World Wrestling Entertainment

2012-01-29T18:47:00.000+11:00

MMA And Pro Wrestling News: UFC Returns To Sydney, Australia In March 2012; WWE News, CM Punk

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The rough and tough MMA based sport of UFC has announced its return to Sydney for 3rd March 2012.

Your main event will be a welterweight match-up between Thiago Alves and Martin Kampmann inside the octagon at a hopefully jam packed Allphones Arena.

The exciting MMA card will also feature the debut of the UFC’s flyweight division with a two-bout tourney to decide the top contenders at 125-pounds (56.7kg).

Tickets are now on sale, and we understand, selling fast, but not quite as quick as the past two Australian tours we've been leaked.

UFC Managing Director of International Development Marshall Zelaznik advised the UFC was wrapt to return to Sydney for its third live event in as many years.

"We’ve had tremendous success with our two previous events, with last year’s UFC 127 remaining the equal fastest sell-out in the organisation’s history," he said.

"I’ve got no doubt that our Aussie fans will be just as excited about our March event, especially as they’ll witness UFC history with the introduction of the flyweight division. The 125-pound contenders will absolutely put everything on the line is Sydney, knowing that the winners of those two bouts will then have a shot at the inaugural flyweight title. It’s going to be a great show."

Zelaznik said on the upcoming Australian tour: “Thiago Alves and Martin Kampmann are two seasoned mixed martial artists who are sure to go to all out in the octagon. Both athletes are coming off recent wins and will be looking to continue their streak to climb the welterweight ladder.”

Insiders will already know that just off his first round beat-up of UFC newcomer Papy Abedi at UFC 139, Thiago Alves (24-7) has returned once again in strong form that has previously seen him rampage through the welterweight division with wins over UFC greats such as Chris Lytle, Matt Hughes and Josh Koschek, before challenging for the welterweight title in July 2009.

Martin Kampmann (18-5) is looking to reinforce his unanimous decision win at UFC 139 over up-and-coming welterweight Rick ‘The Horror’ Story when he faces of against Alves in the Octagon on Australian soil. Whose face gets rubbed in the dirt er soil, remains to be seen.

The Dane has formidable knock-out power and an underrated ground strategy that has seen him score victory in 9 of his 12 fights in the Octagon, including bests over Carlos Condit, Jorge Rivera and Paulo Thiago.

In the flyweight division, ex No.1 WEC bantamweight contender Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson (14-2) will go against the recently crowned Tachi Palace Fights flyweight champion, Ian McCall (11-2), while Joseph Benavidez (15-2) will challenge Japanese competitor, Shooto champ Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6) in the weight division’s two semi-finals.

UFC / WWE Scoops...

Brock Lesnar May return to WWE

Potential opponents are rumoured to be The Undertaker and the recently returned, Chris Jericho (also a rumoured opponent at WWE WrestleMania against CM Punk)

WWE interested in former U.S Olympic wrestling superstar Kurt Angle for Royal Rumble; Angle says he's staying loyal to Impact Wrestling; Angle won't rule out UFC at some point.

CM Punk Talks UFC via MMA Fighting and more...

WWE star CM Punk appeared on "The MMA Hour" with Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting. The highlights...

-Helwani introduced Punk and noted that he received a lot of heat for having him on as a guest because some people don't want any crossover. Punk noted that pro wrestlers are doing submission holds they've picked up for MMA, and noted that Alberto Del Rio battled Mirko CroCop.

-Helwani mentioned Triple H's comments about UFC needing to evolve more than WWE. "I think that's absolutely insane," Punk said. He said every sport or business needs to evolve. "Pro wrestling has, in my opinion, a lot of work to do," Punk said. He said he's spoken with Triple H numerous times about MMA. "He just doesn't get it," Punk said. "He doesn't watch it either. I think it's just an education thing. Saying UFC has to evolve, I guess he's not wrong, but he's missing the big picture that UFC is evolving."

-Punk was quizzed whether MMA has hurt the pro wrestling business. "Well, it hasn't helped," he said. "To deny that UFC isn't our competition is ridiculous." He added that everything from Cirque du Soleil to television shows such as "Breaking Bad" are competition to WWE.

-Helwani probed whether it surprises Punk that WWE hasn't looked at MMA to see things they can emulate. Punk said he's a wrestling guy and he believes it is a sport. "I'm a fan," Punk said. "I would love to see clean finishes, less run-ins, and I'd like to see wins and losses matter... Those are things that are based in reality." He questioned why guys get title shots time after time when they are losing. He said there are certain things that could be tightened up in that regard.

-Punk said some days are better than others when it comes to travel. He said some top guys have buses they travel in. He said he's getting to the point where he's considering that possibility. He said he enjoys traveling and the challenge of living on the road, but he said he would like to be at home for six months just to see what it was like. He added that he would probably go nuts seven days in.

-Punk advised he became an MMA fan early on going back to the first or second UFC event. He said he and his friend were hooked. He said Dan Henderson is probably his favorite wrestler.

-Punk said the last UFC event he watched live was Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez. He said he doesn't go out to find the shows when he's on the road. He said he despises Hooters, and doesn't think it would end well if a pro wrestler went to watch an MMA show with drunk people who want to prove something in the room.

-Punk was asked about the Brock Lesnar and Undertaker confrontation. He said he thinks he knows more about that situation than most people. He thought it was fantastic that two guys could exchange a glance at get the sports world talking. Punk said Dana White will never allow Brock Lesnar to get a WrestleMania payday while he's under UFC contract.

-Helwani asked Punk who he will face at WrestleMania 28. Punk said he doesn't know who he will face tonight on Raw because things change every three minutes. Punk said he would like to face Steve Austin, and joked that Austin would never duck a challenge. "As far as who I am actually wrestling at WrestleMania, I could tell you and it would probably change 162 times today."

MMA fans, that's a wrap.

As per usual, Australian fans who don't attend the matches in person can tune into Main Event TV on Foxtel.

UFC SYDNEY 2012 EVENT DATE:
Saturday 3 March - Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park

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2012-01-24T20:34:00.002+11:00

WWE Legend's House begins filming next month in California; Foxtel May Scoop Slam, by Greg Tingle

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Wrestling fans from Sydney's Bondi Beach, New York, USA, Hollywood and around the world are buzzing at the news of an upcoming WWE television show - WWE Legend's House, which will be one of the showcase programs on the new WWE Network.

Filming is to commence next month in Rancho Mirage, California, USA and its turned into quite a news media frenzy with video camera operators and photographers all seeking out shots of the legends.

This February at least eight former World Wrestling Entertainment stars will be under one roof in a show not too unlike MTV's "Real Life" with a bit of "Jersey Shore", "Big Brother", "The Ultimate Fighter" and "Tough Enough" thrown in there for good measure.

WWE Legends House will be filmed in Rancho Mirage at the historic home of late comedian Harpo Marx at the Tamarisk Country Club.

WWE Hall of Famer "Mean" Gene Okerlund, the legendary wrestling announcer and interviewer, has been confirmed for the show. Australian fans will recognise Gene as the host of "WWE Vintage Collection" as seen on Foxtel - Fox 8, usually in a TV spot next to WWE SmackDown or WWE Superstars.

We're been tipped off that other cast members with include "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and The Iron Sheik. We're hoping that Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, "The Honky Tonk Man", "The Magnificent" Don Muraco or even Ric Flair (*Flair is currently under contract to Impact Wrestling) are also a chance to appear. Don't expect Scott Hall to appear as the man formally known as "Razor Ramon" has been getting some WWE Wellness Program rehab (for real) in recent years, and to have Hall on the new show would not be a wise risk to take at this stage of the game, however we're hopeful Hall may be able to appear on future episodes of Legends House, should the show be as wildly successful as anticipated.

Sadly Australia's "Outback Jack" - real name Peter Stilsbury (circa 1987 with WWF) won't appear, nor will Nathan "The Front Row" Jones. Neither would be considered an outright WWE legend, however both were certainly well known in their day.

Can you imagine The Iron Sheik drinking, eating and just socializing in general with other WWE legends. Something tells us they are going to have to bleep out much of his foul language, but fans familiar with the very funny and vulgar sheik will get the idea.

Hardcore fans will remember the time Australia's Wide World of Sports on Channel Nine aired the Madison Square Garden matches featuring "The Iron Shiek". One was when then WWF Champion Bob Backlund got caught in the camel clutch by the Iranian and Backlund's manager, (the late) Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel. The other famous sheik match that aired on the then Kerry Packer owned Channel Nine was when Hulk Hogan beat the sheik with his famous clothesline and atomic leg drop. The old WWF Championship Wrestling used footage from the Hogan - Sheik match for its intro music video for many years.

The WWE is going to pitch "Legends House" to audiences as unscripted drama, which is curious as pro wrestlers by nature usually work of a script. Wooooo! - we just broke kayfabe again, but most of the western world knows pro wrestling aka "sports entertainment" has storylines, angles, script writers et al these days, but that's not to say they are not talented athletes - they are indeed some of the best athletes on the planet, but only a few such as Roddy Piper could be considered a very talented actor as far as regular movie appearances go.

The concept does share some similarities to the UFC's Ultimate Fighter (TUF) series, but its wrestling legends - not up and coming UFC stars, who have to prove their worth in matches.

Many fans are hoping for a few outcomes - legends sharing tales from the road trips and locker rooms, who hated who for real, secrets of the profession and that sort of thing. We suppose if a real fight breaks out on set that will be a bonus.

The Media Man agency's spokesperson said "We fully expect that WWE Legends House" will become one of the most popular and most talked about shows on both American and Australian television. WWE top brass genius Vince McMahon has really hit the sweet spot with this one. It's got ratings winner all over it and fits in perfectly with the current "reality era" of the WWE, where the pro wrestling action and scripts carry a much more realistic edge than in the '90 - 2000 era. Australian TV networks, be it Foxtel or Network Nine or Ten, would do well to get in early on this one and secure the rights of a sure fire winner. Kids and parents should try not to copy some of the bad language and practical jokes that are bound to be a staple of this hot new show".

