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Another Brock Lesnar WWE Appearance Revealed
Brock Lesnar will be appearing on the RAW Supershow on August 20th, the night after SummerSlam, from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, CA. WWE has yet to add Lesnar to the show on their events section.
Lesnar is also advertised for the 1,000th RAW episode next Monday from the Scottrade Center, as well as for the RAW Supershow on August 6th, which is being billed as "Shawn Michaels Appreciation Night." He will also appear on RAW on August 13th, the Monday before SummerSlam.
source: WI | |
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i've noticed u have been mad quiet trying 2 contain ur joy over cena's win at MIB huh? or are u heart broken cause ur girl AJ is leaving u for daniel bryan?
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
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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New Directive From Triple H, Punk Working On DVD Release, Cena MITB Plans Changed
- WWE Champion CM Punk says he is working on making his August 11th Wizard World Comic Con appearance in Chicago "something special."
Punk also wrote about his upcoming WWE DVD:
"Just had an advanced screening of my DVD for a select few family members. So proud of it. Working on a lot of cool things for its release."
- John Cena winning the Money in the Bank Ladder Match was not something WWE came up with months ago as Cena was originally scheduled to take the Money in the Bank pay-per-view off.
- WWE decided not to change the WWE Title or the World Heavyweight Title at Money in the Bank because of a new directive from Triple H. Word is that he now wants champions to hold their titles for longer than they have been.
source: F4WOnline
Of course....now that his buddy Sheamus is the champion, he wants him to STAY the champ. | |
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All I wanna know is have their ratings continued to plummet? [Edited 7/18/12 9:17am] | |
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I've been trying to contain my damn anger over that shit, actually. AND, I didn't want to hear you gloat about how the Cenation is going strong, in YOUR words. But you know what? You'll be crying when your boy fizzles out and becomes the first MITB winner to not get the title after MY boy The Rock causes Cena to lose against Punk next week.
And as far as AJ goes, don't you know acting when you see it??!! God! | |
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She told me herself she feels like vomiting every time she has to "play kiss" someone other than ME! So, shut it! 
http://www.baltimoresun.c...6015.story
After unexpected departure from WWE, Mr. Anderson happy to be with TNA
With WWE Money in the Bank in the history books, it’s always interesting to take a look at past briefcase winners. Perusing the list, one man will stand out as the wrestler who could have benefitted the most from the win, but unfortunate circumstances precluded him from fully realizing that potential.
At WrestleMania 23, the most-watched WrestleMania of all time, Mr. Kennedy (Ken Anderson) obtained the Money in the Bank briefcase and looked to be on the fast track to becoming a world champion. He declared his intention to cash in at WrestleMania 24, which at the time seemed like a very smart move, giving him a year to climb to main-event status. Sadly, an injury prevented him from achieving this feat, and soon after, Kennedy was gone from WWE.
“It was a decision made by them,” Ken Anderson explains in a phone interview. “At first, being fired from any place is a punch in the stomach, but eventually when you get over that initial wave of the rejection and 'What am I going to do now?'... I'm happy the way that things worked out because it led me to where I am at today. I'm happy where I am today, in my personal life and in my professional life. As far as the circumstances, I mean there are all kinds of conspiracies. The only people that really know what really happened are the big guys, the owners, and the guys that pull the trigger on situations.” Whenever a big-name WWE talent parts ways with the company, wrestling fans immediately think of whether or not that star will make his/her way to TNA. Not Anderson.
“It took a while [to decide to go to TNA]. It was not one of those things that I couldn't wait till my 90 days was up so I could jump over. It was like nine months, almost a year, where it was talked about a little bit. At that point, I was kinda not done with the business but nice to step back and take some time off and re-evalute and figure out what I wanted to do. ...
"I always wanted to do something in the entertainment industry, if it was acting or something in show business. When I found wrestling I was like, 'This has got everything that I like.' It's got showmanship, it's highly athletic and highly competitive. We are a scripted television show, however it is a very competitive business and it's one of the most competitive things I've done in my life and I have played competitive sports before. It is just as competitive as legitimate sports. People just don’t understand that -- people don’t ever get a chance to. We don’t peel the curtain that far back to let you in. It is an extremely competitive environment.”
Anderson is a two-time TNA champion, currently competing in the company’s “Bound for Glory” series to try and obtain another title shot. Anderson says winning titles is just as important to him today as it was earlier in his career.
“[Winning a title] is the ultimate goal," he said. "Ultimately, we want to entertain our fans and want people to be sitting every 18 inches. You want people to say, 'Yay' when they're supposed to say 'Yay' and you want them to say, 'Boo' when you want them to say 'Boo.' But, with that being said, you know, there is something to be said about pulling the championship for a major wrestling company. ... There are thousands and thousands and thousands of wrestlers that have come through those doors and have never had the opportunity to hold that title. For the company to say, 'You're our guy' is a huge carrot on an end of the stick.”
