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Reply #210 posted 07/22/12 12:01pm

Timmy84

alexnvrmnd777 said:

Timmy84 said:

Wow... she's gorgeous! Good one Kurt!

@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!! lol

I noticed. lol

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Reply #211 posted 07/22/12 1:03pm

StonedImmacula
te

avatar

Congratulations to Samoa Joe and Magnus, for pulling a STUNNING upset, defeating the All Japn Triple Crown Champion Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito for the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Titles earlier today in Tokyo. STUNNER!

TNA had better do something with this. Ohh...the potential of NOAH stars comeing to America...PLEASE!

blunt music She has robes and she has monkeys, lazy diamond studded flunkies.... music blunt
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Reply #212 posted 07/22/12 1:12pm

StonedImmacula
te

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And no...I did not notice the "Kurt" tattoo on Angle's new bride...thanks for pointing it out. I was too busy drooling over this pic...

shocked shocked shocked I swear...in this photo, she looks exactly like this chick I dated in my sophomore year of high school. love love love

blunt music She has robes and she has monkeys, lazy diamond studded flunkies.... music blunt
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Reply #213 posted 07/22/12 2:47pm

alexnvrmnd777

WWE Hall Of Famer Possibly Spoils Heath Slater Legends Angle For Monday's 1000th Raw

After competing at Tuesday's SmackDown taping in San Diego, California, Road Warrior Animal stopped by the 100.3 KFAN-FM studios for Extreme Pro Wrestling Radio to discuss this coming Monday's historic 1000th episode of Raw SuperShow and confirmed his and other former WWE Superstars' involvement on the program.

The WWE Hall of Famer may have spoiled the payoff of Heath Slater's returning Raw legend angle while addressing rumors of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's involvement with the program—who has not been announced to appear by WWE.

When asked whether The Rattlesnake will encounter Slater on the show, Animal responded, "Austin will definitely give him the stunner, ya know thats coming! Fans get ready, you're gonna see a stunner!"

Animal, who appeared on Raw in 1997 and 1998, also confirmed that he will be on hand for the festivities: "I will be making an appearance...people will see that my spikes from SmackDown were excellently repainted! Yeah, I'll be there all painted up, with bells on boys! If it happens it happens, I'm ready!"

On what else to expect for the unprecedented show, he said, "It's gonna be star studded, on my flight alone is me, DDP and Bret "Hitman" Hart!"

source: WrestlingInc

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Reply #214 posted 07/22/12 2:56pm

alexnvrmnd777

StonedImmaculate said:

And no...I did not notice the "Kurt" tattoo on Angle's new bride...thanks for pointing it out. I was too busy drooling over this pic...

shocked shocked shocked I swear...in this photo, she looks exactly like this chick I dated in my sophomore year of high school. love love love

Shit, she looks like someone I WISH I dated back in high school. lol She's a slight upgrade from Kurt's last girlfriend, Rhaka Khan (just more proof, though, that Kurt's a pimp cuz Rhaka wasn't bad herself) lol -

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Reply #215 posted 07/22/12 3:06pm

alexnvrmnd777

http://www.stltoday.com/e...0f31a.html

WWE's 'Raw' celebrates episode 1,000 in St. Louis

Is the WWE fake?

Of course. Aren't all of your favorite shows?

Before Richard Hatch, the Situation and the Kardashians, Triple H, the Rock and Stone Cold created on-screen personas fans loved, hated or loved to hate. They were, in effect, the first stars of reality television.

“Every guy we have, whether it’s me, whether it’s the Undertaker, whether it’s John Cena playing the character John Cena, is a performer,” said Paul Levesque, aka Triple H, one of the industry’s most storied wrestlers. “What we did is very much the beginning of reality television. ‘Jersey Shore,’ whether people want to believe it or not, is a scripted kind-of show. They don’t give them every single word, but they give them premises and they set things up. It’s not a documentary where you follow them around brushing their teeth. And that’s what we are — we blur that line and that’s what people find intriguing.”

On Monday, the WWE makes television history when airs its 1,000th episode of “Monday Night Raw” from Scottrade Center. That’s more episodes than “Gunsmoke,” “Law & Order,” “The Simpsons” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Must-see TV for legions of fans since 1993, the franchise draws about 4.5 million viewers to the USA Network. And starting this Monday, the show moves from a two-hour to a three-hour format.

WWE, already social media pioneers, also adds real-time interaction between “Raw” and its viewers at home. For instance, fans can vote for a certain match and, voila, those two wrestlers will get in the ring that night. Or fans can send a video "dis" of a despised wrestler and watch it be broadcast within minutes.

“It started with the signs that people brought to ‘Monday Night Raw,’” said Levesque. “Our fans want to be seen and heard.”

Monday’s show will boast the biggest names in wrestling including the Rock, who will make his first appearance in St. Louis in nine years. Known better these days as Dwayne Johnson, the Rock parlayed his success as a wrestler into a movie career and has starred in family-friendly flicks such as “Tooth Fairy” and “Race to Witch Mountain.” Other big-name stars on the bill are John Cena, Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, Kane, Sheamus and Chris Jericho. Levesque, now executive vice president of talent, also returns to the ring for a reunion with D-X stable mate Shawn Michaels.

Not on the bill? St. Louis wrestling superstar Randy Orton. WWE scratched Orton after he committed his second violation of the WWE’s wellness policy. Levesque won’t say what Orton did wrong, only that the man they call “the legend killer” will be back after completing his 60-day suspension.

“It is important to remember that all of our wrestlers are human but they also have to be accountable,” Levesque said.

These days, Levesque spends more time in gray suits than spandex briefs. His job is to find the next generation of big names. He admits it’s a struggle.

“We’re trying to teach them to be the Stone Colds and the Undertakers of tomorrow, but the one thing we can’t teach is charisma,” said Levesque. “You can teach people to do moves and create story lines and the psychology of what we do, but you can’t teach someone to be the Rock. It’s an innate ability to walk into a room and have everyone pay attention. Put aside the athleticism and what happens in the ring, what our business is really about is connecting with people emotionally. If you are emotionally connected to your character, then people will want to see you. It’s true in Hollywood and movies. You don’t have to be the best actor, just be a presence.”

Take, for instance, current WWE world heavyweight champion Sheamus. Bullied as a kid, Sheamus learned to be tough to survive. But fans are as charmed by his spiky red hair, Irish accent and trademark pasty white skin as they are wowed by his finishing moves.

“When I first tried to get noticed by the WWE, I shaved my red hair and sprayed on fake tanner,” said Sheamus, who is from Dublin. “But when I got here I realized I have something different in the pale pasty skin and under the lights, I look even whiter. Mattel had to come up with a special shade of white for the action figure. Being in the ring, I’m not afraid to be who I really am.”

Other wrestlers, however, are nothing like their on-stage characters, said Levesque.

“The Rock is the Rock. I’ve known Dwayne since he got into the business and that same charisma that you see in the ring is the same guy you see in movies is the same guy he really is,” said Levesque. “And we’ve got some characters that if you put their personality on air, people would go to sleep. They are the most plain, ho-hum guys you would ever meet. You have to give them something.”

For instance?

“Believe it or not, Kane,” said Levesque. “He’s this Freddy Krueger, psychotic character but if you met the guy who plays Kane, he’s a very nice dude. He’s very politically savvy and he’s a speed reader. He is so the opposite of what he appears in the ring.”

Levesque and WWE’s team of writers insert these characters into heated feuds and scorching romances. In fact, Levesque married his on-stage sweetheart Stephanie McMahon, daughter of WWE chairman Vince McMahon. The couple now have three daughters.

“We control the story lines but we follow the fans. The guy is whoever the fans get behind,” said Levesque. “The beauty of what we do is every night somewhere in the world we have a group touring and those fans in the crowd are our focus group. They tell us what they like and what they don’t like.”

If Levesque sounds more like a TV showrunner than a sports executive, that’s because he is one. He stands behind the WWE’s 2008 decision to make “Raw” PG television. That meant no more chair shots to the head or profane trash talking. Hard-core fans still grouse, but the show’s growing base of family viewers applauds change.

Fan Kerry Wandro watches “Raw” with his teenage son and young nephews and appreciates the family-friendly approach.

“I don’t want the kids to have to ask, ‘Why did he grab his crotch’ or ‘Why did he make him bleed,’” said Wandro of Red Bud, Ill. “It’s still a lot of fun. It’s the soap opera aspect that makes it great.”