*Wrestling History

January 23, 1984: Hulk Hogan beats Iron Sheik to win hist first WWF title - Madison Square Garden, New York, USA

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2012-01-23T15:23:00.000+11:00

Hulk Hogan Pro Wrestling God Tours Casinos; Sports Entertainment News Update, by Greg Tingle

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Sylvester Stallone Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon

From Bondi Beach, Australia to Japan, Canada, the USA - most of the world knows of Hulk Hogan.

Who can forget the Hulk-A-Mania Australian tour from a few years ago where he feuded with long time rival Ric Flair, and how about the wrestling angle at the then Star City Casino (now The Star), where it appeared at first that Hogan and Flair went at it for real when Flair implied he "had" Hogan's wife "Jennifer", before Hulk did! Now, that would start a fight and boy did the blood flow. The action was so hot that Seven News decided to purchase the video camera footage from the Media Man agency for a considerable sum.

The red did turn to green, as the old wrestling kayfabe saying goes, but not anywhere near as much as the Australian promoter or Hogan would have prefered.

The arena numbers in Australia were on the downside so much that it was largely responsible for TNA Wrestling deciding not to to ahead with an Australian tour.

The only American (or actually global) pro wrestling - sports entertainment company that he since graced Australian shores is the one and only WWE, headed up by promoter genius Vince McMahon. Once in a while Hogan teases a return to the WWE, and the two do have some line of communication. Take note that McMahon has old Hogan rival Flair getting inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame again (with the other 3 Four Horseman members) the night before WrestleMania, so anything can and does still happen in the WWE. Read up on other recent Media Man WWE news for more on that matter.

This writer would like to see Hogan and Flair both become official WWE spokespersons at some point, but if its to be - they need to make the move soon. Father time is ticking away.

Pro wrestling cousin of sorts, UFC from the MMA world is about to hit Sydney, Australia for a third time, but it ain't wrestling. Note, Brock Lensnar from the UFC and pro wrestling world, has left the UFC recently suffering a loss at the hands of Alistair Overeem at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, USA.

Hardcore pro wrestling fans of the WWF and ECK ilk will likely know this bit of trivia. It was Lesnar that "injured" Hogan's back in 2002 which was the official reason that The Hulk didn't visit down under back then. The back story is that Hogan and McMahon couldn't come to business terms. What's left to say but that's the pro wrestling industry.

Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan was at Speaking Rock Casino and Entertainment Center last week.

Hogan was there for the Micro Championship Wrestling event held at the venue.

Hogan was accompanied by the Nasty Boys, Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags, as well as Ed Leslie, better known as Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, the former WWF Tag Team Champion (having held the title with wrestling legend Greg "The Hammer" Valentine).

Micro Championship Wrestling has a show promoted by Hogan on TruTV. The show, which screens as midget wrestling which has been up and running since August. Note we called them midgets, not dwarfs, so haters lay off ok. Some of the wrestlers also like to be called "little people". Whatever, they are full of excitement, talent and fun, and don't mind sharing it with the world.

Australia's Foxtel doesn't currently get TruTV, so we can't enjoy Hogan's midget wrestling show on the box at this stage, but we're hopeful time will change that. Foxtel is going to soon get a new Factual channel, so there's hope yet wrestling fans.

Hogan is the most recognizable figure in the history of professional wrestling from his success in the business since the 1980s. Hogan's also had many of movies and a host of other high profile shows and projects. Hogan's star power even ecliped "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Gorgeous George (Wagner) and Bruno Sammartino (for you old school wrestling fans out there).

Hogan enjoyed high level feuds with the likes of Andre the Giant, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Paul "Mr Wonderful" Orndorff, King Kong Bundy, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, "The Magnificent" Don Muraco, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

On the big screen Hogan has starred in "No Holds Barred," "Suburban Commando" and "Mr. Nanny." He has also made appearances in Rocky III and Walker, Texas Ranger. One can argue that current WWE superstars, John Cena, "The Rock" and Steve Austin took off where Hogan finished as far as mixing wrestling and movies. Roddy Piper is widely regarded as the most talented actor that pro wrestling ever produced. From time to time Piper does his famous "Pipers Pit" talk show segment for the WWE as well as helping out a few other smaller wrestling promotions.

Hogan even had his own reality TV show called "Hogan Knows Best.", and it wasn't long before daughter Brooke, did her own "Brooke Knows Best" show.

Hogan became a household name while in Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now known as WWE, which enjoyed a live event in Las Cruces, New Mexico on Sunday at the Pan American Centre.

He is currently signed to the Impact Wrestling - Total Nonstop Action wrestling promotion and has a range of business projects on the go including in the TV, gaming, casino and internet b2b sectors.

Recently, Hogan has made headlines on celebrity websites for his divorce, his son Nick's car crash, daughter Brooke's music career and the pending removal of his world famous moustache (to satisfy some Hollywood movie producers).

Other

Ric Flair is almost as famous as long time rival Hulk Hogan, who along with Flair is currently under contract to Impact Wrestling. Most would argue that Flair is one of the greatest pro wrestlers in history, while Hogan has earned more income from wrestling and wrestling related activities than just about anyone else.

* The writer has a b2b agreement with the WWE (WWE Shop)

* Wrestling legend Andre The Giant gets online slot game via Richard Branson's Virgin Casino.

* Hogan recently released his Kinnect-based "Hulk Hogan's Main Event" game which got mixed reviews from the gaming industry. The game promo goes "Get pumped and bring the pain in the first full-body wrestling game on Kinect for Xbox 360! In Hulk Hogan’s Main Event Hulkamaniacs can train with wrestling icon Hulk Hogan himself. As your mentor, Hulk will help you build your own wrestling personality and school you in the art of showmanship to win over the crowd. Entertain roaring fans with brutal stunts, combos, even devastating chair hits, that will knock your opponent to the mat or out of the ring. The crazier and wilder your motions, the more high impact your wrestling performance is in your living room ring!"

* Hulk Hogan is also tipped to be soon getting his own online slot game. His Hulk-A-Mania game is being developed by Endemol Games. Endemol is the company behind the famous Big Brother franchise, so you know they know about marketing and publicity. The Media Man agency is tipped to soon come to business terms with Endemol.

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2012-01-19T02:09:00.002+11:00

Virgin Casino Releases Andre the Giant Slot Game

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*sorry, no U.S, Canadian, New Zealand or Australian players. See World Casino Directory

Richard Branson's Virgin Casino announced the release of its latest slot game entitled Andre The Giant this week.

Virgin is in the batch of the first casinos to get this amazing slot game. PartyCasino.com is tipped to also host the pro wrestling themed game.

The new wrestling slot game is a Microgaming flash casino game that is based on the iconic World Wrestling Entertainment star Andre the Giant. It has been launched on the QuickFire platform and is fully licensed by CMG Worldwide.

This 5 reel, 25 pay-line slot game has symbols that revolve around the professional wrestling entertainment genre. Players can wrestle with symbols such as the Andre the Giant logo as the scatter, an image of Andre the Giant acts as the wild and there are additional symbols such as the wrestling ring, championship belt, the mask and tickets.

The biggest pay out a player can win from this game is 5,000 coins and this occurs when five matching symbols appear on the same pay-line. Players can then multiply their winnings by playing a game of Hi or Lo with cards.

The Andre Goes Wild feature round allows the wild symbol to expand to cover all three positions on the reel. This will only occur if the expansion results in a winning combination. The wild symbol only appears on reels 2 and 4 during the game.

If two or more Andre the Giant logo scatter symbols appear on the reels at any one time this will activate a scatter pay out. The scatter pay out for hitting five scatter symbols is 200 coins. If a player hits three or more scatter symbols then they will trigger the Battle Bout Bonus round.

In this round, the player is giving 10 free spins. Throughout these 10 free spins, Attack symbols are collected and saved for the second phase of this bonus round. These symbols are some of Andre the Giant signature wrestling moves. Once the free spins finish, the player then takes the Attack symbols collected into the next part of the bonus round where they pick an opponent to fight and then unleash the Attack symbols on that opponent.

Opponents include Flame Bro, Jimmy Iron Legs and Voltage Van Zandt. No, Hulk Hogan or Jake "The Snake" Roberts are not in the game, but we hear both of these wrestling icons are interested to have their own slot game, and Hogan's wish will be coming soon later this year.

If Andre the Giant hits the opponent then the player wins bonus credits. If Andre the Giant hits the opponent three or more times then the player can select one of Andre the Giant’s finishing moves to win the bout and earn multiple bonus credits.

The Andre the Giant slot game is available to play Virgin Casino right now and Virgin offer some of the best online casino bonuses on the planet so ring the bell!

*Andre The Giant fans may also like The Incredible Hulk online slot. Hulk Hogan purchased the Hulk naming rights to use "The Incredible Hulk" from Marvel Entertainment in a multi million dollar deal approximately 20 years ago.

*Australian, New Zealand and Canadian players - try other Hollywood and branded slot games at PartyCasino.com

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2012-01-17T21:02:00.000+11:00

Wrestling News: Ric Flair - Four Horsemen Appearing at the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony

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From Bondi Beach, Australia to Japan, Canada, the USA - most of the world knows of Ric Flair.

Flair is almost as famous as long time rival Hulk Hogan, who along with Flair is currently under contract to Impact Wrestling. Most would argue that Flair is one of the greatest pro wrestlers in history, while Hogan has earned more income from wrestling and wrestling related activities than just about anyone else.

The last memory of Ric Flair for many people was the night after WrestleMania 24 when he "retired" into the sunset. Maybe only Flair knows for sure if he thought he had retired for real back then.

This past Monday's WWE Raw, the Four Horsemen—Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham, Arn Anderson and Ric Flair—were announced as inductees for the 2012 Hall of Fame.

Ric Flair's inclusion has got the industry and fans talking given "The Nature Boy" is currently under contract with another wrestling organisation.

Ric Flair himself confirms he will be present at the American Airlines Arena the night before WrestleMania 28.

Speculation on how all of this came about is rife.

Did the WWE negotiate a deal with Impact Wrestling so that the 16-time world heavyweight champion could make a one-night appearance?