TNA has recently been enjoying praise and positive reviews from several wrestling fans that had previously given up on the brand. Anderson is noticing that trend as well.
“I really like where the product is going," he said. "We don’t sit around and talk and pat ourselves on the back. ... We are our biggest critics. You have a lot less criticism floating around in the locker. [The wrestlers] are happier now, they're happier with what they're doing, they're happier with their story line. Nothing is scripted like it used to be. The thing that drives me nuts is when someone hands you a script and says, 'Be yourself and say this right here' -- exactly the way that I have written [it].”
TNA will bring its product to Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen on Friday with a 7:30 p.m. bell time. Tickets are on sale at www.ironbirdsbaseball.com or by phone at 410-297-9292. Scheduled to appear along with Mr. Anderson are Sting, Jeff Hardy, Bobby Roode, AJ Styles, Rob Van Dam and more. | |
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Former WWE Creative Writer Says Triple H Is Wrong Opponent For Brock Lesnar
Steven Muehlhausen of "The Fight Club Chicago" radio show recently conducted an interview with former WWE creative writer Court Bauer. During the interview, Bauer discussed why Triple H is the wrong opponent for Brock Lesnar at Summerslam.
"He's (Lesnar) a top a draw," said Bauer. "It's just how you apply a talent like that. Its kind of like, you look at movies. Everyone lays an egg, a rotten egg. But there's still a lot of box office power behind them. You just gotta find the next one. The followup is critical for his success in WWE. I don't feel Triple H is the right matchup for a lot of reasons both mechanically in the ring and in terms of long term investment.
"If they (WWE) are really paying Brock Lesnar five million dollars for 20-25 dates and they brought in Paul Heyman for dollar X for X amount of dates. Do you believe that's helping the company's future by having Triple H beat him or lose to him when there's so many, so many young talent that could use that TV exposure, could use that win if they are going to beat Brock Lesnar or even losing to Brock Lesnar look better? Triple H is not even a part-time wrestler at this point. So you really have to question the decision making going on there."
You can listen to the entire interview with Bauer at sportstownchicago.com/fightclub.
source: WI | |
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http://www.pitch.com/plog...-wrestling
WWE referee John Cone makes his dollars in doughnuts and pro wrestlingPosted by Justin Kendall on Wed, Jul 18, 2012 at 7:00 AM
Cone, a referee with the wrestling company, knows from experience. At WWE’s April pay-per-view event, Extreme Rules, Cone tried to keep the match on track but ended up on the wrong side of the former WWE and UFC champion.
“It was kind of exciting to get clotheslined by Brock Lesnar,” Cone says, “I gotta admit.”
“I don’t get in there too much anymore because of my schedule,” Cone admits. “I leave that up to my wife and sister-in-law now.”
Cone is in his hometown for a taping of WWE’s SmackDown at the Sprint Center on Tuesday, July 24. The WWE will be coming off a milestone night: Monday Night Raw’s 1,000th episode, in St. Louis. The Kansas City card features Triple H, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and Daniel Bryan.
The Pitch caught Cone on a rare day off, and he shared his favorite WWE moments as well as his latest doughnut experiment.
The Pitch: How did you get involved in professional wrestling? Cone: I grew up as a fan, watching Central States Wrestling, and on my 16th birthday I skipped school to go downtown to talk to [former National Wrestling Alliance president] Bob Geigel about getting a job. At the time, he told me that I was too small. That was in ’93. Two years later, I found a wrestling school that was in town here. I started training and from there, I moved on to Harley Race’s Wrestling Academy. In 2005, I got a tryout, and six years ago, July 2006, I was hired by World Wrestling Entertainment.
Who from WWE found you? John Laurinaitis came to a wrestling camp that Harley Race was having, and I was one of the referees there. At the end of the day, John Laurinaitis came up to me and asked for my information, said he’d like to stay in touch. Probably about three months later, there was a show at Kemper Arena, and I was invited to come down and have a tryout match. Then I got another tryout match in St. Louis, and I got hired.
Do you remember who was wrestling in your tryout match? Yeah, it was Big Vito against Scotty Too Hotty. That was my very first match with WWE. The second one, I couldn’t tell you who it was.
Why refereeing? I wanted to be a ref ever since I saw the Hebner twins [Earl and Dave]. They don’t work for the company anymore, but the Hebner twins were involved in a storyline where Hulk Hogan lost the title to Andre the Giant. I saw how referees were such an important part of the match. They’re involved in every outcome of every match, so there was just something about seeing that that made me want to be a referee, and that’s all I’ve wanted to do.
What’s the most memorable match that you’ve officiated? It was just a couple of months ago at Extreme Rules, Daniel Bryan against CM Punk. I was honored to referee that match, and those guys tore the house down. It was just fantastic, probably one of the purest wrestling matches that I’ve ever refereed. It was great.