The move also has improved WWE’s public image. Critics have always derided wrestling as barbaric, but the steroid scandals of the 1990s and the murder-suicide of WWE wrestler Chris Benoit threatened the future of the publicly traded business. Levesque says he compares a PG “Raw” to a clean stand-up routine.

“There are comics who can be great and never use a bad word,” said Levesque. “I never have had a fan come up and say to me, ‘Ah man, my all-time favorite moment in “Raw” was when this guy used this dirty word.’ What they remember are the story lines. The movies that do the biggest box office aren’t the ones with the most blood and swearing.”

But do not be confused. The pain is real.

“A word we hear a lot and that we dislike is ‘fake.’ ‘Oh, the WWE is fake.’ But let me tell you, it’s physical and it’s hard,” said Levesque. “If a 300-pound guy jumps on you from five feet up, does it hurt any less if you know it’s coming?"

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Reply #216 posted 07/22/12 3:19pm

alexnvrmnd777

http://www.hollywoodrepor...raw-351254

Vince McMahon on Why WWE Mints So Many Stars: 'Our Talent Is Taught Not to Be Prima Donnas' (Q&A)

As the 1,000th episode of "Raw" approaches, the mogul chats about the gritty "show business" of professional wrestling.

Vince McMahon is not your typical entertainment mogul. The chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, whose wife, Linda, is running for the U.S. Senate from Connecticut, has been laid out by his son-in-law on TV, and his larger-than-life persona Mr. McMahon dispatches rivals with steel chairs. Now McMahon, 66, is preparing for the 1,000th episode of USA flagship live show Raw, the longest-running episodic primetime program in the U.S. Raw, which reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide and contributed mightily to the network's $340 million in revenue from live and televised entertainment in 2011, is adding a third hour and becoming the most interactive show in the business. (Charlie Sheen is scheduled to serve as the "social media ambassador" for the July 23 episode, but his recent Twitter exodus may leave his 7.5 million followers missing out.)

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: You started on USA, moved to another network and then returned to USA …


Vince McMahon: We became the No. 1 show on USA. And they wouldn't be No. 1 right now in primetime if not for Raw. We switched one time to what became the Spike network and became the No. 1 show there. We have proved that we can pretty much make TV networks.

THR: WWE and your performers have started using Twitter more.


McMahon: Back in the early days, our performers elicited a response -- a boo or a cheer. Today, we use all this social media. We are going to do Tout, in which the WWE just invested. With that, you get a 15-second video shout-out that goes straight to our TV programs. Beginning with the 1,000th show, people can participate in terms of the types of matches and what actually happens on air. It will be the most interactive TV programming in the world.

THR: Over the years, you had ups and downs. You had the Monday night ratings wars with WCW, for example.


McMahon: Ted Turner was a bit of a battle [when he bought the World Championship Wrestling circuit]. Ted was part of Time Warner; that was difficult to compete with. But perseverance is extremely important in life and in business. The other guys got tired of traveling each and every week to do TV. They just didn't have the same passion we do. They were working for a paycheck. It was only a matter of time until they burned out.

THR: Why has so much of your talent, like The Rock, gone on to film careers?


McMahon: Our talent is taught not to be prima donnas, to be on time and know their lines. And quite frankly, people in Hollywood, once they see what we do, they are amazed. Our talent doesn't demand the biggest trailer or a certain amount of grape juice or whatever the hell it is. Our talent is extremely flexible and knows how to act, so it's a logical extension for them.

THR: UFC gets big pay-per-view numbers.How do you stack up against them?


McMahon: We're in show business, they are a sport. Their ratings are abysmal. They are in the pay-per-view business, and they do reasonably well there. We just set a record for WrestleMania. We had 1.3 million buys for this year's WrestleMania, and our pay-per-view numbers for our shows have been up 30 percent since then. So, we are looking pretty good.

THR: Are you going to watch the Olympics?


McMahon: I consider our business the Olympics, and it doesn't just happen every few years, but every night. My favorite part will be the closing ceremonies. That means the Olympics are over, and everyone will settle down and Raw, Smackdown! [on Syfy] and WWE will have more prominence.

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Reply #217 posted 07/22/12 11:18pm

JabarR74

WWE: Why AJ vs. Eve Needs to Happen



Feed Source: Bleacher Report

Let's face it: WWE's Divas Division is in a dreadful state. The recently returned Layla El is Divas Champion—and no one cares. Beth Phoenix, the division's supposed top heel is also greeted with silence and indifference wherever she goes. Former Divas Champion Kelly Kelly has reportedly taken a leave of absence to pursue acting and modeling, with the jury still out on whether she's coming back or not.

Talented Divas like Natalya, Kaitlyn and Tamina are not used to anything close to their potential, often finding themselves stuck on Internet-only shows like NXT and Superstars.

Things have gotten so bad, we've seen a mass exodus of women in recent times, with Gail Kim, Maryse, The Bella Twins and more recently, Maxine all leaving to pursue outside options.

It's not really a shock. Sure, WWE is a steady paycheck, but lack of ability to secure meaningful TV time—coupled with the grueling travel schedule—serve to make the entire WWE gig simply more trouble than it's worth for many of the girls.

However, as dire as things seem now for the women's division, there is some hope for the beleaguered women's roster. As crazy as it sounds, all it would really take is one great feud to turn things around.

Hey, we've seen it before: In the early '00s, the long-running and highly entertaining grudge feud between Trish Stratus and Lita managed to revive women's wrestling in the company.


Prior to those two joining the company in 2000, WWE's Divas Division was a transparent joke. Filled with lame matches, cringe-worthy angles; the entire thing looked to exist solely to give women like Debra and Sable airtime and allow them to get over as sex symbols.


After Trish and Lita's battles, though, women's wrestling in the company became something worth watching. These women were so talented they made the promotion—as well as the fans—stand up and take notice. The feud also made it easier for respectable wrestlers like Molly Holly, Gail Kim and Victoria to be taken seriously and pushed.

Fast forward to 2012, and it is an AJ vs. Eve battle that can serve to reignite the stagnant division.

Similar to Stratus and Lita, the two have vastly contrasting personalities (AJ is presented as a slightly crazy, romance obsessed girl who wears her heart on her sleeve in juxtaposition to the icy, power-mad Eve). At a time when most of the Divas are interchangeable, these two stand out and are capable of stirring up interest from the fans.

There is also hope that any program between the two could churn out decent matches. Granted, Eve is a lot further along than the inexperienced AJ, but given enough time to develop AJ could surely blossom into a great wrestler.

Interestingly, a program between the two girls was strongly hinted at on last week's Raw, as the pair exchanged harsh words in a short backstage segment.

A returning Eve taunted AJ for her complex and disordered love life, with AJ shooting back some insults of her own, noting that with John Laurinaitis gone, Eve had no power left and was now reduced to trying to be a reality TV star (Eve was off WWE TV for a while to appear on the upcoming NBC reality show Stars and Stripes).

Eve was not pleased with that, obviously, and issues between these two look to be far from over.

To conclude, AJ vs. Eve could truly be the program that turns WWE's Divas Division around. The two women are talented enough—and are over enough with the fans—to make any feud work. Of course, for this to happen, they would need the steady backing of the booking team. And whether any women's program can get this in WWE at present is a huge unanswered question.

But let's hope the company throw their full support between such a program. After all, it's not like the Divas Division has much else going on right now.

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Reply #218 posted 07/23/12 8:08am

alexnvrmnd777

http://www.usatoday.com/l...56423082/1

WWE's 'Monday Night Raw' packs 1,000 episodes under its belt

By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY

LAS VEGAS – It sounds like an episode of Glee: An on-again, off-again couple finally decide to get engaged, and two separate dance numbers — one involving a disco ball — break out amid a heap of betrayal, wars of words and a few sneak attacks.

But the only thing this program's stars do with glee is hit each other with flying elbow drops off the top rope.

This is Monday Night Raw, World Wrestling Entertainment's wild and woolly live weekly show on the USA Network. Tonight in St. Louis (8 ET/PT), it celebrates its 1,000th episode, a major milestone in the streak of the longest-running weekly episodic program in TV history with no reruns.

In addition to Raw, the WWE has its Friday night Smackdown show on Syfy, and WWE Main Event will air on Ion on Wednesdays starting Oct. 3. That's in addition to 12 pay-per-view events a year and a huge presence on social media.