If such a deal wasn't made, did Flair take it upon himself to commit to show up?

Let's assume a deal wasn't reached between the two companies...it's possible that Flair being shown on WWE TV may have have legal ramifications.

Could WWE top brass Vince McMahon be looking to take over Impact Wrestling, just as he did with WCW and ECW?

Wrestling fans the world over are glued for this developing story and Media Man will be following up.

The Late News...

* Ric Flair spoke with Mike Mooneyham of The Post & Courier about The Four Horsemen going into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

Flair confirmed reports that Triple H called him while he was at the Impact tapings to tell him about the induction. Flair said the whole TNA crew was watching the Hall of Fame video from RAW backstage at the tapings.

Flair also said that WWE has limited his speech this year to 7 minutes. When Flair was inducted back in 2008, his speech went over an hour.

Flair is looking forward to linking back up with the WWE crew and said, "We’re going to blow the roof off."

* Wrestling legend Andre The Giant gets online slot game via Richard Branson's Virgin Casino.it will be exciting to see the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair on WWE TV even if it's only for a few minutes

* Hulk Hogan is also tipped to be soon getting his own online slot game. His Hulk-A-Mania game is being developed by Endemol Games. Endemol is the company behind the famous Big Brother franchise, so you know they know about marketing and publicity. The Media Man agency is tipped to soon come to business terms with Endemol.

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2011-12-28T14:50:00.002+11:00

RANDY SAVAGE'S BROTHER I Wrote a Macho Man Poem ... Now Listen Up!!!

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It's his first Christmas without the Macho Man, but Randy Savage's little brother isn't leaving him behind ... writing an emotional poem in memory of the wrestling legend -- just for the holidays.

Lanny Poffo recites the poem in a typically theatrical Savage family fashion -- and it's pretty awesome, especially if you're a Macho Man fan ... which should be everyone.

And now, our favorite stanza:

His name was Randy Poffo
He became the Macho Man
Randy Savage made it cool
Just to be his fan

That's right. We said stanza. (Credit: TMZ)

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2011-12-20T15:34:00.000+11:00

WWE RAW World Tour 2012 - Sydney, Australia

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Presented by: Dainty Group

WWE's unique brand of action packed entertainment is returning to Australia with WWE RAW. Fans will be able to see all their favourite WWE Superstars including John Cena®, Alberto Del Rio®, CM Punk®, The Miz® and many more*.

*Card subject to change

WHEN: In Brisbane from 19.30, Thursday, August 30th
In Sydney from 19.30, Friday, August 31st
In Melbourne from 19.30, Saturday September 1st

WHERE:

Live from the Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Live from the Sydney AllPhones Arena
Live from the Melbourne Rod Laver Arena

Tickets go on sale on Thursday, December 8th at 9am and can be purchased at:
Online: www.ticketek.com.au
Charge by Phone: 132 849

* Card subject to change

TOUR DATES
Thu 30 Aug - Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Fri 31 Aug - Allphones Arena, Sydney
Sat 1 Sep - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne

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2011-12-19T17:19:00.002+11:00

Crossface Biopic Probes WWE Pro Wrestling Legend Chris Benoit; Life And Death, by Greg Tingle

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Many Australians, and fans around the world, known and love professional wrestling - aka "sports entertainment"... especially WWE style, but there is a dark and serious side to the industry - the massive toll the business often takes on its in ring performers.

In the upcoming biopic on the late Chris Beniot, the finger is not so much pointed at the WWE, nor should it be, but it covers and investigates his life and death in what is largely seen as a fair and balanced capacity.

SRG Films have announced plans to adapt a biopic based on Matthew Randazzo's book "Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry".

It may sound at least a touch sensationalized, but the real life and death story of former WWE Champion Chris Benoit was pretty bizare, even by pro wrestling standards.

For over a decade, Benoit was the poster child of what a professional wrestler should be, however with the murder suicide that all changed and these days his story acts as fodder for those who look to discredit the professional wrestling industry. Professional wrestling may be scripted, some punches may be pulled, taking falls can be practices, but as the WWE promos say 'The Dangers are real' and they are trained professionals. Concussions from the pseudo sport aka "sports entertainment" are all to real and commonplace and have little to do with WWE Mattel Toy or THQ - XBox360 b2b deals.

Entitled "Crossface", the thriller pic explores the situations former WWE superstar Chris Benoit faced throughout his wrestling career. A combination of drug-use, depression, and head trauma made him increasingly difficult to handle and ultimately lead to Benoit killing his wife and young son before committing suicide. The strange set of circumstances made headlines all around the world, and many insiders believe it further encouraged the WWE (and to a lesser extent other wrestling promotions) take better care of their trained professions. There were good financial, political and public relations reasons to look after the performers better. This is something that wrestling legend and former Mayor of Minnesota, Jesse "The Body" Ventura, and his friend in wrestling, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, had been campaigning for, long before Benoit's death was added to wrestling's shameful body count.

The last high profile death of a wrestling legend was that of Randy "Macho Man" Savage, made into a household name thanks to feuds with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. Savage died in a car accident, but the heart attack is what is understood in medical circles as to what caused him to swerve off the road, and into a tree. It was no secret that Savage too was a steroid abuser for much of his career, but to blame wrestler's deaths on steroids alone is naive. The deaths are often a combination of things, such in Benoit's case.

Sarah Coulter turned in a first draft in mid-October. Dale Alexander Carnegie is producing and shooting will begin next Fall.

It is not known if the producer had considered having Hollywood star Mickey Rourke ('The Wrestler') appear in Benoit story. Most in the professional wrestling industry firmly believe that Rourke has done at least a modest amount of steroids over the years, and of course some of Rourke's drug abuse is well documented. To Rourke's credit, he has cleaned up his act and it appears he will be around for a good while longer before his number comes up.

Chris Beniot performed in Australia, including in Sydney and Newcastle under the AWF banner in 1993, and his matches were considered the best on the card by both hardcore and casual fans.

The name Chris Benoit is never mentioned in the WWE - TV, online, print, DVD et al, and WWE top brass Vince McMahon has formally named Benoit as "a monster", but many feel that is a generalisation and that the tragic circumstances of Benoit's life and death involved a complex set of circumstances, some that will never be fully understood.

The WWE has an excellent Wellness policy, including rehab, and offers both current and former WWE Superstars free of charge rehab assistance for any wrestler who applies.

Wrestling legend from the 80s, 90s and 00's 'Razor Ramon' aka Scott Hall is understood to have recently accepted the WWE's rehab offer and fellow legend, Jake "The Snake" Roberts is understood to have vastly improved his health via the WWE's rehab offering, even going on record with "WWE's Vince McMahon saved my life".

A Media Man spokesperson said: "Don't expect the WWE's Vince McMahon to get behind this picture the way they got behind and plugged into 'The Wrestler' that stared Mickey Rourke, nor should they. Benoit spent some of his time including the last number of his wrestling years with the WWE, but to blame the tragic circumstances of his life and that of his family on the WWE alone would not be fair. The case has been the topic of much investigation from the medical profession for many years and will continue to be one of the most documented hard news stories in professional wrestling history. Many fans and media alike look forward to much more positive coverage of the form of entertainment they love - sports entertainment. The film - see it if your a fan but know you will be learning more about the dark side of the industry...one it would prefer didn't exist. Education is a key to learning in society, so perhaps the film should be must see viewing for fans, wrestlers, wrestling promoters and news media across the globe".

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2011-11-19T12:49:00.000+11:00

Wrestling News Media Website Updated

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2011-11-08T15:47:00.000+11:00

Wrestling News Media: WWE, Kevin Nash, Vince McMahon, Mick Foley, Andre The Giant, Steve Austin, The Rock, John Cena, UFC - 7th November 2011

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Kevin Nash aka 'Diesel' returns to WWE Raw on Monday's episode from the United Kingdon. Nash is scheduled to resume his feud with an "injured" Triple H as part of the build-up to an expected singles match in the near future. Plus, more build-up for The Rock & John Cena teaming up at Survivor Series. Nash continues to run his official website, sporting gaming in the mix, but his site could do with a major update, not that ours is perfect either. Great to see Nash become relevant again and Triple H should bring out the best in him, but don't expect a Shawn Michaels 5 star classic.

WWE TV Network News Update...

During WWE's quarterly conference call with investors this past Thursday, WWE CEO Vince McMahon had some harsh words about talk show host Oprah's cable TV network and contrasted the Oprah model with WWE Network plans, which McMahon was very optimistic about during the conference call.

"I would say I suppose the one of the notorious ones (branded TV Network models) would be the Oprah Network, which is a miserable failure on all accounts because you have a brand like Oprah and it does take a genius to figure out that, 'Okay, why don’t we have Oprah do what she does best in our very own network,' and that's the one thing that doesn't happen," McMahon said. "So, in terms of the introduction of a network theory, you're saying, 'Okay, let's take Oprah, but let’s don’t use, let’s not whatever we do, we don’t use her and what she does best. Let’s just try and take an Oprah name and try and brand that in a big round about way,' which obviously from a common sense standpoint, it doesn't make sense... We know what our WWE attributes are. So, we have the opportunity to enhance all of that and bring further viewers, lapse viewers, and as well as current viewers and new viewers from a younger age set of two to 11 into the network, which will be extraordinary, because we are giving the audience what they want, not what they don't want."

Mick Foley WWE Return...

Mick Foley returned to WWE at Wednesday's Raw house show in Dublin, Ireland, which started WWE's bi-annual European Tour. Foley, who has hinted at a WWE return for several weeks, is in the U.K. for his own promotional tour.

Piper campaigning for Piper's Pit with Rock & Cena...

WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper has taken to Twitter to campaign for a Piper's Pit segment with The Rock and John Cena prior to their tag team match at Survivor Series.

"IF THE WWE DOESN'T PUT THE ROCK, CENA, PIPER IN PIPER'S PIT THEY ARE CHEATING EVERY FAN IN THE WWE UNIVERSE. THINK THERE AFRAID? i'M NOT," Piper tweeted Friday. "SPAM THE WWE FOR PIPERS PIT WITH CENA AND ROCK. I PROMISE, IT WILL BE EPIC."