What was your favorite moment from the first 1,000 episodes of Monday Night Raw? For me, it was when Nexus broke out two years ago. I was just sitting backstage watching the monitors, and I had no idea what was going to happen in this main event. Here comes all of the guys from the NXT show with this new attitude. I remember [John] Cena was in the ring. He was ambushed, and they tore apart the entire ringside area. It was a shocking moment, even for guys involved in the show, because we had no idea what was happening.
Have you been injured on the job? Going on six years injury-free.
What’s the biggest ref bump you’ve taken? It was Extreme Rules again, just a couple of months ago. Brock Lesnar was wrestling John Cena, and the official for the match was Charles Robinson. He got knocked down, and I come running down the aisle. I think Brock had Cena in a pin attempt, and I slid into the ring, got a two count, and as I stood up, here comes Lesnar with a clothesline. I didn’t remember much afterward. And then he kicks me in the stomach as I try to get out of the ring.
How did you feel? When you’re out there, the adrenaline is pumping; you don’t feel anything. But even the next day, I was fine.
What’s a typical day like for you? If we’re on live events, I’ll go in at 9 a.m. and help to set up the show. We’ll set up the ring and the barricade around the ring. Then we’ll have some free time after that — usually three to four o’clock in the afternoon — so we’ll have some lunch, visit with friends, things like that. Then once we come back in the afternoon, it’s just preparing for the show. ... We really have no idea what matches we have until that lineup comes out, so there’s no preparation as far as anything I have to do in the match itself.
How is it determined who referees which match? That is something the talent-relations department does. They’ll just see who is available that day, which refs are booked for the show, and just go down and assign us usually at least two matches if we’re doing a TV taping. But it can be anywhere from two to four matches a night. When we’re doing five shows a week, you could do potentially up to 20 matches in a week.
What are you looking forward to doing once you’re back in Kansas City? My days off — I’ve got a 4-year-old son — we like to go to Oceans of Fun, Worlds of Fun.
How often do you get back home?
Is that a typical week? Yeah. Sometimes if we do long overseas tours, we might be in Europe for up to two weeks. Or a tour might run into another one. Say we got to Mexico for a week, and then right into TV, and then we have to go to Texas. Something like that, I may be gone for 10 to 14 days. My longest stretch, I think, has been 18 days away from home, and then I came home for about three days, and then back out on the road.
Does your son watch you on TV? He watches. I’ll talk to him in the afternoon, and he’ll ask if I have a match. We try to put him to bed by nine o’clock, so if it’s in the second hour [of Raw], he may not get to see it. But I’ll watch it with him when I get home. And he has his favorites.
Who does he like? Kofi Kingston is his favorite. He likes the high flyers.
So you scaled back your role at Donut King? Yeah, still involved with it, but my wife and sister-in-law have really taken over the day-to-day operations. If I get a stretch of time off, I’ll go in and I’ll experiment with some new flavors. That’s kind of my hobby, making doughnuts. It was my backup plan from the beginning, in case wrestling didn’t work out. Fortunately, it did. But I still have the backup plan in motion.
What’s your latest experiment? Right now we have the pink-lemonade doughnuts, which is a lemon cake doughnuts with pink cherry icing on top. It’s a good one. It’s a good summer flavor. | |
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According to WrestlingInc, they've actually gone up. I'm thinking it's ONLY because of the whole Punk/Bryan/AJ drama. Plus, this week's Raw was coming out of a PPV. Just know that the overall quality is STILL shitty.
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Hmm... so people are still willing to buy into some fucked up story line that will never fully come together? | |
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I bet they only watching because of Bryan.This one's for L4OA, who just called me CRYIN' like A BLUBBERIN' baby that he's so stoked that Cena's soon-to-be ex wife will leave him alone. Well, my brotha, you can finally breathe easy. He's ALL yours (again) now....
