor and changing people's mind. So, he can think that he's so smart, but, maybe he should get a dictionary and learn what words mean.
WrestlingINC: Fair enough. [Laughs.] Thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Well, do you have any final message for the readers of our site?
Maria: Definitely. Thank you so much to everybody. I'm loving everything that I'm doing with Ring Of Honor. Please, follow up with the Ring Of Honor website. Go to Youtube, you can watch all the shows two weeks after they've already been on television. Go to your Sinclair Broadcasting Systems and find out where you can watch Ring Of Honor.
My Twitter is @MariaLKanellis. My Facebook is OfficialMariaKanellis. You can watch videos of me and Mike Bennet and that's at ProdigySuperstar on Youtube. I think that's it for now, but I'm sure there will be more in the future.
I'm really just excited for this time in my life in wrestling. Because, I'm starting to find a place that I really love and that's within Ring Of Honor and within the ring. So, I'm excited to share it with everybody. Thank you so much.
source: WrestlingInc | |
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WWE is releasing Kharma. Stupid, stupid move. Silence Speaks A Thousand Words. | |
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Definitely. And here I was hoping she'd make a surprise re-debut at MITB on Sunday.
Conflicting Reports On Kharma's Status With WWE
Amidst rumors that WWE released Kharma after their official Twitter feed moved her profile to its list of Alumni on Thursday, TMZ.com reporter Ryan Satin says she has been let go by the sports entertainment organization.
He wrote on Twitter Thursday evening, "A source close to Kharma tells me the rumors are true and she was indeed released from WWE today. Dumbest WWE release in SOOO LONG!!!"
Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer addressed Satin's claim on the F4WOnline.com message forum and stated that WWE had planned to finalize her termination on Friday. However, he speculates the organization may switch course due to the news prematurely surfacing online—similarly to how they briefly reinstated Florida Championship Wrestling tapings in March to save face after news leaked prematurely that they were ending and because they weren't ready to announce the changes to NXT.
"I don't want to say anything, because it's WWE and they change their minds if stuff gets out," he wrote. "But she was to be released tomorrow, and they're pissed somebody screwed up and it got out a day early."
Kharma is currently listed as a member of the active roster on WWE.com, but as a former Superstar on the organization's Twitter account.
source: F4WOnline | |
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I wonder if that was Triple H doing. why in God's name do u wanna make me cry | |
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WWE Officially Removes Kharma's Profile And Adds Her To Their Alumni Section
Kia "Kharma" Stevens' profile has been moved from the "Superstars" section on WWE.com to the "Alumni" section of the website this morning. She was added to the Alumni list on WWE's Twitter yesterday, which usually happens after a talent has been released.
WWE has yet to officially announce if she has been released.
Stevens had signed with the company in December of 2010, and started making appearances in May of 2011, doing an angle where she would destroy Divas after their matches. Before she could officially wrestle a match, she revealed on an episode of RAW that she was pregnant and would be taking a leave of absence from the organization. Her only appearance since then was as a surprise entrant in this year's Royal Rumble match in January.
source: WrestlingInc | |
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Maybe, but Vince still has the final say. So, he could've still prevented it, if true. | |
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http://www.wwe.com/news/z...r-accident
BREAKING NEWS: Zack Ryder, Dolph Ziggler and Justin Roberts involved in a car accident in San DiegoPage 1 of 1
SAN DIEGO – WWE Superstars Zack Ryder, Dolph Ziggler and announcer Justin Roberts were involved in a car accident just outside of downtown San Diego on Friday afternoon just after 5:00 p.m. PT. Traveling in a limousine, the three were rear-ended as they were transported from Comic-Con: International at the San Diego Convention Center.
"It was a quiet ride since Dolph and I don’t get along. Then, all of a sudden, the brakes hit and I slid down the couch part of the limo. The driver stopped and the car behind us hit us," Zack Ryder said.
"I landed on the floor and my neck hit the edge of the chair," Ryder added. "Ziggler went flying. Justin went flying. The car hit us full speed; we all got thrown from our seats. My neck is a little sore. That’s it. We’re all OK though."
Local paramedics examined the former United States Champion and his fellow passengers, finding no major injuries, according to Ryder.
"It was a big limo, so we couldn’t tell exactly what was going on outside, but we merged on to a highway and then at one point we braked," Justin Roberts told WWE.com. "Zack basically slid down the bench. Dolph and I were sitting in the back facing forward, and Zack was on the bench sitting sideways. Then, out of nowhere, we got hit pretty hard."
Roberts continued, "You could tell by the way Zack was sitting, that his neck [was hurt], and Dolph was sitting right in front of where the impact was, so he got hit hard.
"I don’t remember what happened with myself," Roberts said. "I just know I was sitting on the floor with my knee up, and I was fine. Then I saw that my leg was bleeding, and it hurt. I don’t know what I hit my knee on."