WrestleMania 28 press release; Rock vs. Cena...

STAMFORD, Conn., November 2, 2011– WWE® announced today that tickets for its annual pop culture extravaganza, WrestleMania XXVIII, will go on sale this Saturday, November 5 at 10 AM ET. WrestleMania XXVIII will take place Sunday, April 1, 2012 at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, FL. The event will be headlined by the highly anticipated main event featuring “the most electrifying man in all of entertainment,” The Rock® against WWE Superstar John Cena®.

Ticket prices range from $25-$850. There will also be a limited number of “Gold Circle” VIP Packages available for $1,500. The Gold Circle packages include seating in the first four rows ringside, an exclusive Gold Circle VIP Stadium Entrance, a collectible WrestleMania XXVIII ticket holder and the commemorative WrestleMania XXVIII take-home folding chair. Tickets can be purchased through all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. All tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees.

Last year, a capacity crowd of 71,617 fans from all 50 states and 30 countries attended WrestleMania XXVII at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA. WrestleMania is more than just a one day event, it’s a week long celebration, as WWE will be taking over the greater Miami area during WrestleMania Week. In addition to WrestleMania XXVIII, other activities will include: WrestleMania Axxess – WWE’s four day interactive fan festival; WrestleMania Reading Challenge Finals; WrestleMania Pro-Am Golf Tournament and the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Additional information on these events will be announced in the future at www.wrestlemania.com.

Sylvester Stallone speaks to Entertainment Tonight about his Steve Austin injury during 'The Expendables'...

Entertainment Tonight's Nancy O'Dell (one-time WWE Raw guest host) caught up with Sylvester Stallone on-set at his new movie, "Bullet to the Head," to discuss the film's progression before an April 2012 scheduled release date. Stallone noted he's still feeling the effects of neck surgery that was required after he suffered an injury at the hands of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin shooting "The Expendables" last year. Austin was required to tackle Stallone, who accidentally landed on a pile of bricks. Stallone said, "It's never really the same. "You're just able to function a little bit better."

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2011-10-14T23:41:00.000+11:00

Brock Lesnar targets WWE: The Undertaker and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, by Greg Tingle - 14th October 2011

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News Scoop: Andre The Giant Slot Gaming Coming Soon

UFC and former WWE man monster, Brock Lesnar, is ready to rock, roll and rumble, this time back into the gaming industry.

The former heavyweight champion (UFC and WWE), along with his manager / agent, Paul Heyman, are also interested in suitable business opportunities, and Australian based media agency, Media Man, took the initiative to test the waters in Asia Pacific via some online media exposure and tactics.

As far as we know, the only time Lesnar has ever actually set foot on Australian soil to date was back in 2002 as part of the WWE 'Global Warming Tour', after taking Hulk Hogan's spot on the card, Lesnar having injured Hogan's back (so the storyline went). Hogan didn't make the 2002 Australian tour, but finally got down under in November 2009 with his 'Hulk-A-Mania' tour, but that's another story brother... and sisters.

The Minnesota monster, who left the world of pro wrestling to brawl as a pro mixed martial artist, rocketed to pinnacle of the heavyweight roster in the Ultimate Fighting Championships and realised his dream of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion after only four career matches.

The title reign ended in Lesnar's third title defence, when he was stopped dead in his tracks inside the first round by Mexican American Cain Velasquez.

As Lesnar told the media: "On any given day anyone can beat anyone. It happened to me too".

He's currently on the comeback trail to the UFC following a illness, yet Lesnar has told the press in a number of US interviews that he may be tempted back to the WWE... yes, the pro wrestling circus. Well, we don't really think its a circus, but some detractors do.

Quizzed if he would return to the WWE for one more match, Lesnar told ESPN, "I think under the right circumstances I will."

"I think if Vince McMahon and I were able to sit down at the same dinner table and break some bread that we could come up with some kind of game plan...I think a lot of things have to fall in the right places for something like that to happen."

Lesnar's ties with the WWE media and marketing machine have been re-established with the news that he will feature in their upcoming video game, WWE 12, and he has also featured in a viral video to help promote the launch of the game.

The ex WWE champ has hinted that he'd very much like to take on The Undertaker (Mark William Calaway), who has never lost at the showcase event WrestleMania.

"There's a guy that's been on a winning streak for a long time that somebody needs to step up to the plate and finish the winning streak," Lesnar told IGN.

Shawn Michaels, Big Show, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Ric Flair and a host other others have all tried and failed. Yes, we know that pro wrestling has predetermined winners, but suspend disbelief with us if you will.

And he had some special words for one of the most popular WWE stars of all time, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

"There's another side of me that says if there was a chance for me to come back to fight a guy, it would be the guy that I was supposed to fight that chicken-sh**ted out on me and didn't show up, and that would be 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin."

"At the end of the day, my life, my character and my profession - I take them very seriously. At the end of the day, if it doesn't help me or my family out, and it doesn't make sense for me to do, then I don't do it. Everything would have to fall in the right place, but would I consider it? Absolutely."

Lesnar is due to return to mixed martial arts action and face off against former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and K-1 Grand Prix kickboxing champion, Alistair Overeem, in a heavyweight superfight at UFC 141. The match will headline the event at the famous American entertainment and gaming venue, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in 'Sin City' Las Vegas on December 30th. Lesner will be looking for his jackpot Christmas present - the big win.

We can also confirm that Lesnar in interested in other gaming and branding opportunities, perhaps following the lead of fellow monsters Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash and the late, great, Andre The Giant. He is also understood to be keen to further explore online gaming opportunities. The Wrestling News Media network is following up for more details. Don't change your dial.

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2011-10-14T12:41:00.000+11:00

CM Punk Nominated For 'Best Baddie At Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, by Greg Tingle - 7th October 2011

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WWE’s vocal and self professed 'Best In The World' CM Punk tore up the orange carpet stage, just off a plane.

Punk is keen on showing Australian's he's the 'Best In The World', both in the ring and on the mic.

Upon hearing that Kyle Sandilands won the award Punk went on a rampage, as you might expect.

"People in America don't even know who Kyle Sandipants is", the 'Best In The World' WWE superstar ranted.

In the end Punk got slimmed in green by an announcer.

CM Punk had earlier been interviewed by SBS World News Australia which is showcased on YouTube.

He then exited the stage, but not before kicking Nick balls into the excited audience.

Stay tuned for more.

Photo by Eva Rinaldi Photography

Websites

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards
http://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards

SBS World News Australia
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHUvzS9JzTs&feature=player_embedded

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www.wrestlingnewsmedia.com

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www.wwe.com

WWE CM Punk profile
http://www.wwe.com/superstars/raw/cmpunk

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2011-10-05T21:05:00.002+11:00

Toronto 2011: Dominic Monaghan Thriller 'The Day' Picked Up by WWE Studios

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The Day, which played in the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness sidebar, has found a home at WWE Studios, which announced it has picked up U.S. distribution rights to the post-apocalyptic action thriller.

Directed by Doug Aarniokoski and written by Luke Passmore, the movie stars Shawn Ashmore, Ashley Bell, Cory Hardrict, Dominic Monaghan and Shannyn Sossamon as a group of survivors fighting to stay alive.

"The Day is a renegade thrill-ride that will not disappoint audiences," Michael Luisi, the newly named president of WWE Studios, said. "We went to Toronto looking for films to showcase and expand the WWE Studios brand and found exactly that with Doug's exceptional film.”

"The Day has been a wild ride from start to finish and we are very excited that we have found the right home to get the film out to the fans in a big way,” said director Aarniokoski, who is currently directing Nurse 3D for Lionsgate.

The film was produced by Guy A. Danella. Aarniokoski, Michael Finley, Tim James, Antonina Armato and Ross M. Dinerstein served as executive producers.

Kevin Iwashina of Preferred Content handled the sale, with Luisi and vp of business and legal affairs Bradley Buchanan negotiating for WWE Studios.

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2011-10-05T14:37:00.000+11:00

Hulk Hogan, WWE, Marvel Entertainment, by Greg Tingle

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Scoop: Hulk Hogan TNA retirement announcement may be real says insiders; Sting angle suggests part "work" YouTube link

Scoop: Mick Foley aka "Mankind" and "Cactus Jack" to return to WWE rings sooner rather than later; 1 to 6 more matches say insiders

Hulk Hogan slashes the price of his Florida mansion by a whopping $16 million...

He is said to be worth a staggering $32 million.

But former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan is so keen to add to his millions that he is slashing the price of his Florida mansion by $16m in a bid to sell it as fast as possible.
The 58-year-old muscle man just reduced the price of the huge home to just $8.85m - the fourth reduction in price since the home was originally listed back in 2006 at $25m.

And it seems he's not above using his celebrity status to help unload the 17,000sq ft Mediterranean-style mansion, which has five bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, and sits on the scenic Gulf of Mexico, in Clearwater.

The description on Realtor.com reads: 'Located on an exclusive tree lined street in the residential Town of Belleair, this exquisite residence is owned by television personality Hulk Hogan.'

The two story home, which was built in 1996, features a gym and spa, five-car garage and a pool with a two-tier waterfall.

The Tudor style property also boasts vaulted beamed ceilings and dark hardwood or tiled floor throughout as well as expansive living areas and lush gardens.

Hulk, whose real name is Terry Bollea, originally lived in the home with his ex-wife Linda, who filed for divorce from the star in November 2007.

The couple, along with their two children, Nick, 21, and Brooke, 23, filmed their reality show 'Hogan Knows Best' in the home.

Meanwhile, Hogan is currently getting slammed by mini wrestler Steve Richardson - aka 'Puppet the Psycho Dwarf' for allegedly ripping off his TV idea.

Steve, who is behind the little-person wrestling programme 'Half-Pint Brawlers' says that he's considering suing the Hulk for copying his venture.

Hulk's latest TV idea is also a dwarf-fighting show - Hulk Hogan's Micro Championship Wrestling (MCW) and Steve says it's just not fair.