http://www.tmz.com/2012/0...esolution/
John Cena Makes Peace In Divorce War
John Cena's divorce nightmare has come to an end ... in fact, the two sides have agreed to bury the hatchet ... TMZ has learned. | |
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http://www.tmz.com/2012/0...ng-trunks/
Ultimate Warrior Accused of $28k Wrestling Panty Raid
The Ultimate Warrior has been named in a police report ... accused of bilking a collector out of $28k and a ton of wrestling merchandise, including ring-worn wrestling trunks ... TMZ has learned. | |
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^ LOL with his haircut, he looks like an older version of '80s/early '90s Sting. | |
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u know ur ass was jumping up and down when cena won u lying ass and ur just setting urself up 4 when cena does lose and u'll be posting another youtube vid of u crying that cena lost
as 4 AJ, she told me she's happy 2 be kissing another person cause u and listerine don't know how 2 co exist 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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Oh, that smell is just the combination of her's, Kaitlyn's, Velvet's, Torrie's, Mickie's, Eve's, Tara's, Tessmacher's, Cameron's, Naomi's, and Molly's pussies on my breath, since I ate (among other things) 'em all one after the other. *slurp*
You fuckin' Cena fanatics get on my damn nerves!! | |
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daydreaming is nice but it's time 2 come back 2 reality ..and u closet cena fans get on my nerves and makes my ass itch 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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Taking a shower or bath every once in a while will take care of that problem, my brotha. You should look into it. Besides, you told me you put up a Cena poster in your shower to help motivate you to take a bath every now and again, right? Oooops!!! I wasn't suppposed to tell anybody, was I? My bad, dude. Now, where's that damn backspace key...? | |
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no more than u taking the poster of prince in the shower from the controversy album that is hanging up in urs 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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Hey!! Don't you talk about my poster!! That shit is OFF limits!! | |
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Chavo Guerrero has signed with TNA, and will make his Impact debut on next week's episode. TNA released the following video hyping the signing of the third generation wrestler:
TNA issued the following statement regarding Guerrero's signing:
LEGENDARY GUERRERO WRESTLING FAMILY'S CHAVO GUERRERO, JR INKS DEAL WITH TNA IMPACT WRESTLING Third generation wrestling standout to debut in the ring Thursday, July 26, live on SPIKE TV! TNA IMPACT WRESTLING's President Dixie Carter announced the signing of Chavo Guerrero, Jr. via twitter. He will make his IMPACT WRESTLING debut on Thursday, July 26 on SPIKE TV. This signing means that two members of the legendary Guerrero family are part of the TNA family; as Chavo is the nephew of TNA commentator Hector Guerrero. Tune in Thursdays at 8:00pm ET to catch IMPACT WRESTLING live on Spike TV.
Hailing from one of the more storied and successful families in the pro wrestling arena, the Guerrero family has racked up more championship titles and accolades than anyone. He is the son of Chavo, Sr. and his grandfather and patriarch of the Guerrero family, the late Gory Guerrero, is still one of the most famous wrestlers in Mexico.
Having competed all over the world for various promotions, Chavo has won a number of championship gold, including a tag-team gold with his late uncle Eddie Guerrero. Prior to signing with TNA, he appeared on the highly successful ratings giant Ring Ka King in India.
source: TNA Wrestling
[Edited 7/21/12 0:29am] | |
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For those that missed it this week...
TNA Impact Wrestling
WWE Smackdown
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Thursday Blog..JR at RAW1000..NXT Announcing..Dan Gable Museum..William or is it Steve Regal..Cook w/ JR's Products from WWEShopThu, 07/19/2012 - 1:53pm — J.R.
It's going to be 106 degrees today here in Norman, Oklahoma home of the OU Sooners but it's not too hot to grill! Consider stocking up on JR's products at this link http://www.wweshop.com/Category/JimRoss. Time's a wasting...
I announced on Twitter @JRsBBQ earlier this week that I would be attending RAW100 this Monday in St. Louis when the iconic program begins airing for three hours starting an hour early at 8/7 central.
I never planned to not attend the celebration, as I prefer to look at it, as RAW1000 is a milestone that I'm proud to say that I was able to contribute to beginning in 1994 when I first appeared on the broadcast.
Even though I do not know my exact assignment at RAW1000, I assure one and all that it doesn't matter to me. Team players contribute where they are needed and determining where I'm needed isn't my call. All I know is that I will be 'at the game' and ready to help the team win in any way that I can. It's really a simple philosophy that I've believed in for many years.
One of the bigger issues that I occasionally had to address when managing the WWE talent roster back in the day was explaining the 'team concept' to certain performers. I'm not big on someone demanding that they HAVE to play 'quarterback' and score all the 'touchdowns.'
Not one star appearing on RAW1000 Monday night is bigger than the brand.
Here's some frequently asked Twitter questions that I've received over the past few days:
Who will be appearing at RAW1000? I know of the individuals who have been talked about on TV and that's it.
Will there be some surprise guests, etc? Obviously one would think.
Will JR beat up Michael Cole? Please, let's stop the pain. Why waste valuable TV time on announcer types when there are so many young, athletes that would covet the TV time?
Did I enjoy working with Jesse Ventura? Generally, yes. But we were never as good as we should have been to which I have shouldered the responsibility for that shortcoming. Super Brawl 1992 was one of our better team efforts. Some of our XFL work was o.k. too.
Do I hate Michael Cole? Hell, no. @MichaelCole is cast in a specific role on TV. His TV persona is an entertainment presentation and aside from that we have totally different styles and experiences. I got to experience and learn from the territory system and learned a ton from a variety of mentors, bosses, etc. I also worked along side Vince McMahon as a broadcast partner and got to understand his vision for the product in that time period.
Do I look at being on NXT as a disappointment? Obviously not. If I did not want to contribute to WWE's most important department, the development of new talent, then I would have passed. I BELIEVE in the Talent Development Department and honestly feel that there is no more important area within the entire WWE. Attractions sell PPV's, Merchandise, garner TV ratings, etc. Attractions are main event level superstars with staying power and they are not developed in a few months and sometimes not in a few years. Many of today's fans have short memories about that process or they simply have never experienced it. Bottom line, some fans have little patience and they feel as if they are 'owed' more than they are.