"It's like an athletic soap opera in some respects, and that's what grabs people," says Glenn Jacobs, a 6-foot-7 mountain of a man who plays the masked monster Kane.

The program has been a cable ratings giant itself over the years, pulling in a consistent and fanatical 5 million people each Monday. "They get acclaim for their original series, but Raw is one of the core reasons USA has been the most-watched cable network for the last six years," says Brad Adgate, senior vice president for research at Horizon Media.

Part of the show's success has been that its target viewers — teens and young men — tend to be hard for shows and advertisers to reach, Adgate says. "These are the ones who are playing video games or going online to watch YouTube."

Raw is more than just a TV show, though. Since its first airing on Jan. 11, 1993, it has been a traveling circus of good-guy/bad-guy drama (or, in wrestling parlance, babyfaces vs. heels), airborne physicality, standup comedy, Broadway showmanship, vaudevillian shenanigans and colorful characters, in a new arena and city every week.

The show moves to three hours starting tonight when it originates from the Scottrade Center and popular stars of WWE past, including Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Bret Hart and Mick Foley, share the wrestling ring with today's talent. The tattooed WWE champion CM Punk will defend his title against John Cena, the square-jawed face of the organization, in a battle of fan favorites, and there will be a "wedding" of that engaged couple, Daniel Bryan and his eccentric tomboy girlfriend AJ Lee.

Historically, wrestling weddings don't go all that smoothly, and Raw production designer Jason Robinson would know. His team will do everything from picking out the rings to designing the setup for the vows, and he has done several weddings in his nearly 17 years with WWE.

He has also blown up a limo and a bus on live TV, driven everything from a Zamboni to a milk truck to the ring, and split the stage so someone could drive a tank through it.

"I guess whatever happens next Monday will be the next craziest thing," Robinson says backstage at last week's broadcast from Mandalay Bay Resort and Hotel.

No ceilings


Wrestling has been a fixture on television since its earliest days in the 1950s. But its popularity really soared into pop culture in the 1980s with outsized personalities (and physical specimens) such as Hulk Hogan and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.

Vince McMahon, the WWE CEO who has run the company since 1980, never dreamed of having 1,000 episodes as a goal, "but I have some pretty wild dreams, and have all my life," he says. "I don't know limitations until they really slap me in the face."

His business philosophy is to never have a ceiling, which is why he has expanded his media empire to include a WWE Films brand and an upcoming WWE Network.

"Many years ago, I had a chief financial officer say, 'Vince, you make your money on pay-per-view, so why do all this other crap?' Without all the other stuff we do, pay-per-view doesn't work," says the CEO, whose PPV revenues are up 30% after setting a record with 1.2 million buys for Wrestlemania 28 in April.

McMahon has involved himself in the on-screen action as well, playing an evil version of himself. When Raw debuted in 1993, though, he was just an announcer.

That first episode kept the old-school style of fans' favorite heroes and villains squashing hapless weaker opponents (known in the parlance as "jobbers"). But when rival World Championship Wrestling, owned at the time by media mogul Ted Turner, began airing its Nitro program opposite Raw, "having value in the matches became the most important thing," says David Shoemaker, who writes about wrestling for the websites Grantland and Deadspin.

"We had to build a better mousetrap," says McMahon, whose current competition "across the board is all forms of entertainment."

Back in the day, a Cena/Punk contest would have been held for a WrestleMania or other pay-per-view event. Now, headliner matches are a staple of every Raw.

Fans watching the show at the arena or on their couches see only the spectacle of such a match. But the actual live broadcast is the end to a long and hectic day for wrestlers as well as crew members.

On the morning of the 999th Raw at Mandalay Bay, 14 semis of equipment roll in to put up the ring, a huge HD panel, assorted lights and pyrotechnics in around four hours. Then the creative types show up, including McMahon, for the daily production meeting to go over what will happen on Raw, from wrestlers' story-building "promos" to what tweaks are needed for the script.

Sans mask and in athletic wear, Jacobs is the first in-ring talent in the building and attends the meeting. He's a 17-year mainstay on Raw, but he has been toying with the idea of moving to that less-bruising side of the industry when he hangs up his size-15 boots. "Now that I have seen a little more about the production side of it," he says, "you realize how impressive doing a live television show every week is, and everything that goes into it and the changes that have to be made as you're going along."

Many of those alterations are made in rehearsals before the arena is open for the live audience. Producers go over matches and segments with the wrestlers in a TV writers' room of sorts, and clad in a headset, Paul Levesque, the WWE's executive vice president of talent and live events — he performs under the moniker "Triple H" — makes sure the smallest details will run smoothly. (He also happens to be McMahon's son-in-law.)

At the "Gorilla position" just behind the staging (named for the late wrestling and announcing great Gorilla Monsoon), wrestlers get last-minute instructions on matches, and referees also have in-ear monitors for audibles during the action.

"Raw is live, and it's live right up until we're done, which means we're changing stuff," says Levesque, who will flip the script on the fly depending on crowd reaction. "The reality of our business is fans control the content. They control who's the most popular, who's the most hated, because we really go where they're going."

Going big on social media


A large mat comes out when it's time to practice some of the evening's biggest power moves. The ring has a few inches of padding, but really it's just steel, wood, canvas and ropes, says Sean Sellman , director of production logistics. So stars are taking some serious bumps.

Mike Mizanin just recently returned to the WWE after filming the movie The Marine: Homefront for six weeks — Johnson, Cena, Hogan and other stars over the years have flirted with varying success on the bigger screen. A couple of weeks in, though, the former reality star on MTV's The Real World noticed his back oddly starting to tighten up. "I was like, you know what, I think it's healing right now," the dapperly dressed Mizanin says after a WWE.com photo shoot.

More than just his body is refreshed; he brought his cocky and brash character "The Miz" back with a new haircut and some facial scruff. "Just that little change of your hair and your face, people will notice," Mizanin says. "Twitter is blowing up my hairdo! My hair's trending, what the hell is going on?"

Social media has become a major focus for WWE. Its latest push is with Tout, a newer platform allowing wrestlers to interact with fans through videos of 15 seconds or less.

Many of its stars are on Twitter, and most Monday nights during Raw, Twitter's most popular topics are wrestler names or hashtags created from what's said during a wrestler's verbal sparring with another. The hashtag du jour: #Raw1000.

On social media as well as in arenas, Lee is one of the most popular of the WWE's female "Divas" and a rising star from a current love-triangle angle involving her "crazy chick" character, Bryan and Punk. (The spunky and diminutive Lee, who comes across as shy off-screen, also laid a big wet smooch on the much-larger Jacobs one night to make it a love rhombus for a time.)

"I love the in-ring work, but as a fan I love the dramatic stuff more than anything," says Lee, a self-admitted "nerd" who hopes to inspire little girls the same way WWE women did for her when she was 12.

"This day and age, there needs to be a girl who's not wearing as much makeup and isn't that pampered-up and fancy. There's a place for that, but there's also a place for a girl I think fans want to hang out with and see themselves in."

The fans come first


She's getting a lot of cheers, but the man who garners the most — and receives just as many jeers at times — is Cena. While other wrestlers partake in the vast catering spread or work on their matches, he takes the time to visit with a pair of little boys from the Make a Wish Foundation whose wishes are to meet their muscular idol.

In turn, he dotes on them with autographs, hugs and attention.

"Our audience really attaches themselves to characters," Cena says. "Somehow along this 10-year journey, I've been able to morph into myself."

For him, a 1,000th Raw is just as historic as The Simpsons reaching 500 episodes or 20 seasons of Law & Order.

"It's something that transcends everything, but at the same time, there is no 'Hey, man, they just hit 1,000 episodes!' from the entertainment folks," Cena says. "I've never paid much attention to the 'important' critics. I pay attention to the people who come to see us."

The key to longevity — and another 1,000 — will be continuing to be fresh and innovative, Levesque says. "We'll get to Raw 2,000. It's on the moon, I think."

One guy who hopes to be there, too, is WWE commentator Jerry Lawler, a 42-year veteran who was at the first Raw at New York City's Manhattan Center.

"I might just be a head in a glass tube," Lawler laughs backstage, just before his entrance music queues up — Mussorgsky's The Great Gate of Kiev— and he walks out to 10,000 cheering fans.