"I have no ill feelings toward Hogan, but loads of his wrestlers are the guys I fired," The 42-year-old said. "They're using all the ideas everything I came up with. There's no individuality. They're following the same concepts. It's a violation of intellectual property rights," fumed the 4'4" strongman.

MCW owner Johnny Greene says Steve is flipping out over nothing: "We had this idea first, but they rushed to the network to get their show on the air first, figuring whoever got on the air first would capture the audience," he said.

"But their show sucked. They were doing midgets and 'Jackass,' and ours is a real wrestling show." Holding no punches Greene added: "Puppet's just trying to jump on the bandwagon because their business is dying."

Half Pint Brawlers, Inc was started 15 years ago but they have been having trouble holding down a TV series.

A spokesperson for Hogan declined to comment.

How Hulk Hogan blew his millions: Cars, houses, holidays...

Hulk Hogan blew "hundreds of millions" of dollars on palatial homes and fast cars.

The wrestling legend - real name Terry Bollea - admitted he wasted the vast sums of money he earned during his years in the WWE and WCW and is living in a rented home after slashing US$16 million (NZ$21m) off the price of his Florida mansion in order to get a quick sale.

The WWE Hall of Fame inductee told Good Morning America: "There were houses being bought, and cars being bought, and vacations for family members. There was eight, nine, $10 million, $11 million going out, so it got way off."

Despite his financial troubles, Hulk seemingly announced his retirement from professional wrestling on TNA TV show Impact Wrestling, claiming he wanted to break the news to his fans first because they always stuck by him through the major difficulties in his life, including a divorce from wife Linda in 2007.

However, speculation is rife his retirement is a 'work' - part of a wrestling storyline - and he will step inside the squared circle again against Sting at upcoming pay-per-view Bound For Glory.

Meanwhile, Hulk has run into trouble after attempting to boost his finances with his latest venture, a reality TV show on US network TruTV featuring miniature wrestlers, after midget competitor Steve Richardson - aka 'Puppet the Psycho Dwarf' - accused him of stealing his idea.

He said: "I have no ill feelings toward Hogan, but loads of his wrestlers are the guys I fired. They're using all the ideas everything I came up with. There's no individuality. They're following the same concepts. It's a violation of intellectual property rights."

MCW wrestling owner Johnny Greene said: "We had this idea first, but they rushed to Spike TV to get their show on the air first, figuring whoever got on the air first would capture the audience.

"But their show sucked. They were doing midgets and Jackass, and ours is a real wrestling show. Puppet's just trying to jump on the bandwagon because their business is dying."

Comic Book Movies, Games Et Al...

Be it movies, comics or games, we think that Marvel Entertainment leads the pack, followed by DC Comics, with Dark Horse Comics getting a third, based on the positive news leaks and insider tip offs we've been getting.

As Marvel living legend Stan Lee would say, Excelsior!

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2011-09-26T13:13:00.000+10:00

Hugh Jackman denies breaking wrestler's jaw - 26th September 2011

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Hugh Jackman admits that he punched a professional wrestler with all of his might - but disputes claims that he broke his jaw.

The Australian actor attended a WWE wrestling match on September 19 to promote his upcoming boxing film Real Steel. A guest of honour, Jackman was able to hang out in wrestler Zack Ryder's corner while the tournament took place.

At one point during the fight, Jackman travelled over to Dolph Ziggler's corner, Ryder's opponent. Jackman and Ziggler exchanged words and Ziggler received a clean punch to the jaw by the actor quickly thereafter.

"I hit him," Jackman told Entertainment Weekly.

"[Dolph] said, 'Hit me as hard as you can.' So I hit him pretty hard. And you can see it in my eyes. I watched [the clip] again, and you can see me going 'Uh oh' a little. I'm acting like, 'Yeah!' but I'm really like, 'S***, I kinda really clocked him in the jaw'."

Jackman insists that he didn't mean to clock Ziggler with so much force. Ziggler tweeted soon after the incident with claims that Jackman put a hairline fracture in his jaw.

"It was scripted that I would go for that punch," Jackman explained.

"But just before we went on, Dolph was yelling at me, 'You hit me man! Just f***ing hit me!' During rehearsal I said, 'I'd like to do it, but I've spent 20 years pulling punches, trying not to hit. Trying to make it look real, but not really hit.'

"He said, 'There's no way. There's cameras everywhere, there's crowd everywhere, there's no way we can 'whiff it', as they call it'."

Jackman is convinced that Ziggler may be embellishing the extent of his injury a little bit.

"The next day I read he really broke his jaw and I wasn't surprised - but I don't think he did," Jackman said.

"He's prone to exaggeration - which is why I hit him! Nah, just kidding!"

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2011-09-25T19:10:00.001+10:00

WWE Internet Championship In Works; Zack Ryder Pushed By Top Brass And Hugh Jackman - 23rd September 2011

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WWE's Zack Ryder is maintaining his rage to see an official WWE Internet Championship come to pass. Woo Woo Woo.

Contracted pro wrestler Dolph Ziggler tweeted that his mandible was fractured after the actor hit him this past Monday Night Raw, but some insiders say it was all an elaborate stunt. Wouldn't be the first time would it.

Aussie actor Hugh Jackman made a special appearance on Monday night's WWE Raw to promote his upcoming boxing film Real Steel, and got a little more than he bargained for, such is life in and around the WWE.

The actor, who has played beefed-up character Wolverine in Marvel's X-Men films since 2000, got into a been with notorious heel wrestler Dolph Ziggler, who insulted Jackman by calling him the wrong superhero name: Batman.

While this back-and-forth was surely staged, as WWE match-ups are, when Jackman delivered the planned punch, it may have achieved extra impact.

"MRI scheduled for 1 pm.....possible fractured jaw #thanksBatman," Ziggler wrote from his HEELZiggler Twitter account Tuesday. He later seemed to confirm the injury, following up with, "hairline mandibular fracture" tweet.

But, some are claiming that the entire injury is a hoax. TMZ reports that sources close to the wrestler say the entire thing was made up, but that the WWE wasn't in on Ziggler's joke.

Whatever the case, we here at Media Man love it. Keep it up.

Rumours remain that the likes of Mick Foley, Hulk Hogan and another former NWO member will soon return to WWE rings.

We can also confirm the return of the late, great, Andre The Giant this year (but in an online slot game - not in a wrestling ring). Ric Flair may also be following suit, and Kevin Nash is also understood to be keen to further explore online gaming opportunities. Don't change your dial.

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2011-09-12T13:55:00.004+10:00

WWE News: WWE Star Triple H Speaks On His Role, Stephanie McMahon, Movie Scoops and More...

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In a new interview with Chris Yandek of cyinterview.com Triple H responds to his wrestling critics who believe he has received preferential treatment and greater opportunities on WWE TV, because he is married to Vince McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie.

"I know what I accomplished in this business," Triple H said. "I know why I accomplished it. I don’t. Critics and what people say about this or that or my marriage or any of that stuff is crap. It’s mostly started by people that are either jealous or angry that they failed where other people succeeded. I mean, that’s a common, I was told it when I started in the business.

"It’s a common saying in this business, you can make friends or you can make money. You can have buddies or you can get over. Which one do you want? You know, and they don’t come together. And I think, I don’t, I never look at it that way. I don’t have anything to prove to anybody. I’ll put my body of work up against anybody in the business. I’ll put my drawing power up against anybody in the business. That’s irrelevant. It’s people’s opinions”

Triple H follows up by stating what he believes the WWE product lacks today with the newer wrestlers in the company. He explains what these guys need to be successful.

"We’re a victim of our own success," he said. "There’s no place for guys to go and figure out how to do this. We have to teach them kind of and get them up to speed to speak. Even when you get guys off the independent scene, they are very much independent wrestlers and then the independent scene will, so these guys are the greatest guys in the world and you bring them up and they flounder on the big stage. They can’t. They can’t. It’s a completely different animal and a completely different world and you have to, it’s relearning and re-teaching. That’s the biggest, I think, struggle we have is getting these guys there.

"But listen, at the end of the day, you just have to find guys with the right charisma and they have to be the ones to put that charisma out there. Nobody told The Rock how to be The Rock…Work rate is important, guy’s skill in the ring is important, but at the end of the day it’s about charisma. It’s the ability to draw fans to arenas and the guy that draws the most fans to the arena for whatever reason, positive or negative, he’s the top guy.”

He does believe the WWE product could be bigger than the 7.0 ratings that were put up during the WWE Attitude Era:

"Do I think it can ever get that big again? History can repeat. I say without a doubt. I think it can be even bigger…What tomorrow brings, no one knows.”

Finally, Hunter talks about winning the majority of vintage wrestling auctions from his mentor “Killer” Kowalski. He says they are working on a real WWE Hall of Fame for people to see all the historic wrestling items.

“I think I was gone on the road for SummerSlam, but I had somebody at the office bid online and I got I think like 99 percent of everything wrestling-wise, which I’m glad I did. I just didn’t want that to go to somebody that just hid it away somewhere. I wanted the world to be able to see how great he really was. And do I think they’ll ever be a hall of fame? Yes. I think they’ll be a physical hall of fame.

"That’s something we’re working on. It’s definitely in the works. It’s just a matter of when, where. Is it a traveling hall of fame? Is it a permanent place? There’s a lot of questions and thoughts on it and we’re in the process of collecting things to put in there. But the Kowalski stuff for me was as much a legend in this business was also a very personal thing for me.”

Triple H also talks about his movie role in Inside Out out this weekend and many other wrestling topics including his favorite memory. Check out the write up and listen to the entire interview at CY Interview.

Paul 'Triple H' Levesque talks about 'Inside Out'...

"Paul, WWE has tried to make movies in the past and ... well ... and ... " I said very cautiously remembering that "Paul" is pro wrestler Triple H, who is about 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds.

"Come on, don't be shy. I've seen them," Paul Levesque said.

"Well, they haven't been very good," I continued cringing.

"Things are changing," he said. "We actually have some real stars in this one!"