Most undervalued talent in WWE? I'm not sure, it's a subjective question, but if I had to make a list it would include William "Don't call me Steve, Dusty" Regal. An excellent broadcaster, skilled in ring talent and a fantastic teacher to the developmental kids.
Who's the next to be called up from NXT/developmental to the WWE main roster? I have no idea nor am I in that loop. It's largely based on how well the talents evolve both in the ring, which the fans see, and out of the ring which the fans don't see. If I were a NXT talent, I would not want to be called up until there were vignettes planned and I knew exactly my short term and long term direction as best that it could be explained to me. Fans who watch a handful of short, TV bouts in developmental and can then decree that a talent is ready for prime time are MUCH smarter than am I. I do know that how talents are introduced adn subsequently followed exposed is crucial as in life or professional death.
Do I follow MLB (Major League Baseball) some...mainly during the playoffs if they don't interfere with OU Football.
Thoughts on Penn State issues? Take JoePa's statue down but don't further punish the students, players and fans by not playing football this fall. Plus, the affiliated businesses would be dealt another devastating blow.
Thoughts on the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa? Honestly, a bucket list destination for all devout fans of wrestling. Best kept secret around. Follow them on Facebook or on Twitter @wrestlingmuseum.
Going to all the OU games this fall? Planning on it. Working on logistics now. Might even have some informal meet and greets on some of the road trips on Friday night in some towns. I'm turning down a good payday to attend @boomersooner vs. WVU in Morgantown on November 17.
One more time, why doesn't JR smile? Three bouts of facial paralysis called Bells palsy. Facial paralysis can curtail a man's TV career, just for the record.
Will Ultimate Warrior be on RAW1000? I have no idea. I've heard nothing. However, nothing would shock me about who might surprise us Monday night.
Would JR have liked to have been the radio voice of Oklahoma Football? Is @HeymanHustle a balding, gifted, talented, annoying man? Hell, yes.
Why is JR's Beef Jerky so good? It's truly custom made and not mass produced. We use eye of round which is a great cut of beef and it's slow smoked with hickory wood while being made fresh in Oklahoma.
Will JR's products be available in grocery stores soon nationwide? We are trying. We made a little traction this week but we're still likely a LONG ways off.
Does JR's products only work outside on grills? ABSOLUTELY NOT! My wife made a turkey meatloaf last night with our All Purpose Seasoning, JR's Original BBQ Sauce and JR's Chipotle Ketchup. There are endless ways to use JR's products in one's kitchen. If you have other recipes using our products in your kitchen tweet them or email them to Contact Us on the home page.
Thanks for stopping by and please let others know of our site. You're personally invited to follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ. Plus, my family sincerely appreciates everyone's support at http://www.wweshop.com/Category/JimRoss.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R. | |
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Dolph Ziggler Will Never Be Satisfied
IGN talks to the "Show Off" Dolph Ziggler about RAW's upcoming 1000th episode, winning Money in the Bank, hosting/writing WWE Download and more!
by Matt Fowler July 19, 2012
The most athletic in-ring performer in the WWE today, and almost a modern embodiment of Curt Hennig and Rick Rude, is Dolph Ziggler. But with only a short (one episode of Smackdown) reign as the World Heavyweight Champion under his belt, many fans are worried that Ziggler will, like Hennig and Rude, never get to win the "big one" due to the fact that, well...he just makes everyone else look so damn good in the ring!
But now Ziggler, after a hard fought ladder match at last Sunday's Pay-Per-View, has the Money in the Bank contract and can cash it in at any time on an unsuspecting wearer of the "Big Gold Belt." John Cena, the other Money in the Bank winner, has already figured out a way to use his contract; challenging CM Punk to a WWE Championship match this Monday at RAW's mega-hyped 1000th episode. I talked to Ziggler about RAW 1000, winning the MITB contract, hosting and writing WWE Download on WWE.com and more!
IGN: Last time I spoke to you, it was before your Royal Rumble WWE Championship match against CM Punk. You lost that match, but this time around you've got something big to brag about as a Money in the Bank match winner from last Sunday's Pay Per View. How does it feel? Dolph Ziggler: To be honest, it's hard to explain. Everyone in that match, and in every Money in the Bank Ladder Match I've ever been in, has sacrificed their body purely to entertain the fans. And to get a shot at the World Heavyweight Title or the WWE Championship. I'm a little banged up for it and I'm happy with my performance. But I'm never satisfied. Having that contract now only drives me to come up with an awesome, show-stealing way to cash it in. And now I'm thinking ahead to being one of the greatest champions of all time. But I'm never satisfied and I'm lucky enough to have come out of that match with that contract.