"Even if I'm just a head, just set me in front of a TV somewhere."

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Reply #219 posted 07/23/12 8:12am

alexnvrmnd777

http://www.amny.com/urban...-1.3853698

Wrestler Dolph Ziggler on 'Raw' 1000

By SCOTT A. ROSENBERG

Dolph Ziggler, left, about to hit his opponent.

Photo credit: Dolph Ziggler, left, about to hit his opponent.

The Western TV series "Gunsmoke" ran for 635 episodes from 1955-75. "Lassie" had 588 from 1954-73. "The Simpsons" clocks in at 508 since 1989.

But they don't hold a candle to the WWE's weekly juggernaut, "Monday Night Raw," which will be airing its 1,000th episode Monday night.

The long-running wrestling show, which debuted on Jan. 11, 1993, will feature a WWE Championship match between John Cena and CM Punk, the return of some wrestling legends and even a wedding.

amNY spoke with wrestler Dolph Ziggler, who will be featured on "Raw."

What is your role in "Raw's" 1,000th episode? I don't exactly know what my role will be. Here's what we know going forth: Everything WWE does is big and monumental. We've got Brock Lesnar, The Rock, D-Generation X, Mick Foley, plus maybe hundreds of other past superstars ... coming back. And we also have a wedding. As you know, all weddings in WWE history go off without a hitch and there won't be a problem [laughs]. Just don't bring a toaster, because that's what I'm getting [them] as a gift.


Do you think that this episode will raise your profile with all everything going on? When that show ends, people will say, "I came to see those guys, but I remember what Dolph Ziggler did. He went out there and did what he said he would do: He found a way to steal the show, even on a star-studded card like that."

What's your favorite "Raw" memory? I was with the Spirit Squad and I went away. And I worked so hard to become a superstar, and when I came back, my first match was against Batista. We ended up having a great back-and-forth match.

What is the key to being an effective bad guy? I think the personas that work out the most are the ones that come natural to people: I love doing what I do better than everybody else, but I'm sure as hell not humble about it. I let people know.

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Reply #220 posted 07/23/12 8:22am

L4OATheOrigina
l

avatar

JabarR74 said:

WWE: Why AJ vs. Eve Needs to Happen



Feed Source: Bleacher Report

Let's face it: WWE's Divas Division is in a dreadful state. The recently returned Layla El is Divas Champion—and no one cares. Beth Phoenix, the division's supposed top heel is also greeted with silence and indifference wherever she goes. Former Divas Champion Kelly Kelly has reportedly taken a leave of absence to pursue acting and modeling, with the jury still out on whether she's coming back or not.

Talented Divas like Natalya, Kaitlyn and Tamina are not used to anything close to their potential, often finding themselves stuck on Internet-only shows like NXT and Superstars.

Things have gotten so bad, we've seen a mass exodus of women in recent times, with Gail Kim, Maryse, The Bella Twins and more recently, Maxine all leaving to pursue outside options.

It's not really a shock. Sure, WWE is a steady paycheck, but lack of ability to secure meaningful TV time—coupled with the grueling travel schedule—serve to make the entire WWE gig simply more trouble than it's worth for many of the girls.

However, as dire as things seem now for the women's division, there is some hope for the beleaguered women's roster. As crazy as it sounds, all it would really take is one great feud to turn things around.

Hey, we've seen it before: In the early '00s, the long-running and highly entertaining grudge feud between Trish Stratus and Lita managed to revive women's wrestling in the company.


Prior to those two joining the company in 2000, WWE's Divas Division was a transparent joke. Filled with lame matches, cringe-worthy angles; the entire thing looked to exist solely to give women like Debra and Sable airtime and allow them to get over as sex symbols.


After Trish and Lita's battles, though, women's wrestling in the company became something worth watching. These women were so talented they made the promotion—as well as the fans—stand up and take notice. The feud also made it easier for respectable wrestlers like Molly Holly, Gail Kim and Victoria to be taken seriously and pushed.

Fast forward to 2012, and it is an AJ vs. Eve battle that can serve to reignite the stagnant division.

Similar to Stratus and Lita, the two have vastly contrasting personalities (AJ is presented as a slightly crazy, romance obsessed girl who wears her heart on her sleeve in juxtaposition to the icy, power-mad Eve). At a time when most of the Divas are interchangeable, these two stand out and are capable of stirring up interest from the fans.

There is also hope that any program between the two could churn out decent matches. Granted, Eve is a lot further along than the inexperienced AJ, but given enough time to develop AJ could surely blossom into a great wrestler.

Interestingly, a program between the two girls was strongly hinted at on last week's Raw, as the pair exchanged harsh words in a short backstage segment.

A returning Eve taunted AJ for her complex and disordered love life, with AJ shooting back some insults of her own, noting that with John Laurinaitis gone, Eve had no power left and was now reduced to trying to be a reality TV star (Eve was off WWE TV for a while to appear on the upcoming NBC reality show Stars and Stripes).

Eve was not pleased with that, obviously, and issues between these two look to be far from over.

To conclude, AJ vs. Eve could truly be the program that turns WWE's Divas Division around. The two women are talented enough—and are over enough with the fans—to make any feud work. Of course, for this to happen, they would need the steady backing of the booking team. And whether any women's program can get this in WWE at present is a huge unanswered question.

But let's hope the company throw their full support between such a program. After all, it's not like the Divas Division has much else going on right now.

very good insight however i would add tamina vs beth feud cause they fucking dropped the ball on that one. AJ does need more ring work. but it does all come down 2 exposure of these women in WWE to really beef that division up

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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Reply #221 posted 07/23/12 8:28am

alexnvrmnd777

http://www.baltimoresun.c...full.story

Q&A With WWE Announcer Jerry "The King" Lawler

Contemporary wrestling fans know Jerry “The King” Lawler as the voice of the WWE.

But those who have followed Lawler’s career through the past four decades have witnessed the evolution of a true journeyman and icon of the professional wrestling industry.

Whether competing in the ring, promoting a wrestling show, battling celebrities or calling the action from behind the announce table, Lawler has left an undeniable mark on the business, even transcending the boundaries of wrestling and becoming a pop culture icon with a little help from one Andy Kaufman.

Through his career, “The King” has amassed his fair share of treasure, holding nearly 170 championships in companies of yesteryear and today. But though he has already crafted a legacy for the ages, the 62-year-old wrestling monarch isn’t prepared to slow down yet.

As WWE’s flagship program, Monday Night Raw, prepares for its historic 1,000th episode this coming Monday, Lawler took time to talk with Ring Posts’ Adam Testa about his tenure in WWE, past, present and future. Here is what he had to say:

What should fans expect from this show?


When you talk about 1,000 episodes, that’s just such a historic milestone. No other weekly episodic television show in the history of television has ever done this many episodes. That alone lets you know that this milestone has to be very, very special, and believe me, the WWE is going to pull out all the stops.

At last count there are almost 30 superstars from these past 1,000 episodes that are going to be coming back and joining us for the 1,000th show. Even WWE.com apparently leaked some information about a guest commentator on the show that night, as well. How could you do a 1,000th episode without having good ol’ J.R., who was my broadcast partner for so many years, come back and call a couple matches. So I’m hoping that’s who that’s going to be.

There’s just going to be some many things that take place Monday night. There’s no telling who all is going to be there and what all is going to happen. It’s just going to be a huge celebration of this big milestone.

What part of the show are you most looking forward to yourself?


I love seeing these superstars come back to the show. The past few weeks, we’ve had appearances by Vader, Diamond Dallas Page, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper brought Cyndi Lauper back, Doink the Clown, Bob Backlund, Psycho Sid.

I love seeing these guys that were huge stars and part of the 1,000 episodes of Monday Night Raw come back and the fan reaction. The fans love to see these names and faces from the past that have provided so many memorable moments and that have provided so many great memories for the fans.

The common link between all the legends who have come back has been Heath Slater, who eliminated you in a tag team match during the Nexus invasion. Might we see you seek revenge?


That’s our catchphrase on Monday Night Raw — “Absolutely anything can happen.” I always have my gear. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shown up on a Monday night and maybe an hour before we’ve gone live on the air, someone comes up to me and says, “Hey King, did you bring your gear? We’re thinking of putting you in a match tonight.” I always have it; I’m ready; I’m always excited and happy to get in there.