In the past two years, WWE Studios has made "Legendary," "Knucklehead," "The Chaperone" and "That's What I Am." And WWE likely made more money at one pay-per-view event than those four movies brought in.

But Levesque is starring with "real stars" Michael Rapaport, Parker Posey and Bruce Dern in "Inside Out," a movie coming out Friday about prison, the mob and redemption.

"I read the script and really thought it was great," Levesque said about the role originally slated for David Batista, who was hung up in contract negotiations. "This movie isn't all about action. It's a drama with a message."

Levesque, a 42-year-old Connecticut resident, enjoys making movies but doesn't want to do it for a living, like former pro wrestling stars such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

"I remember a conversation with owner Vince McMahon in 1999 or 2000 and he wanted the Rock and I do to more movies," said Levesque, who has been married to McMahon's daughter, Stephanie, for nearly eight years. "The Rock was really interested in that. I was crushed, really. I didn't want to do that. I loved wrestling so much and I still do today."

Levesque's most memorable role has been as Jarko in "Blade: Trinity," along with his current co-star Posey. Even after the release of this film, Levesque is taking it one movie at a time.

"I like going to work and coming home to my family, my kids and my dog," Levesque said. "If I wanted to, I could make phone calls in Hollywood and get more movie roles. But I have no interest in that. Wrestling is my passion." (Credit: ESPN)

Michael Luisi to Head WWE Studios...

STAMFORD, Conn., Sep 07, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) - WWE today announced that Michael Luisi has been named President, WWE Studios, effective immediately. In his new role, Luisi will oversee WWE Studios and all of its motion picture productions and initiatives worldwide. Luisi will continue to report directly to WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.

"Michael's vast knowledge of, and experience in, the motion picture industry make him a tremendous asset for WWE Studios," said Vince McMahon. "I am confident Michael will continue to expand our motion picture business on all platforms worldwide."

WWE Studios will continue to diversify its motion picture portfolio (theatrical, Home Video, VOD) and expand its global audience through strategic production and distribution partnerships, while leveraging WWE's core fan base of over 500 million households worldwide. Luisi's seasoned film background and strong industry relationships will play a key role in the execution of the strategy. Prior to joining WWE, Luisi spent twelve years at Miramax Films, most recently as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Operations. In that role, Luisi oversaw the day to day operations of Miramax, as well as serving as the principal business advisor to the president of Miramax and primary liaison with then parent company Disney. Luisi's new position will enable WWE Studios to expand the WWE studios brand and productions worldwide.

The first project Luisi will oversee for WWE Studios is "No One Lives," a co-production between Pathe Pictures and WWE Studios starring Luke Evans (The Immortals) and directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, which is currently in post production. Luisi brought the project to WWE shortly after joining the company in January 2011 as its Executive Vice President of Business Development & General Counsel.

About WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company WWE is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE WWE can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; the need for continually developing creative and entertaining programming; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent McMahon; the conditions of the markets in which we compete and acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; our exposure to bad debt risk; uncertainties relating to regulatory and litigation matters; risks resulting from the highly competitive nature of our markets; uncertainties associated with international markets; the importance of protecting our intellectual property and complying with the intellectual property rights of others; risks associated with producing and travelling to and from our large live events, both domestically and internationally; the risk of accidents or injuries during our physically demanding events; risks relating to our film business and any new business initiative which we may undertake; risks relating to the large number of shares of common stock controlled by members of the McMahon family and the possibility of the sale of their stock by the McMahons or the perception of the possibility of such sales; the relatively small public float of our stock; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends, general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant. SOURCE: WWE

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2011-08-14T15:36:00.001+10:00

WWE Studios rethinks its strategy after shooting seven films in New Orleans

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WWE Studios rethinks its strategy after shooting seven films in New Orleans...

WWE Studios' New Orleans experiment might not be down for the count, exactly. But the wrestling-linked outfit's unique local strategy -- in which it shot seven films in town in less than two years, including the just-wrapped "No One Lives" -- is definitely changing.

WWE Studios chief Mike Pavone, who had been a near-constant presence in New Orleans for the better part of a year and a half, is leaving the company "to pursue other opportunities," according to a report this week in the trade paper Variety. That follows by days remarks from WWE honcho Vince McMahon that the company is rethinking its film strategy.

Taking advantage of Louisiana's filmmaking tax credits was a key to that strategy, which was Pavone's brainchild, dreamed up after the locally shot, bigger-budgeted 2009 action film "12 Rounds" performed poorly at the box office in the wake of a marketing push by distributor 20th Century Fox that was lackluster at best.

The Pavone plan was intended to keep the budgets of the studio's films -- mostly family-friendly fare on his watch, ranging in genre from comedies to a period drama -- in the $5 million range, a bargain by Hollywood standards. In addition to taking advantage of Louisiana tax credits, it signed a new deal with independent distributor Samuel Goldwyn Films that gave the studio more say in marketing strategy.

Another key to it all, though, was Pavone's mass-production concept, in which production on one film cranked up just as its predecessor was wrapping, allowing the studio to roll much of its crew over from film to film and tamp down startup costs.

That was great for local film-industry workers hired by the studio, as they saw steady work with largely the same group of people for more than a year. And local movie buffs got to see New Orleans on the big screen. (Particularly memorable: Michael Rappaport's black-and-gold Super Bowl XLIV shirt in the forthcoming "Inside Out," albeit a shirt of questionable copyright.)

WWE's bean counters didn't have much to complain about, either -- at least not at first.

"This whole idea is based on a television model," Pavone said in a September interview on the New Orleans set of the forthcoming "Bending the Rules," starring Jamie Kennedy and wrestler Adam "Edge" Copeland. "Amortizing your costs over several movies, you roll the same crews over and over, you don't have to spend all the money for startup and shutdown costs, which could be to the tune of six grand a day to start up in a new place and hire new people and hire stage space.

"We make all of our deals based on multiple movies, so they give us some better rates and on and on. We found out we save a million dollars a movie."

Unfortunately, while all of that meant savings on the production side, it didn't necessarily translate into quality at the box office. Pavone tried to lend his films credibility by signing established actors -- including Ed Harris, Patricia Clarkson, Danny Glover, Michael Rappaport and Parker Posey -- to star alongside a selection of WWE wrestler/actors. But audiences didn't respond.

The new distribution deal didn't help matters. It was built around a cost-cutting plan to give each film a limited theatrical release followed just weeks later by DVD releases -- meaning WWE Studios would foot the bill for just one, rather than two, advertising campaigns. But the results apparently weren't much different than when Fox had the reins.

Although WWE Studios generated $4.3 million in the past three months, its latest release -- the coming-of-age comedy "That's What I Am," starring Harris and directed by Pavone -- lost $3.3 million during the second quarter after mustering only $6,400 from 10 theaters in three days at the box office, Variety reported.

After getting an exclusive DVD release at Walmart on May 17, "That's What I Am" -- shot mostly in Jefferson -- gets a wide home-video release on Tuesday (Aug. 16).

As for what direction the studio will take next, a hint could be in "No One Lives," which just wrapped production on the north shore.

That film saw the studio team with Pathe U.K., part of a strategy to share costs with other production partners. As a horror flick directed by Ryuhei Kitamura ("Midnight Meat Train"), it also might signal a shift toward more genre fare, Variety speculated, after Pavone's slate of mostly feel-good dramas and family fare didn't appeal to the company's fan base.

And, it's worth noting, Louisiana is apparently still part of the picture.

WWE Studio's Snapshot...

A look at WWE Studios' films shot locally under the supervision of recently departed executive Mike Pavone:

"Knucklehead," available on DVD now.

"Legendary" (working title: "Brother's Keeper"), available on DVD now.

"The Chaperone," available on DVD now.

"That's What I Am" (working titles: "Big Red," "Big Ginger") available Tuesday on DVD.

"Inside Out", set for limited theatrical release Sept. 9.

"Bending the Rules," release date unannounced.

"No One Lives," just wrapped production.

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2011-08-13T19:03:00.002+10:00

WWE Wrestling Mixing With Hollywood; Mainstream News Continues, by Greg Tingle - 13th August 2011

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Pro Wrestling Stars Keen On Casino, Gaming And Online Casino Dealings...

Ric Flair aka "The Nature Boy" was the first, but not last, pro wrestler to cash in on his name in the gambling sector. Flair is the front man for tthe Carolina's Education Lottery with his Wooooo tickets, now in their second campaign. Hulk Hogan followed the money trail to gambling with his Hulk-A-Mania slot machine deal with the Dreamseekers Foundation, but you will have to travel to Californian casinos to check out the game. Hogan also has an online slot on the way in a deal inked with Endomol Games UK. The online slot is expected to hit casinos such as PartyCasino before the end of this year. An Andre The Giant online game is also rumoured to be soon released by North Sydney based NextGen Gaming. Kevin "Diesel" Nash even has some game promos on his official website. Media Man is understood to be the first port of call for the scoops relating to wrestling - gaming deals. PartyCasino currently offers the Sumo slot game, but its not a touch on what a Hogan or Flair online slot will be. Punters, the good news is that the online slots can be played for free or for money, but if you don't bet, you can't win (for real) either, but you won't loose money if you play in that fashion either. Many players are trying out the online games for free, before placing down money. You must be 18 years old or over to play the online slot games in most countries.

Clooney hooks up with WWE wrestler Stacy Keibler...

Just a couple of months after George Clooney broke up with Elisabetta Canalis, he has a new girlfriend, Stacy Keibler, 18 years his junior.

The 50-year-old had done well for himself, extremely well, if the general consensus was anything to go by, after all, there is no denying that the Italian, 32 , had a figure to be envied.

But by George! He's only gone and done it again, as these pictures of his latest paramour prove, and Clooney's new girl has an even better figure than Canalis.

Stacy Keibler, an actress and model, has been fighting professionally in the past.

Clooney’s girlfriend, aged 32, was a successful WWE wrestler, famed because her 42 inch legs allowed her to step in and out of the ring with ease and panache.

Keibler, who hails from Maryland, is incredibly proud of her endless pins, she was quoting as saying: 'Anybody can go out and buy boobs, but you're either blessed with attractive legs or you're not.'