IGN: How do you feel about the "Let's Go Dolph" chants that have cropped up over the past few months? Does it feel good? Ziggler: I'm a little torn about it because on one hand that means I'm not doing my job and selling myself as a bad guy. But for some reason, the people at our arena shows and our live events and Pay-Per-Views are rooting for me, I would have to say, because I'm just really good at what I do. Whether I win or lose or whether I'm a good guy or a bad guy.
 The only occasion where it's okay to scream while sitting on top of a ladder, holding a briefcase and wearing a speedo.
IGN: Is it the older male fans who are doing the chanting? They tend to look past that stuff and just appreciate in-ring talent.
Ziggler: I'm not really sure. I've never really thought about it that in-depth, but I just know it's there. I can hear it. And I while I've worked really hard to get myself over as a bad guy and get booed, I'm getting recognized for how hard I'm working during these matches. Just like all the Superstars do every night. I just pride myself on putting my body on the line.
IGN: Well, that perfectly blends into my next question, which actually comes from Twitter, but I think sums up a lot of people's feelings about your work. How are you still alive?
Ziggler: [laughs] You know, all I can say is that I've always seen myself as an entertainer. I've always wanted to be a Superstar and Sports Entertainer. And a lot of people ask me when I'm going to take it easy in the ring, now that I've been around for a while and gotten some fans behind me. Or now that I've won Money in the Bank and won the contract. The answer is never. I'm never satisfied. I'm never going to tone it down a notch or just "go through the motions." That would keep me up at night. And I already can't sleep at night. I go out there to do everything 100% every time. And when I put my body on the line, it's to entertain the fans. Because I have to. I have to be the best.
IGN: Are you someone who watches tapes of old matches? Ziggler: Honestly, maybe for the first five or six years, I watched tapes. But now, that we're around wrestling and matches and RAWs and Smackdowns so much, when I get 24 or 32 hours at home, I just relax. But I'll also go back and watch me performance from last week's shows and see what I can tweak and what I can do better. And every once in a while, on a long plane ride, I'll pop in a DVD of some old matches from the '70s and '80s. Because you can always learn from all the past great Superstars. And I'll always do that because I'm also a long time fan of wrestling in general. But in this day of Sports Entertainment, I don't just watch wrestling for ideas. I can watch a movie and get ideas that I can apply to Sports Entertainment too. I'll watch and movie and go "I can totally use that and apply that in a match."
IGN: Speaking of being a long time fan of wrestling, it looks like you're about to enter a program with Chris Jericho. Are you excited? Ziggler: I don't know where we're going to go with it right now. He came out on Monday and interrupted me and...you know, believe it or not, whenever I get to talk, I also just get to tell the truth. Mick Foley came out a few months ago and all I did was tell the truth about him. Jericho came out and interrupted me, which was a very Jericho thing to do, and it was supposed to be my big moment. I was just finally grabbing the mic for the third time in years. And I was a huge fan of his when I was growing up, but all I did was tell the truth and ask him "When's the last time you won something? Or did something important?" And now I would love to see what he has to say back to me on Monday. Because I left him speechless. I'm the first guy in forever to do that.
IGN: You brought up Monday, so let's talk about RAW 1000. What are you looking forward to on the show?
Ziggler: Oh, man. DX is reuniting, so Shawn Michaels will be there. The Rock will be there. Brock Lesnar will be back again. Mick Foley. And who knows how many other legends will be there as well? It all starts at eight o'clock. It's three-hours. And RAW will now be three-hours from here on out. And I'm really looking forward to watching Cena vs. Punk. Cena says he's cashing in the briefcase so I want to see what happens with him and his Money in the Bank case. And I would love to get in the ring with Cena or CM Punk. And of course, there's the AJ/Daniel Bryan wedding. And as we all know, weddings work out so well on Monday Night RAW. So I want to see how horribly wrong that can all go.
 Again. How? Still? Alive?
IGN: You said you like to relax during your down time and watch TV and movies for ideas. What do you watch?
Ziggler: My favorite TV show is Archer. Hands down. We have similar personalities. Most of the time when I watch TV, I relax and watch some Adult Swim. Or cartoons on Cartoon Network. I'm a big fan of stand-up comedy. I just like finding all kinds of entertainment, from comedy to cartoons to movies. And I always try to figure out who I relate to the most and see where they've gone with that character.
IGN: You also host an internet clip show over at WWE.com - WWE Download. Has that been a gratifying experience for you since, like you said, you don't get handed the mic that often?
Ziggler: That show's been like a dream come true for me. I love this business and I've wanted to be in it since I was five years old because I love entertaining. And I give everything I can in the ring, but, like you said, I've only been on the mic three times in several years. And so I started writing down everything I can think of when I watched these garbage internet clips of people doing the stupidest things. And I would just write the first things that came to mind. And so I would write the show and then when we tape the show, I get to do a little bit of improv with the stuff too. So it's been a blast. I think it's a great show. And like Twitter, it's great for a guy like me who doesn't get to talk on the microphone all that much on RAW and Smackdown. I think it shows that I can talk, that I can host a show, that I can be in a movie or a TV show. Whatever it takes, I think it shows I can deliver.