I would love to square off with Heath Slater. He’s the guy that personifies the saying “youth is wasted on the young.” He’s a guy who doesn’t have a clue and doesn’t have any respect for people who laid the groundwork for him to get the worldwide exposure he’s getting right now. So it’s really exciting for me to see these guys give a young punk like him a little bit of a comeuppance.

And I would love to get in that long line and show him why for the past 40-plus years they’ve been calling me the king. You never can tell; that might take place, who knows. That would be fun, though.

Through the years, you’ve worked with a number of different commentary partners. What has it been like working with such a cast of characters?


I first started as a color commentator when I took the place of “Macho Man” Randy Savage when he jumped ship during the Monday Night Wars. He was doing the commentary with Vince McMahon at the time. I’ve got to tell you; I really, really enjoyed calling the matches with Vince McMahon.

He was so much fun to work with. He never really came out and said it, but he was the perfect foil for me. This was before he was the overbearing CEO of the WWE. I got to make so much fun of him. He even perpetuated the myth that he wore a toupee. Every week, I would say something about his toupee — which of course he didn’t have; he always had a healthy head of hair. I would make fun of him in all sorts of ways and he was so gracious and went along with it. I really enjoyed working with him.

Then, of course, it switched to me and good ol’ J.R. for years and years and years. Man, I don’t know if there’s ever been or will ever be anyone who’s as good at wrestling play-by-play as good ol’ J.R. Nobody who’s going to be more prepared, nobody that’s going to know any more, know all the facts, know all the history, know all the statistics.

That’s just J.R.; he was perfect. He made my job so easy in the fact that I just had to show up and off the cuff come up with a few hopefully witty remarks. J.R. did all the groundwork; he did all the real hard work on the team.

Now, of course, I’m working with Michael Cole, and he’s a different kind of character. He’s sort of taken the place of what I was years ago when I worked alongside J.R. He’s the devil’s advocate, so to speak. He’s not out there trying to win any popularity contests with the fans. He tells it like it is in his view.

He’s easy to work with, and one thing that I can do with Cole that I never would have done with good ol’ J.R. is if Cole gets too out of line and too annoying, I can just look over and just say, “Shut up, you idiot.” And so it’s not too bad working with Michael Cole.

What are your thoughts on your rivalry with Cole?


It’s had its definite ups and downs. He started this thing off with some disparaging remarks about my mom right after she passed away. That was kind of tough to swallow and tough to live with, but by the same token, that led into something that may be my crowning achievement as long as I’ve been in the WWE. That led into my first ever WrestleMania match.

I’d called a lot of WrestleManias but never actually wrestled or performed on a WrestleMania until I got to have the match with Michael Cole the year before last. That was my biggest financial payday that I’ve ever made in the 42 years of my wrestling career.

That was very gratifying, so it’s hard for me to say too many bad things about Michael Cole because so much good for me personally has come out of that rivalry.

In 2001, there was a short time when you left the company for a little while, and when you returned that November, it was with a warm welcome from the crowd. What was that night like for you?


That had to be my own personal favorite moment in the history of all of those 1,000 episodes we’ve done.

I quit the WWE for a period of time, and I thought during that period of time that I would never be back. I thought that was it, I’ve had my little run there, everything was great but it’s over.

Then, I got a call to work out all our differences. Paul Heyman had been assigned to take my place on commentary. That night, I got to make what I call my triumphant return to the announce table and to literally see them drag Paul Heyman kicking and screaming away from that commentary table — and we literally passed on the ramp and he’s clawing and scratching and trying to get at me — I just can’t help but do anything but laugh.

That to me was my favorite moment, to go back there and be reunited with good ol’ J.R. and all of the WWE Universe and all of the fans and to be back on the show that I’ve been back on every single Monday night since then.

The landscape of WWE has changed since that time, which obviously affects commentary. What has that adjustment been like for you through the years?


It wasn’t really a major adjustment; it was just something you knew was expected of you, so you did it.

Back during the Attitude Era, we really, really pushed the envelope, and it worked. We got the attention of the demographic we were looking for, and that was the college-aged students. I went back just a few weeks ago and was watching one of DVDs from that particular time and I just said to myself, “Oh my gosh, how on earth did we get away with that?”

Some of the things we did and said were literally shocking, but that’s what it was intended to do. We shocked the world into watching every single week, and we got them coming back every week by saying, “How much further can they go? What are they going to do next week? How do they top what they did last week?”

Everything changes. In the WWE, we kind of mirror society. We became such a big company – suddenly we’re on the New York Stock Exchange being publicly traded – and when you’re that big of a company, you’re going to go after major advertisers. And, to be quite honest, there are a lot of major advertisers who would not risk being a show that was as edgy and over the top as Raw was during that Attitude Era.

So we just reigned it in a little bit and we became a very family-oriented entertainment product and then that suddenly was appealing to all these advertisers you see on our show now.

I think we did it seamlessly. I do hear people sometimes say, “Man, I miss the Attitude Era” or something, but I think the transition was so smooth that Raw still to me seems to me edgy. There are still things that push the envelope, but by the same token, we’re always cognizant of the fact that we are now full-family entertainment and we keep that in mind every single week we go out there and do a show.

Of all the advertisers in the history of Raw, none may be more iconic than Skittles. What are your thoughts on those reads that you and J.R. used to do?


They were always fun, but I thought that since J.R. and I almost became synonymous with those reads that the Skittles people would have at least sent a few boxes of Skittles our way. I can honestly say that Just For Men did send me a box of hair color, because just up until we started doing Just For Men commercials, when you talked about “50 Shades of Gray” it wasn’t a book, it was my head.

So we got some product from that sponsor, but Skittles never came through. They never gave us any candy. I was always really disappointed about that. Any time I read an on-camera or on-air commercial, I should get some free product, I would think.

In 2007, you were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. How did it feel to have that honor bestowed upon you?


I’ll never forget earlier in that year when Vince McMahon came to me, called me aside one day and said, “King, we’re going to induct you into the Hall of Fame this year,” and I went, “No!” He went, “What?” and I said, “I don’t want to,” and he said, “What do you mean you do want to?”

I had always associated hall of fames with baseball or football, and you didn’t get inducted until years after your playing career was over. I was just associating the WWE Hall of Fame with that. He said, “Why would you not want it?” I said, “I’m not through wrestling; I still want to go out and compete and perform.” He said, “This doesn’t mean that your career is over by any means; we just want to recognize what you’ve done up to this point, not only wrestling but commentating, as well.”

When he explained it to me in that respect, then of course it was a tremendous honor, and to have a major motion picture and entertainment star like William Shatner come to Detroit, Mich., to induct me into the Hall of Fame was an awesome night.

I was so excited. It is such an honor; it’s an elite few who are in the WWE Hall of Fame, to be included in that, I don’t know what to say other than it’s probably the best honor I’ve had in my entire career.

Is it hard to balance your WWE schedule with still working independent wrestling shows?


Not at all. I don’t like to make a major issue out of this because I try to stay under the radar and not make waves, but I probably have the best gig in the WWE. I literally have a one-day-a-week gig. It’s going to be a three-hour-a-week job to go out and do Monday Night Raw and then one weekend a month to do the pay-per-view. That’s the extent of my job with WWE.

I still enjoy climbing in the ring and doing it as much as I did when I started 42 years ago. I still do it fairly regularly. If I’m not wrestling at a WWE live event, I’m going out and doing independent shows on weekends. I still average wrestling – climbing into the ring and wrestling – about two times a week. I still enjoy that as much as I ever did.

What do you see in your future?


People come up and say, “Any plans to retire? When you going to retire?” I always say when they quit paying me, I’ll look around and probably say, “Well, I guess I’m retired.” But as long as someone still wants my services, either as a wrestler or as a commentator, I don’t see any reason you’d quit doing something that at one time I would have paid them to let me do.

I feel like the most fortunate guy in the world in the fact that I’ve had a great career and had a very financially successful career by doing something that I absolutely love to do. Most people, unfortunately, have to go out and work at a job they really don’t like just to make ends meet. I’ve had the lifelong good fortune of getting to do something I absolutely love and getting paid to do it.

As long as I’m physically able, I’d like to continue to do this. As a matter of fact, I’d like to be on the 2,000th episode of Monday Night Raw; I’d love to be there still doing the show.”