But don't let these statistics fool you into thinking that Clooney was merely attracted to Keibler's comely form.

Us Weekly report that Clooney was bedazzled by the leggy blonde's witty banter.

They report a source as saying: 'They like each other's sense of humour.'

The friend added: 'They have been really close for two years, Stacey is a superchill girl, and George has the same personality.'

Hulk's girl Brooke Hogan gets nude in a cage...

Reality TV star Brooke Hogan has left her wrestling legend dad in a knot over raunchy nude photo campaign for animal rights charity PETA.

The exposing black and white snaps of the 23-year-old naked and behind bars left her dad, Hulk Hogan, red-faced when he viewed the pictures at an exhibition yesterday. See the photos here

Wrestling hero Hulk, real name Terry Gene Bollea, jokingly tried to spare his daughter's blushes by covering up the revealing portraits with his hands.

The shots are part of the PETA's Women In Cages exhibition held in Cafeina Lounge, Miami, Florida which the curvy Hogan Knows Best star Brooke supported by going nude.

Moustachioed muscle-man Hulk had been attending the bash on his 58th birthday along with his wife Jennifer McDaniel and the ex-wrestler and his family were treated to a giant cake adorned with his name in silver lettering.

Hulk Hogan's Micro Championship Wrestling

truTV Announces Premiere Dates for Three Compelling New Series
Network Reveals Premieres of New Seasons of Seven Returning Original Series, Plus the Debut of Hit Series Wipeout
truTV – which is coming off another record-setting quarter in reaching young adults – has lined up an extensive programming slate for the end of 2011 that includes three new series, seven returning hits and the network's biggest series acquisition ever.

The new series Bear Swamp Recovery, about a larger-than-life family-owned repo business, is set to debut Aug. 22, followed by the Sept. 14 premiere of Hulk Hogan's MCW, which will take viewers behind the scenes of a new professional wrestling league. truTV's third new series of the fall and winter, the hidden-camera prank series Impractical Jokers, will arrive in December.

On Sept. 2, truTV adds its biggest series acquisition, the popular competition show Wipeout. Seven of truTV's original series are also set to return, including the hits Hardcore Pawn, Lizard Lick Towing, Full Throttle Saloon and Black Gold.

truTV just scored its most-watched second quarter ever in primetime delivery of three key demos: adults 18-49, men 18-34 and men 18-49. The network, which is growing in popularity with younger viewers, increased its delivery of adults 18-34 by 11% and men 18-34 by 7% in the second quarter.

The following is a rundown of truTV's new and returning series for 2011:

New Original Series
Bear Swamp Recovery – New series premiering Monday, Aug. 22, with back-to-back episodes at 10 and 10:30 p.m. (ET/PT)
Bear Swamp, where the business is big but the family is even bigger, follows PJ Vinch, who runs a booming New Jersey repo company with the help of his senior-with-an-attitude father and his teen son. With a repo order in one hand and a slice of pizza in the other, these bulky Sicilians never hesitate to take jobs other companies can't handle, from massive construction equipment to luxury yachts at the Jersey shore to an entire fleet of racecars. They always get the goods, and they never miss a meal. Bear Swamp Recovery comes to truTV from Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment.

Hulk Hogan's MCW – New series premieres Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Hulk Hogan, one of the legendary stars of pro wrestling, believes you need to start small if you want to win big. Now he's lending his expertise to the new Micro Championship Wrestling, where he gives little wrestlers advice on recruiting, training and mentoring. It's all with the goal of getting the MCW off the ground and into the arena. Hulk Hogan's MCW comes to truTV from Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment.

Impractical Jokers – New series coming in December
Since they were kids, Sal, Murr, Q and Joe have dared one another to do the most ridiculous, humiliating public pranks imaginable. Now, to find out who's best under pressure, they'll compete in unbelievably awkward social experiments – all recorded on camera. The loser must do the most mortifying challenge ever. Impractical Jokers comes to truTV from NorthSouth Productions.

New Acquired Series
Wipeout – Acquired series to air Fridays at 8 p.m. (ET/PT), beginning Sept. 2
truTV has acquired exclusive, off-network cable rights to air this exciting series in which contestants face wildly outrageous barriers, from Big Balls to complex contraptions, for the chance at winning a cash prize. Wipeout, which is also shown in numerous international versions around the globe, ranks among the world's top-rated game shows. The series was recently voted by Entertainment Weekly's readers as "Reality TV's Guiltiest Pleasure."

Returning Series
Lizard Lick Towing – Season 1 returns Monday, Aug. 22, at 9:30 p.m. (ET/PT); Season 2 coming in November
Las Vegas Jailhouse – Season 4 launches Sunday, Sept. 4, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Operation Repo – Season 9 launches Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 9:30 p.m. (ET/PT)
Police POV – Season 2 launches in November
Hardcore Pawn – Season 5 coming in November
Black Gold – Season 4 coming in November
Full Throttle Saloon – Season 3 coming in November

About truTV
truTV is television's destination for real-life stories told from an exciting and dramatic first-person perspective. Currently seen in 93 million U.S. households, the network is enjoying its best deliveries ever in key demographics. truTV features high-stakes, action-packed originals that give viewers access to places and situations they can't normally experience. truTV's primetime fan favorites include the original series Hardcore Pawn, All Worked Up, Lizard Lick Towing, Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, Black Gold, Operation Repo and World's Dumbest… During the daytime, the channel features expert trial coverage under the name In Session.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

About truTV
truTV is television's destination for real-life stories told from an exciting and dramatic first-person perspective. Currently seen in 93 million U.S. households, the network is enjoying its best deliveries ever in key demographics. truTV features high-stakes, action-packed originals that give viewers access to places and situations they can't normally experience. truTV's primetime fan favorites include the original series Hardcore Pawn, All Worked Up, Lizard Lick Towing, Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, Black Gold, Operation Repo and World's Dumbest… During the daytime, the channel features expert trial coverage under the name In Session.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

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2011-07-22T16:53:00.002+10:00

Wrestling News Media: CM Punk Storyline Expected to Continue Outside WWE, by Greg Tingle - July 2011

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Pro wrestling aka "sports entertainment" continues to go through one of the most interesting and "insider" focused periods in many years, with many commentators saying that WWE is finally getting back to its "Attitude Era", which "Stone Cold" Steve Austin spear headed so successfully, under the direction of WWE top brass Vince McMahon.

A Media Man spokesperson said "WWE is most assuredly getting back to some of the edgy and insider stuff that the WWE Attitude era was based upon. How much the strategy pays off from a financial perspective is yet to be see, however its certainly a popular development with hardcore and long time fans who missed the edgy and inside angles."

CM Punk...

WWE is attempting to continue the CM Punk storyline in such a fashion that, while his name and likeness are banned from WWE television, they're attempting to get Punk booked on late-night talk shows and other news-grabbing entities. The idea is that Punk will continue to taunt WWE with their own world title while WWE tries to, in story, forget that he exists.

WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts informed fans before the start of Raw that there was a ban on chanting Punk's name. As you would expect the fans chanted it anyway several times during the show.

John Laurinaitis Talent Relations...

WWE is looking to hire someone with a sports background to groom for working in talent relations. There is lots of discussion within WWE about John Laurinaitis and his long-term future with the company. It’s no secret that Triple H isn’t a fan of Laurinaitis and Laurinaitis has always been compared in a negative way to Jim Ross when it comes to talent relations. It was discussed after Money in the Bank that Laurinaitis may be established as a new TV character, similar to how Patterson and Brisco were to Vince McMahon years ago.

Kevin Nash...

Kevin Nash is reportedly is signed to a different WWE Legends deal than everyone else. Usually the Legends deals are that you make a percentage of the revenue your name and likeness generate, and they pay you a small amount of per year as a retainer of sorts. Nash is receiving a significant amount of money. Nash is said to be frustrated because he thought the reaction he got at the Royal Rumble would lead to something else on TV.

Bruno Sammartino...

A documentary on the life of wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino will be completed in September, after being worked on for years. A feature film is also being worked on but they're still in the raising money stages because Sammartino insists on doing it as an independent release, so studios don't "Hollywoodize" it up. The movie is being done by Home Alone's Scott Rosenfelt and Sammartino is meeting with Liar, Liar writer and former WWE writer Paul Guay this week about working on the project.

Vince McMahon Meets With UFC's Dana White Re Brock Lesnar...

Dana White recently appeared at WWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut to meet with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. White and McMahon meet regarding Brock Lesnar, who is a currently employed with the UFC.

Paul Heyman, Lesnar’s good mate, orchestrated something between the MMA and wrestling organizations and they had one of their first meetings together regarding the upcoming DVD that will feature the former WWE and UFC Champion. The project reportedly will be a mutual project between WWE and the UFC. There are currently no talks of Heyman or Lesnar returning to the WWE anytime in the near future.

Ric Flair Continues Promoting NC Lottery Deals And Selling Goods Online...

Ric Flair official online store
http://ricflair.com/shop/catalog

Ric Flair - Media Man Int profile
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/flair.html

Professional wrestling returns from the 80s - 22nd July 2011 - Stuff.co.nz...

Slammin', bashing and bad-mouthing. The spectacle that is professional wrestling is closer than you think and very much alive and kicking in New Zealand.

Ex-pro wrestler and Kiwi Pro Wrestling boss, Rip Morgan, knows the industry well and how hard it is to break into.

The last New Zealanders to wrestle for the World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly WWF), were The Bushwhackers - Luke Williams and Rip's uncle, Butch Miller - 15-years-ago.

"We do have a lot of good athletes here in New Zealand, but it's very hard to get into the business."

Four KPW wrestlers and two Australians recently had try-outs in front of WWE talent scouts in Sydney, Australia.

Shane "The Technician" Whitehead was one of them.

"In this business you don't call them, they call you, so I just have to cross my fingers and hope for the best."

Shane's one of many passionate performers hoping to wow the crowd at KPW's "True Mana" at the Wellington High School tonight.

It's a whole other world from their day-jobs.