Roberts explained that his cut was minor and he will have it reevaluated when he sees WWE physicians at the WWE Live Event in Tucson, Ariz., this weekend.
"I don’t think anyone was hurt in an emergency way," he said. "It doesn’t feel good, but we didn’t want to sit around in a hospital in San Diego."
According to Roberts, all three declined going to the hospital; he and Ryder are now traveling by car to Phoenix and Ziggler departed on a flight out of San Diego. Stay with WWE.com as more details become available. | |
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Serena Deeb Responds To Reports Of Her Arrest For Boating Under The Influence
Former WWE talent Serena Deeb posted a denial-type statement on her Twitter account Friday night in response to online reports of her arrest last Sunday in Tampa, Florida.
"Ok...can anyone REALLY picture me driving a boat? Get real," she wrote.
Her arrest report says she was charged with violation 327.35 BUI VESSEL, which according to the official website of the Florida state legislature is (BUI) Boating Under the Influence. The website states that "a person is guilty of the offense of boating under the influence and is subject to punishment as provided in subsection (2) if the person is operating a vessel within this state and: (a) The person is under the influence of alcoholic beverages, any chemical substance set forth in s. 877.111, or any substance controlled under chapter 893, when affected to the extent that the person's normal faculties are impaired."
Deeb also addressed individuals she perceives as being judgmental toward her: "AND...next time the highlight of your day involves judging others who you know nothing about, maybe you should look yourself in the mirror."
Deeb appeared for WWE in 2010 as a member of the CM Punk-led Straight Edge Society, a group which promoted and abided to abstinence and discipline—primarily no smoking, drinking, or drugs. The faction acted as a militant organization, denouncing all people who didn't practice the straight edge lifestyle, even those who also abstain from substance abuse. Her contract was terminated in August of that year, with WWE sources saying she was not maintaining the gimmick's image in public. In December 2011, she acknowledged her troubles with alcohol and proudly proclaimed to having achieved one full year of sobriety.
Deeb tweeted December 5, 2011, "Today I am incredibly proud, as it marks one full year I have gone without drinking alcohol. A year ago I looked myself in the mirror & reevaluated my priorities. I decided to make serious changes. I have always wanted to be a role model & help others around me because I believe that makes the world a better place. I hope this message can inspire & encourage whoever reads it.
"Oftentimes when people approach change, it can be overwhelming. One week is hard, one year is even harder and 'forever' almost sounds impossible. From my personal account, I think it's helpful to take things one day at a time & to constantly remind yourself of the bigger picture.
"We all have changes that we want to implement. A new year approaching is the perfect opportunity. Don't limit yourself & the potential that you have to live a better life. Change is never easy BUT with a challenge, you build a stronger character. Self confidence & a strong will are very empowering. Take small steps & don't look back- "Be the change you wish to see in the world."
Deeb has since taken an indefinite leave from professional wrestling due to the effects of a serious concussion suffered in a match. She now works as a yoga instructor.
source: WrestlingInc | |
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Smackdown Spoilers (to air on 7/20):
* Rey Mysterio comes out to a big pop and announced that he's back. Alberto Del Rio comes out and they argue. Dolph Ziggler comes out and argues with Del Rio. They are about to team up on Mysterio when Sheamus hits the ring. Looks like a tag match for later tonight.
* Prime Time Players & Hunico and Camacho vs. Kofi Kingston and R-Truth & Primo and Epico is next. Hunico and Camacho win via pinfall. After the match, The Big Show comes out and cleans house. Show grabs the mic and says a few words, but it's hard to hear what he said.
* Rey Mysterio and Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler is announced as the main event for tonight.
* Damien Sandow defeated Zack Ryder with a neckbreaker.
The Peep Show with Christian and Daniel Bryan is up next. During The Peep Show, Christian asked if AJ and Bryan were doing the right thing, and then asked if AJ was doing the right thing. AJ slapped Christian. Christian then announced that Kane vs. Bryan is next.
* Kane defeated Daniel Bryan via DQ after AJ interfered.
* Heath Slater vs. another legend is next. His opponent is... Road Warrior Animal! Animal defeats Slater with a powerslam and an elbow.
Heath Slater comes back out. Triple H hits the ring and pedigrees him. This will likely not be shown on television. Triple H says DX will reunite in one week.
* Rey Mysterio and Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler is up next. Mysterio and Sheamus win via DQ after Ricardo Rodriguez interfered. After the match, Del Rio put Sheamus in an armbar. While Sheamus is hurt, Ziggler is about to cash in the "Money In The Bank" briefcase, but Mysterio nails him with the 619. Sheamus follows up with a Brogue kick on Ziggler.
The dark match main event is up next with John Cena facing The Big Show and Cody Rhodes in a handicap match. Cena wins via pinfall after Big Show accidentally KO'd Cody, and Cena hit the AA on Show. After the match, John Laurinaitis hit the ring and attacked Cena with a chair, but was met with an AA.
source: WrestlingInc | |
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