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Reply #222 posted 07/23/12 2:45pm

alexnvrmnd777

http://tvline.com/2012/07...logo-2012/

Exclusive First Look: See WWE Raw's New Logo!

WWE’s long-running Monday Night Raw hits a major landmark tonight with its 1000th episode (USA Network, 8/7c), and we’re piledriving the point home with an exclusive first look at the sports entertainment series’ brand-new logo.


In addition to unveiling a new emblem, the mega-sized installment — the first of the show’s permanently expanded three-hour format — will feature appearances by The Rock, Brock Lesnar, Mick Foley and Bret Hart. Degeneration X duo Triple H and Shawn Michaels will also reunite for the special wrestling festivities.

Take a peek at the new logo below, and then hit the comments with your thoughts on the fresh art.

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Reply #223 posted 07/23/12 3:02pm

alexnvrmnd777

http://espn.go.com/blog/p...1000th-raw

Jim Ross talks about WWE's 1,000th 'Raw'

Tonight, WWE will broadcast its historic 1,000th episode of "Monday Night Raw" -- the longest running weekly TV show in history -- as it moves to a three-hour format with an 8 p.m. start time on USA Network.

The main event is John Cena versus WWE champion CM Punk with the undercard including the return of Brock Lesnar, the wedding of Daniel Bryan and AJ and a host of legends -- Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Rock and Bret Hart -- returning.

Jim Ross

Jackson Laizure/Okla./GettyJim Ross returns to "Monday Night Raw" tonight in St. Louis.

And famed announcer Jim Ross will be back.

"I was planning on going no matter what, but to be invited and be part of the show is something special," said Ross, who was a ringside TV broadcaster for the WWE for more than 20 years. "For everyone involved, it's a celebration of hours of hard work, thousands of miles traveled and sacrificing family time to put on a show every week for this long."

Ross, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007, isn't sure what his role will be, but he said the best part will be before the show.

"It's going to be a like a homecoming for me. I couldn't miss this. I want to see how everyone's family is doing. It's a look back and a new beginning," Ross said. "If I had the pick of a litter, I'd hope it would be to call a match. That's what I love doing. But I'm like a baseball player at the All-Star Game. When the manager makes out the lineup card, I just want to get into the game."

Wrestling fans still call for Ross to return to full-time announcing, but he is enjoying his life in Oklahoma, rooting on his Sooners and working on his family barbecue sauce business. He still helps scout, recruit and develop talent for the WWE and isn't even thinking about leaving.

"This organization has been a big part of my life. This show has a lot more meaning that people will ever perceive. My father died while I was working on the show. My mother died while I was working on the show," Ross said. "When am I going to retire? When they write my eulogy."

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Reply #224 posted 07/24/12 1:03am

alexnvrmnd777

For anyone who missed it:

Monday Night Raw's 1000th Episode

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Reply #225 posted 07/24/12 1:34am

alexnvrmnd777

So, what did everyone think of Raw's 1000th episode?

It was great to see a REAL DX reunion. They've conveniently cut the New Age Outlaws and X-Pac out of the group's history for so many years now. So, it was good to see them finally get their due as members of the group. Hell, it was Road Dogg that was always doing the whole "ladies and gentlemen..." bit in the first place. Trips took it from him when it became just him and HBK.

The end where CM Punk turned heel was GENIUS!!! I'm glad we weren't the only ones who saw how him pandering to all the dumbass kids and the crowds in general was killing his character and that they decided to do change him back. My only so-called problem about the whole scenario was that I wish Rock came out to help the beat down of Cena. That might make him look like a heel, but I would say it's because he "just doesn't like him", The Rock's own words. So, why run down to save someone who you "just don't like"? Didn't make sense to me.

Speaking of Rock, it was good to hear him getting a title shot at the 2013 Royal Rumble. What has he done to deserve one? Absolutely NOTHING, but it's The Rock. He's my boy, so I have no problem with it. lol I think he'll become the champ then (only if the current champ is NOT Cena), only to lose the title at WM against Cena. Therefore, they get the title off of him before he leaves to go "acting" again (I use that term very loosely), and Cena gets his win back.

AJ as the GM? disbelief You could tell this was a last minute decision because of how their ratings have either held or increased a little recently due to AJ's love triangle with Bryan and Punk. Did they do this just to find a way to have her not marry Bryan? If so, talk about lazy ass writing!! AJ did tell me last night that she wasn't going to be seen marrying anyone but ME, whether it was fake on TV or not, so I already knew this wedding wasn't going down. She made me promise not to say anything, though. Also, it looks like they might do some sort of Charlie Sheen/Bryan angle for Summerslam next month. Sigh.... *facepalm* disbelief I hope I'm wrong.

Undertaker and Kane destroying jobbers? Meh. The stupid way Heyman was "goaded" into accepting a match for Brock and Trips, along with Trips getting the better of the Brock attack?? From meh to THAT'S BULLSHIT!!!! Miz winning the IC title? I don't have a problem with that, though if anyone was going to lose their belt, it really should've been Santino, whether the fans picked him to defend his belt during the show or not.

And finally, no Stone Cold Steve Austin???!! Then I'm sorry...this wasn't a real celebration. He was the one that initially took Raw to the highest of heights that will NEVER be reached again. And not even a recorded message or anything. disbelief

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Reply #226 posted 07/24/12 9:44am

alexnvrmnd777

Backstage Mood At RAW 1000, Cody Talks IC Title, Legends Talk Slater, More

- Mick Foley wrote on Twitter that all the WWE Legends were talking good about Heath Slater. He wrote on Twitter:

"Sure sign that @HeathSlaterOMRB is getting over - the entire @WWE Legends locker room was talking about him."

- Before he lost the belt, Cody Rhodes set out months ago to bring the WWE Intercontinental Title back to the spotlight. Cody says after RAW 1000, his mission is accomplished. He wrote:

"The Hitman talking fondly of the IC Title. This year alone it's been defended on WrestleMania and now #RAW1000 ...mission accomplished."

- The backstage feeling at last night's RAW 1000 episode was a very positive one with the newer talents hanging out with the Legends. The mood was described as a WrestleMania mood.

source: F4WOnline

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Reply #227 posted 07/24/12 9:47am

alexnvrmnd777

http://www.wwe.com/shows/...-justified

Was CM Punk justified?

BY Joey Styles

Page 1 of 1
July 23, 2012

CM Punk gives Rock the GTS on Raw 1,000

On the 1,000th episode of Raw, WWE Champion CM Punk shocked the WWE Universe not once, but twice: The first time, by standing by and watching John Cena get dismantled by Big Show, and the second by giving The Rock a jaw-jacking Go to Sleep.

Though your reactions on Tout (Tout.com/WWE), Facebook (Facebook.com/WWE) and Twitter (Twitter.com/WWE). reflect universal surprise, opinions on whether or not Punk was justified in his actions are mixed.

With The Rock and John Cena being arguably WWE’s two most popular Superstars, it’s no surprise that many members of the WWE Universe are demonizing the still-WWE Champion. However, a socially active sector of the WWE audience was equally quick to point out that Punk was just being Punk.

To gain insight into what may have motivated Punk, one only needs to revisit the words of The Second City Saint’s infamous “pipe bomb” tirade on Raw from a little more than one year ago. (WATCH)

“I don’t hate you, John (Cena). … I hate this idea that you’re the best, because you’re not. …I’m the best. I’m the best in the world. There’s one thing that you’re better at than I am, and that’s kissing Vince McMahon’s ass. … I don’t know if you’re as good as Dwayne [“The Rock” Johnson], though. He’s a pretty good ass-kisser. (He) always was and still is. … The fact that Dwayne is in the main event at WrestleMania and I’m not makes me sick!”

In that very main event at WrestleMania XXVIII, The Rock defeated John Cena in their “Once in a Lifetime” matchup, giving The Brahma Bull perhaps the biggest win of his career. Fast-forward almost four months later to Raw 1,000, and The Great One’s announcement that at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view in January, he would challenge the WWE Champion … who was still CM Punk at the end of Raw 1,000.

After months of making movies, The Rock will once again be in the main event of one of WWE’s most high-profile events, this time presumably against Punk himself. Based on what the WWE Champion said last year, was giving The Great One a taste of what’s to come when they meet for the title really surprising?