IGN: So you actually write WWE Download?
Ziggler: They usually send me clips and they give me one or two points that they want me to hit on, and then I just started writing jokes for it. The way you'd write jokes for the Tonight Show or a Tosh.0 or something like that. And a couple times, when I've had a bad week at work, I just go and write a monologue where I pick on Alberto Del Rio and wonder why I'm not in his place and stuff like that. And I always try to find a way to make it entertaining.
IGN: Who in the locker room, or backstage, has been the most influential on your career? Has anyone been your mentor? Ziggler: I wish he was around more, but now he's retired - Shawn Michaels. Because he went out there to steal the show every night too. He'll be there at RAW 1000, and the DX reunion is kicking off the show at 8 o'clock. And I'm really looking forward to getting a few minutes with him to thank him for everything he's done. But in the last couple years I was fortunate enough to travel with Tommy Dreamer, Kane, Christian and Edge. And those guys have been around for years.
And they kind of took my under their wing because I respected the business and was a big fan. And they appreciated my work too. I got to travel with those guys for years and pick their brains and listen to their stories. And that's really something that I feel the WWE is missing sometimes. We don't have too many legends around on a regular basis so we don't get to pick their brain. And there are a lot of us who are really looking forward to the 1000th RAW on Monday just because more of them being around means there are more stories to listen to. | |
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Dolph Ziggler Says He's Not Afraid To Speak Out Backstage; Whether He's Impatient, More
Dolph Ziggler appeared on Between The Ropes with Brian Fritz (interview available at BetweenTheRopes.com) to discuss this coming Monday's 1000th episode Raw, his favorite moments on the show, his strive for perfection, whether he is impatient when it comes to being a world champion and more. Highlights from the interview are as follows:
Whether or not he has been satisfied with a match: "(laughs) Honestly, nothing off the top of my head has me satisfied. I've come backstage a couple of times and said 'OK, that was pretty good' but I've never been fully, 100% satisfied with anything. That's just something that always drives me to want to be better than everyone else. I don't want to be a 20-time WWE Champion. I want to be the best ever and that drives me every single day."
What stands out as his favorite Raw memory involving himself: "I've had several … my first match as Dolph Ziggler on Raw I had against Batista and I didn't know if I was going to get chewed up and spit out or be one of the mainstay guys. We ended up having a hell of a match and we went back and forth and I said 'OK, I can hang with these guys, back to square one and start working on everything I can'. That was a huge thing for me, to come back to the roster after being gone for a while and be able to hang with the top guys in the business and say 'OK, I'm going to learn from these guys and make myself better'."
What Raw era he would have liked to be a part of not counting the current one: "I know a lot of fans say the Attitude Era. I enjoyed watching that but I'm more of an old-school, classic guy. I try and live my life like a throwback to some of the legends like early Curt Hennig, Mr. Perfect. I like the '80s. Not just because it was such a huge influence on my childhood -- and that's when I started watching when I was five years old -- but those guys were larger than life stars and they were always doing something cool."
Whether or not he is impatient when it comes to being his time and becoming a world champion: "Of course I do. I'm never satisfied. I'm never happy. I could be the World Champion, I could beat everyone on this roster and steal the show every single night and I would never be satisfied with the position that I'm in. It's frustrating. They are so many superstars and there are only so many minutes of time each week on WWE programming whether it's Monday night on Raw or Friday night on Smackdown.
"Either way, I've always found that I've kept at it. I've made myself vocal backstage. I stood up for what I believe in and if I thought something didn't make sense, I said something about it. It's not something you can just walk in and start doing. But if you've earned some respect from your peers, if you've earned it from a legend, you're able to speak your mind if you see something that's wrong. And I thought I need to be in a better position to help the WWE. I need to be in a higher spot on the card. I'm that good at my job and slowly but surely, one way or another, it's a little slower that I would have liked but everything I've done is paying off right now."
source: WI/Between The Ropes | |
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http://www.businessweek.c...oductivity
Photograph by Ethan Miller/Getty Images World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. Chairman Vince McMahon is introduced during the WWE Monday Night Raw show at the Thomas and Mack Center The Vince McMahon School of Productivity
By Keenan Mayo on July 20, 2012
As the chairman and chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Vince McMahon, 66, oversees a global professional wrestling empire with programming in 145 countries. After almost singlehandedly redefining both “wrestling” and “entertainment” in the 1980s, McMahon has successfully steered the company—which has launched the careers of every buff, bold-faced wrestler from Hulk Hogan to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson—through steroid scandals and even severe miscalculations such as the XFL. Around the ring, though, business continues to boom. In 2011, the company brought in $483.9 million in revenue. As WWE prepares to celebrate the 1,000th episode of its flagship program, Monday Night Raw, Bloomberg Businessweek asked McMahon for his managerial secrets to success.