Punk watching Cena get punished by Big Show may be a little more puzzling. Cena became the first Superstar ever to cash in a Money in the Bank championship contract and not win a championship despite not losing the match. In fact, Cena won by disqualification when Big Show attacked him. Regardless of how the match ended, though, the fact of the matter is that Cena had one, and only one, opportunity to cash in and challenge for the WWE Championship. And now that opportunity is gone.

Officially, Cena is not due a WWE Championship rematch. However, with the “unpredictable” AJ now the General Manager of Raw, there’s no guessing what she might do with the WWE Championship situation, or anything else for that matter. If Punk saw Cena as the greatest threat to his championship reign, perhaps he also saw Cena taking a beating at the massive hands of the near 500-pound behemoth as a strategic advantage. Was it the honorable thing to do after Cena chose to give Punk a week to recover from his Big Show beat down seven days earlier? Probably not. Was it the best thing to do to continue his tenure as WWE Champion? Most likely.

Should Punk’s priority be doing what is right morally or what is right to keep the WWE Championship — and all the fame and fortune that comes with the richest prize in our history? What would your priority be? What would you have done?

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Reply #228 posted 07/24/12 9:52am

alexnvrmnd777

http://www.diva-dirt.com/...rview-wwe/

Exclusive: Maxine Reveals Why She Left WWE, Lack of Progression in Company, NXT & More

Former WWE Diva Karlee "Maxine" Perez recently spoke to Diva-Dirt about why she decided to leave WWE, her reported frustration at her upward mobility in the company and more. Here are some highlights:

On why she wanted to leave WWE: "I don't know if it was something specific or things over time. WWE, there's pros and cons with the company. It was a company I enjoyed working for. I was able to use tools and broaden myself, and make myself better as an entertainer because of the company and I was very grateful for that. The climb to the top, and the fighting to get to that spot -- there's so many talented people in the company, and there's so many talented people that aren't utilized. It's politics, and I don't always agree with it. It doesn't matter [if I do], because you're either in it or you're not, and you have to deal with what is handed to you. After NXT [Redemption] that I did with Derrick [Bateman] and Johnny [Curtis] -- I think we did 66 weeks or so, I really wanted to keep that as entertaining as people even though we were given the short end of the stick, and even given the short end of the stick, I thought we did a hell of a job. So that was for me the chance to prove that I deserve a chance. After sitting for a while, and the chance not really coming, I just decided to take it in my own hands and make a chance for myself which is what I did."

Reaction to her decision & making the hard decision to move on: "I didn't feel like I was moving forward. Even though a lot of fans said that, 'Why didn't you just wait? You should've been patient'. It isn't really about patience - they like to tell us it's about patience, but it's not. Nobody can say you should've been patient, if you don't know long you're waiting for, so that can really -- yeah, it can get you frustrated. That wasn't the only reason I left. There was other things. It wasn't just out of frustration like people say it was. It was a mixture of feelings, and that was just one reason. By the end of it, I wasn't frustrated anymore. I accepted it. By the end of me leaving, it was a bit of a shock that I did it, but I accepted it. The feelings are tough, sitting there waiting, going backwards, and taking the jump -- it's tough."

The Divas realizing the grass may not always be greener in WWE: "It makes you think, and I think that's what happened when I did that and my other colleagues and Divas found out. I think they actually thought about what they were doing for the company, and if they were the ones sitting on the sidelines, I'm sure they thought twice also. There's some beautiful, bright women in the business and everyone has something to bring to the table, something different. I told management when I asked for my release, 'I wanted to bring you something you didn't have' and I feel I did that. I put a lot of effort and time to make myself as diverse as possible, so there was no other Maxine -- so Maxine would have a spot no matter what. I don't know if it was political, or timing, or whatnot, I just didn't see the spot being built anytime soon. It might've been three, four, five... who knows how many years? I think a lot of the girls are feeling like that right now because for some of them, it's already been three years and they still haven't had time. So, what is it? Another three years, and then another three years?"

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Reply #229 posted 07/24/12 11:24am

alexnvrmnd777

http://brokenskullranch.c...hives/1142

RAW 1,000 And Why Stone Cold Steve Austin Wasn’t There

On July 23, 2012 WWE celebrated the 1,oooth episode of Monday Night Raw. I watched the show from my home in Los Angeles. After watching the show, I got on my Twitter account, @steveaustinBSR, to read responses to the show. There were many people blaming Vince McMahon and the WWE for not having SCSA on the show. And there were some folks who had some very negative things to say about me, personally.

The reason I did not attend RAW 1,000 was because I underwent a major knee surgery on my left knee on July 2, 2012. Dr. Neal ElAttrache of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, CA performed the surgery.

The surgery was a complete success. I am currently three weeks post op. I began physical therapy a few days ago. I had a world class surgeon and a great medical team working on me. I am now working with a top notch PT team. I am still on crutches and will probably lose the crutches in another week. Then I will be in a custom knee brace much like the braces I wore in the ring for 9-12 weeks.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN IS A 100% ASS KICKING MACHINE. There was no way I was going to limp down the ramp on crutches for RAW 1,000. It was time to get my knee fixed. The decision to no-show RAW 1,000 was made by me and no one else. I have always taken pride in making my shots and have never faked an injury or illness. Pro Wrestling is a tough game and it was time to pay the piper for some of the damage I incurred in the ring. No gripes. No complaints.

To the fans that were hoping to see SCSA, I’m sorry I missed the show. I would have loved to be there under different circumstances. I normally keep my personal business to myself, but due to feedback and incorrect speculation, I have posted this blog and given the 411 on why I was not at RAW 1,000.

I will post more blogs about my PT and recovery soon.

Steve Austin

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Reply #230 posted 07/24/12 10:00pm

alexnvrmnd777

RAW 1,000th Episode Draws Monster Numbers

Last night's 1,000th episode of RAW drew monster numbers. The three hour episode scored a 3.84 rating and averaged 6.019 million viewers, way up from last week's episode, which garnered a 3.44 rating with 4.879 million viewers. The show was easily the top rated cable program last night in the prime adults 18-49 demo.

The first hour of last night's show drew a 3.48 rating with 5.439 million viewers, which was already more viewers than for last week's show. The second hour jumped up nearly 1 million viewers, drawing a 3.95 rating with 6.318 million viewers. Viewers tapered off slightly in the third hour, as the final hour of the show drew a 4.09 rating with 6.3 million viewers.

Last week's two hour episode drew 4.720 million viewers in the first hour, while the second did 5.038 million viewers.

source: Prowrestling.net/TV By The Numbers

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Reply #231 posted 07/24/12 10:05pm

alexnvrmnd777

^^ They'll NEVER see numbers like this again! lol But, let's call a spade a spade here...remember back in the Attitude Era when they would regularly do in the upper 5's without a thought? Anything below a 5 would be a huge disappointment and would have Vince ready to press the big red panic button.

Needless to say, this will be their highest rated 3-hour show ever, and they'll be back to doing low 3's to high 2's starting next week. lol

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Reply #232 posted 07/25/12 1:57pm

alexnvrmnd777

Velvet Sky Gone From TNA Wrestling?

TNA Wrestling has recently removed Velvet Sky's profile page from the roster section of their website.

As reported earlier, Velvet's TNA contract has either ended or is nearing its end and attempts to work out a new deal appear to have been unsuccessful.

source: WI

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Reply #233 posted 07/25/12 1:59pm

alexnvrmnd777

^^ Yep, I told Velvet just this morning as she was making french toast and bacon for me that she shouldn't sweat this shit and should leave TNA. Looks like it's finally out there.

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Reply #234 posted 07/25/12 2:01pm

alexnvrmnd777

Major WWE Release Confirmed, Report On Why Alex Riley Lost His Push On RAW

- Kharma confirmed on Twitter this week that she was indeed released from WWE. A fan asked if it was true that Kharma was "granted" her release from WWE. Kharma replied:

"yes, I was. It doesn't mean I'll never be back."

- Regarding Alex Riley's status with WWE, it's said that he lost his push that was in the works because of a backstage incident with John Cena.

PWInsider.com reports word going around is that a while back, Riley was backstage with John Cena and Cena was ribbing him in front of some of the other wrestlers. Riley reportedly came back angrily at Cena, which was seen as him "breaking the code of the locker-room."

source: PWInsider

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Reply #235 posted 07/25/12 2:06pm

alexnvrmnd777

A pic of Brock Lesnar's new shirt "F-Fury". rolleyes

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Reply #236 posted 07/25/12 2:13pm

alexnvrmnd777

http://www.miamiherald.co...shawn.html

Watching WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels

By Scott Fishman

Miami Herald Writer

Shawn Michaels has been known throughout his career as the showstopper.

This moniker can be found on the new Heartbreak Kid Deuce Brand signature series watch.

The WWE legend joins other elite athletes such as Buffalo Bills’ receiver Stevie Johnson and Portland Trailblazers’ Nolan Smith who have their own customized timepiece from the San Diego-based company for sale. The opportunity was brought to Michaels’ attention by his management team at Encore Sports & Entertainment, out of the same city.

“I wear a lot of wrist wear,” Michaels said. “I wear a lot of bracelets and collect a lot of watches, so when they came to me with the idea, it seemed like a neat idea and something I wanted to try. As you go out there and experiment with different things, certainly for me, I want to do it in areas that interest me. It was something that Encore brought to me, and it seemed like a good fit. It seemed like a step out from anything that I had done before. So for those reasons it intrigued me to see how it would do.”

The watch, currently available for presale on the Deuce website, is designed in HBK’s trademark colors: red, white and black. Michaels had a hand in the creative process.

“In the past when it came to DVDs, shirts and stuff like that, I didn’t take that big a part in it,” Michaels said. “Then with my shirts toward the end of my WWE career, I had a little more input there. Being independent of all of that now, you get to have a little more say-so. In some respects that’s great because when it goes well and it works, everybody likes it, or they go, ‘Boy, you have horrible taste.’ Then you deny [it was your idea] to the bitter end…

“The biggest rib on me through all of this is my Deuce watch tells better time than my Rolex for heaven’s sake. I bought them for Ric [Flair], and I. I love the sentiment, but my $30 watch tells better time than the one I spent thousands on.”

Five percent of the proceeds from the sales of the “Showstopper” watch go to the Children’s Hunger Fund. Giving back is an important to HBK.

“One of their main offices is in San Antonio,” Michaels said. “Starting last year, I started working with them as I started to know a little bit more about them. Everything for the most part that I’m doing, I always want to be involved a charity in some respects. They do amazing work. It’s just one of those things that you are sort of blown away. Every time you think you do something special you run across people like the Children’s Hunger Fund that totally put your efforts to shame, and I can’t help but want to help out in any way that I can.”

More than two years after his last match, the iconic performer remains busy. He has family life, his endorsements and his work on the MacMillan River Adventures, now in its second season on the Outdoor Channel. Although he makes some wrestling-related appearances, don’t look for the Hall of Famer to renege on his retirement from in-ring competition.

“I certainly don’t get the itch,” Michaels said. “That is something that does not happen to me. I think I do get satisfied when I get to go back to do an appearance and get to be a special referee or just an autograph session. Things like that, which is something I really enjoy. Certainly, I don’t stay on the sidelines longing to be in the spotlight, but the time that I am, it’s always a great deal of fun.

“I still try to do a good job and try not to phone it in. It’s almost like two different parts of your life. The first part of your life is geared toward one direction, and the second part of your life is more geared toward another. I’m guessing that is sort of where I’m at, but not forsaking or forgetting the first part by any stretch. I’m appreciative for it and thankful for it.”

Since his absence, superstars such as the WWE champion CM Punk have been given the ball. On the Raw leading into the 1,000th episode on July 23, Punk said a guy who looked like him would have never been on that first episode of Raw. For HBK, who wrestled on the debut Raw show, that may not have been the case.

“I certainly understand the point he was trying to make,” Michaels said. “It was a different time, and there was a different attitude toward us guys, but because he is a fighter and doesn’t take a lot of guff from folks — for the same reasons that he is on now and the same reason he accomplished what he has in his career now, which is a testament to him — for all of those reasons, all the good reasons and positives because he is a fighter, I think he would have been on the first show.

“I think I understand the point he was trying to make. It was a different time. There were stereotypes that needed to be broken back then, and thankfully, it was done. Hopefully, it has made a difference for Punk and the others. I think because of the type of dude he is, I don’t think he would have had anything to worry about.”

On the first Raw show, Michaels successfully defend the Intercontinental championship against Max Moon. At the time the emerging superstar wasn’t sure the now longest running weekly episodic television show would last.

“The thing I remember was how strange it was to be on Monday night and thinking it would never work,” Michaels said. “I was brought up in an era where it was Saturday night that was your good night for wrestling. Then the biggest change was going to Saturday mornings, where it was a little more presentable and palatable to be on Saturday mornings. The idea of being on Monday nights just seemed like something short-lived because it was on primetime. Obviously, as I have been many times, I was dead wrong.”

HBK was a part of many memorable moments and matches on Raw over its near 20 years on the air. However, a favorite of his didn’t even involve him.

“I’ve been fortunate to be a part of some really cool stuff,” Michaels said. “One thing that always sticks out to me that I wasn’t even involved in was when DX took the tank to a WCW event. Hunter [Triple H], Road Dogg, Billy [Gunn], [X-Pac] and Joanie [Chyna] going there, I can remember sitting at home watching that and just thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, that is brilliant.’ That for me is one of the bigger moments. Thinking how big everything was then and the focus on the Monday night stuff, I just remember how funny I thought that was. For me, that is a moment that sticks out in my mind.”

Raw and the company as a whole have evolved significantly in the time Michaels has left WWE full time. There are new superstars in the spotlight, a strong focus on social media and the further shift to a wider demographic. Another decision was to extend the program to three hours each Monday night starting with the 1,000th episode.

“When there are big changes, big adjustments have to be made,” Michaels said. “It’s like the rocking of the boat. It takes a little time to get your balance, and then you begin to manage the waves, and things settle in. I’m not surprised, understanding now, the force of the trees and the visionary Vince [McMahon] is. They are going to continue to strive and look for new horizons. That’s what he does. That’s what they do. That is what they are good at. Sure, to a lot of folks, it seems like a lot. It is a lot, but that’s how the guy rolls.

“He is a fighter and continues to move forward. On one hand people can say it’s not the same, but on the other it is a 450-million dollar company. So they can’t be all that bad. I think they will do what they always do, and they will manage. They will adjust and make changes. It’s an ongoing process. They will continue to move things around and settle into something that works. There are always the growing pains and things of that nature. It sort of always mirrors our society, which in general, is a little unsettled at this point. I have a great deal of confidence in the people who are there and in the talent.

“It takes time. I’m not going to be one of the guys who said the talent is different or this or that. They said the same thing about us, too. Eventually, we settled in and became the guys. I think this new crop of talent will do the same thing. They have to go through the rollover of fans comparing them to other people. Then they will make their own fans and win those other people over. They will be the guys who will take it into the future.”

HBK is excited about returning to Raw for the 1,000th episode milestone and working with his best friend Triple H again. The D-Generation X reunion is advertised to kick off the show at 8 p.m. [EST]. Will other DX members join the duo for the festivities?

“Personally I would [like to see it], but I have no idea what is going to happen,” Michaels said. “They ask me if I’ll be there, and I tell them ok. I’d like to think that it’s because their confident that when I get there that day they will tell me what is going down, and I’ll be able to do it. Other than that, it’s all I know. I’m supposed to be there Monday. For what it’s worth, nobody has told me the things we are doing. I don’t know if the other guys will be there.

“I would like that because more people would consider that a reunion. I don’t know if that is going to happen because I don’t know everybody else’s situation. I don’t know where they are at with the company and the things of that nature. Those things play into who they can bring back or not. I don’t know, and I like it that way. That way I don’t have to tell someone I know something I don’t.

“I’m an entertainer. I’m better for you if you don’t give me too much of a structured outline. If you tell me 10 days in advance, I’m not going to pay attention to it until that day anyway. These are all people I’ve worked with for years and years, and they know that. When it comes to DX, Hunter and I write our own jokes. It’s not someone else writing the hair jokes or chaps jokes or something like that. Those are our lines because it’s funny stuff about us. We are the ones who write that stuff, so there is no sense in doing anything other than telling DX how much time they have. Then we are going out there to do the rest.”

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Reply #237 posted 07/25/12 6:22pm

musicology54

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Reply #238 posted 07/25/12 6:55pm

JabarR74

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJEmG-VfTbo[youtube]

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Reply #239 posted 07/25/12 7:08pm

alexnvrmnd777

JabarR74 said:

Fixed.

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