Listen to Your Employees—and Yourself
“You can’t say, ‘Go do so-and-so,’ unless you’re willing to do it. You can’t ask someone to put in a zillion hours unless you’re willing to go do it. You can’t ask anyone to have a passion for a product unless you have it. Listening is a lost art. I have a unique ability to listen to myself as I’m talking. That’s somewhat unique, but I think that to listen is to learn. I think some of things begin from a natural standpoint, and you’ve got to work at them. You’ve got to let it evolve.”
Treat Every Day Like Day One
“Once you make a decision, you go with it, and everyone gets behind it. There’s no second-guessing. One of my expressions is, ‘First day on the job.’ That’s the way I like our executives to look at our business every day and what they do. When you do that, then it either confirms that what you did yesterday is the right way—or it’s, like, ‘Ooh, now that I have this new information. … There’s this new form of media, there’s a new way of thinking of things, you know, or I read a book last night, I read something in the newspaper ….’ Bringing that degree of intelligence and flexibility into the organization is very, very important.”
Don’t Cultivate Fear
“Certainly the best way to fail in management [is to be distant and imperious]. You shut people down. If you have all the answers, why is anyone around you? If your ego is so big, then there’s no room for anyone else’s. The fear stuff—that is so rotten. You have to earn everyone’s respect. I have to do it every day. Sometimes I leave the office and I feel great. In military terms, I’ve got ‘scrambled eggs on my cap.’ I’ve got medals dripping off my chest. When I wake up in the morning, they’re all gone. You have to earn everyone’s respect in business every day.”
Clear Your Head and Find Your Zone
“I average about four hours of sleep. I don’t like to sleep. I’m missing something when I’m sleeping. From a personal standpoint, I’m aggressive by nature and I’m truculent by nature. So I need to have a socially acceptable outlet for that. That would be bodybuilding. I enjoy that. It’s a challenge to be stronger. I get a lot of enjoyment by training. Nutrition goes with it. I train for my head—not my body. The ancillary benefits are that I’m healthy as a horse. It really does clear my head. It’s an opportunity to wash anything from my head, business-wise or personal. That’s my moment when I can get into a zone.”
Don’t Settle for BS Answers When Interviewing Job Candidates
“My first question is: Why do you want to work with WWE? They don’t have to know WWE, by the way. They don’t have to be fans. Sometimes that gets in the way. If they give me a boilerplate answer, I look at them and I say, ‘That’s a boilerplate answer. It’s not what I’m looking for.’ I’m very straightforward and very honest with people. That’s what I want back. Don’t tell how to make the watch—tell me what time it is. Be honest. It cuts through a lot of crap. People know where they stand. They know where you stand. Life becomes a lot easier.”
Complacency Is Your Worst Enemy
“Indecision ticks me off, but complacency would be the biggest thing. I don’t take anything for granted. There’s no entitlement. I’m not entitled to take my next breath. I will never be complacent. If I climb a mountain, I want to see the next highest peak. Encourage employees by giving them other opportunities. I think if you see complacency, you say from an HR standpoint, ‘We find that you’re becoming complacent.’ So as a quality I don’t like, that’s strike one. Strike two is if they can’t change—if they can’t look at it as the first day on the job. Sometimes people need a kick in the butt for themselves—personally or professionally. Strike three is when it doesn’t work.” | |
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Kurt Angle Gets Married & Announces Big News
Twelve-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, 43, wed his girlfriend of two years, actress Giovanna Yannotti, 25, Friday. It is his second marriage after divorcing Karen Smedley, now known as Karen Jarrett, in 2008. He also announced big news.
"I'm Married! Kyra Kody Giuliana @ Guess What? We're Due to Have Another Baby. Life is Awesome!" Angle tweeted.
The couple already have one child together; on January 22, 2011, Yannotti gave birth to a daughter named Giuliana Marie Angle.
source: WI/Various sources (pictures)
Not bad, Kurt...not quite up to my usual A-list stellas, but still not bad. She's at least 20 times better than anything L4OA's ever had! | |
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Go on, Angle...ya big ol' PIMP!   She has robes and she has monkeys, lazy diamond studded flunkies.... | |
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Wow... she's gorgeous! Good one Kurt! | |
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WWE Hall Of Famer Says Cena Is Nothing Special, Raven Talks WWE Experience, More
The Inside The Ropes podcast recently spoke with George Steele, Chris Masters, Tully Blanchard, Michael Tarver, JJ Dillon, Lex Luger, Pete Gas, Sean Oliver, Raven and Stevie Richards to celebrate 1,000 episodes of WWE RAW. Here are a few highlights:
George Steele on watching RAW:
Steele on John Cena:
Michael Tarver on Ryback:
Raven on his RAW experiences:
Raven on the "Wind Beneath My Wings" segment with Steve Austin:
source: WI/ITR | |
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@Timmy, @Stoned - I know, right!! He da man! Did y'all notice, too, the "Kurt" tattoo just above her bikini line on her left side (our right)? Made her throw his name on that shit!!
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