"By day I work a nine-to-five job in an office, sitting at a computer all day," said Tane Kaiwai, or Dane King, who's been wrestling for about a year-and-a-half.

"You do it for the love of wrestling. Obviously you don't do it for the money, doing it locally"

Just two weeks ago, a near sell-out crowd showed up to Auckland's Vector Arena for the New Zealand leg of WWE's world tour. Fans turned up in their thousands to catch a glimpse of their favourite characters, such as WWE champ John Cena.

However, time will tell whether professional wrestling will become a permanent fixture in New Zealand's mainstream entertainment - and perhaps the fans are happy to keep it on the fringes.

"The fans vary. They can be a little quiet person in the back row to a front rower who's going crazy. They can get out of their seats, get carried away, run up to the ring, give some harsh words to our 'bad' guys, so to speak, and that's what makes the show interesting," said Rip.

Movies like 2009's "The Wrestler", which earned Mickey Rourke a best actor Oscar nomination and revived his career, have helped bring wrestling back into the mainstream.

In New Zealand, KPW's ambitious plans to do the same and bring the spectacle into people's living-rooms was realised through Prime's series "Off The Ropes" - the first weekly wrestling show on a major TV network since Steve Rickard's "On The Mat" in the 1980's.

"We're endeavouring to get our second series up and running," said Rip.

It's a debate that's as old as the internet, is professional wrestling a sport? The KPW boss doesn't deny that it's theatre.

"Your job as a wrestler is to entertain the ticket buyer who's come to watch you. That's your job. So I don't think even fans would care who wins or who loses, as long as they remember it was a good match.

"Wrestling has an element of circus, showmanship, dress parades and I think over the generations people have always been attracted to something different, outside their normal hours of work. So I think that's why wrestling still lives." (Credit: Stuff.co.nz)

WWE Hall Of Fame Rumours...

Pushes on to see Randy "Macho Man" Savage inducted, facilitated by his death, along with "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson and Sean Waltman (once known as the "'123 Kid", "X-Pac" and "Syxx Pac", and was a key member in the The Kliq serving below Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall (currently serving about one week in jail). Waltman was also a member of the NWO.

Hulk Hogan online slot game due out before end of year; Endemol Games UK To Release...

Stay tuned to the Media Man Int website portal for more news as it comes to hand on the pending release of the Hulk Hogan online slot game.

WWE Website Content Updated...

WWE Vids - 'Tactical Force' movie with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
http://vids.wwe.com/12654/trailer-for-the-movie-tactical-f

McMahon's Million Dollar Mania ends in disaster
http://vids.wwe.com/12633/mcmahons-million-dollar-mania-en

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2011-07-12T17:10:00.000+10:00

Wrestling News Media: Hogan, Flair, WWE, CM Punk, McMahon, Jim Ross, Cena, Rock, Kevin Nash... by Greg Tingle - 12th July 2011

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Media Man and the vast majority of mainstream news and wrestling news outlets agree - pro wrestling... cough, "sports entertainment", is interesting again, with realistic storylines and a reasonable amount of quality pro wrestling matches on offer.

Traditional thinking would dictate that WWE PPV events are going to achieve higher buy rates and the positive momentum should also increase the revenues of marketing and mechanise. Just wait until the highly anticipated WWE TV Network kicks in... tipped to be approximately 12 months away.

Jim Ross...

Jim Ross has noted on Twitter that WWE sold out three straight shows on its current tour of South Africa.

Jim Ross has posted his latest blog. Highlights:

On WWE waiting so long after buying WCW to do the Invasion angle: "Beats me but the top talents that were needed to make the storyline really work were getting significant monies from Turner/WCW to essentially sit at home and fulfill their contracts. When judging the Invasion business, it's easy to Monday morning QB the matter but few will argue that it could have been more productive."

On a potential Hulk Hogan WWE return: "I have no idea. I assume anything is possible. I can't see Hogan returning to wrestle multiple matches in WWE due to his health issues but regarding this talent and his future I simply don't know and nothing would surprise me."

On Scott Hall leaving WWE in 2002: "After the infamous plane ride from hell and the unprofessional incidents that ensued by many, it was decided that having Scott back on the road with extensive traveling was not in the best interests of the talent or WWE."

On CM Punk leaving WWE: "I'm not involved in this matter whatsoever but from what I've read and what WWE has publicly stated, Punk vs. Cena at the MITB PPV in Chicago, Punk's hometown, will be CM Punk's last, foreseeable bout in WWE....win, lose, or draw. As an outsider looking in, I'd say Punk will finish up Sunday July 17 as WWE has stated."

Kevin Nash...

IMDB.com is listing Kevin Nash as appearing in the sequel to the 2007 film "Ghost Rider" starring Nicolas Cage. The sequel will see Cage reprise the role of the Ghost Rider and Nash's character has yet to be named. The film will be titled "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Revenge."

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper...

Piper is to have another check up for cancer. We're pleased he got through the initial battle with the Big C back in 2006. Few on the planet have most heart and guts than Piper, so we're tipping he's going to keep powering along, and perhaps even have some more in ring battles in the near future.

Hulk Hogan...

Purchase Hulk Hogan's Belleair Mansion For Just $9.2 Million...

If you're looking for an infamous Tampa Bay address to call home, the Wall Street Journal notes that Hulk Hogan's Belleair home is on the market. Well, still, anyway, because it's been for sale or years. But look, it's now a bargain at a mere $9,242,000! That's only about $539 per square foot, y'know.

The house, at 130 Willadel Dr., has been for sale for about five years, when it went on the block for $25 million. The Hulk took it back off the market, but it was listed last summer for $10.9 million. What does the new price buy you? A 17,000-square-foot-plus manse with five bedroom, eight full baths and three half baths, a gym, a rec room with its own kitchen, a tanning room, a wet bar, a hot tub, a guest house, a swimming pool with waterfalls and two docks on the Intracoastal.

Terry Bollea and his then-wife Linda bought the parcel in 1992 for only $2 million, so we can only guess what kind of margin is on this house. The Hulkster paid $120,325.85 in taxes in 2010, according to the Pinellas County property appraiser, even with the homestead exemption, so we can see why he'd want to ditch the joint. For a look at the listing, click here. Oh, and don't forget the HOA fee.

WWE Signs National Wrestling Champion...

The Medina Gazette from Ohio reports that WWE signed NAIA national wrestling champion Derek Foore to a developmental deal on Friday. Foore was invited to a FCW tryout months ago after WWE’s Jerry Brisco scouted him at a wrestling competition. Foore is planning a move to Florida where he can begin training at FCW.

The two-time national finalist and three-time high school state wrestling runner-up had the following to say about the signing:

"Right when I got the call I was like, ‘Yes, I’m one step closer. I’m willing to do whatever it takes. When I’m crazy enough, big enough and my career is sound and well-molded, that’s when they’ll say ‘Ok, you’re ready, man.’ I’m just living in the moment. I’m 22 years old and I have this opportunity. I will take it and seize it."

WWE Stars And Legend To Appear At San Diego Comic-Con...

Triple H, Rey Mysterio, members of the WWE creative team, a surprise WWE Legend and Mattel employees will be at the San Diego Comic-Con on July 21st for a special Q&A where they discuss WWE’s past, present and future and how it’s all celebrated with Mattel’s line of WWE toys. The discussion will take place from 11:30am until 12:30.

Vince McMahon - CM Punk Negotiation Behind Closed Doors...

WWE Monday Night Raw is being built around the public negotiation between WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and CM Punk, the two reportedly had a negotiating session in the past 24 hours behind closed doors. According to several key WWE insiders, the meeting was private, between McMahon and Punk, and none of the writing staff or the agents have been notified of the outcome of the negotiation.

WWE DVD Mentioned In Mainstream Newspaper...

Houston Chronicle’s David Barron, who has covered wrestling off-and-on for decades and regularly mentions wrestling stories in his weekly TV/Radio Notebook, referenced WWE’s "Best Cage Matches" DVD in Friday’s paper: "DVD updates: For old-school Texas wrestling fans, WWE’s The Greatest Cage Matches of All Time includes a couple from Jack Adkisson’s WCCW promotion in Dallas-Fort Worth."

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson...

Johnson’s biggest movie to date was Fast Five but he was so important in that movie’s success he was offered a job for a massive blockbuster. What role? He has landed the role of Road Block in the sequel to the hit summer movie "G.I. Joe". Johnson has posted a photo of himself along with the G.I. Joe logo and a caption that reads "It’s official. Call the Pentagon, get me my big ass gun. Rock’s a Joe" on his Twitter account.

Big Show To Appear USA Network Drama This Week...

WWE star Big Show will appear on the USA Network series "Burn Notice." The show airs Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. CT.

Kevin Nash Rumoured To Have Role In 'Rock Of Ages'...

Jim Ross on Kevin Nash's big movie role: "What's Kevin Nash up to. Oh, about 7 feet. Seriously, Kevin called me Monday on his way back from France where he wrestled on a one off event in the southern part of France and was on his way back to Miami where he's filming a movie. Kevin plays Tom Cruise's bodyguard in the film. It's a huge, $200M film w/ an all star cast."

Rumours Of Wrestling Legends Returning To WWE...

Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair and Mick Foley are the 3 prime names been talking about by wrestlers and fans of being legitimate chances to once again return to the WWE. Michael's would be more believable that the other two, but Foley is understood to enjoy solid to good relationships with many WWE top brass and wrestlers, so stay tuned.

WWE Ice Cream Bars To Return?

Will WWE Ice Cream Bars be for sale again at wrestling venues and ice cream trucks soon? During the latest WWE Raw results, wrestler CM Punk demanded the tasty frozen treats as part of his contract negotiations with Vince McMahon, to the delight of the WWE Universe. While Punk tore that contract to shreds to conclude the show, fans certainly haven't forgotten about the ice cream bars made popular in the WWF days.

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2011-07-02T13:10:00.000+10:00

Wrestling News Media: WWE, Australia, CM Punk, Randy Savage, Brock Lesnar, by Greg Tingle - 2nd July 2011

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WWE Superstar The Miz Multimedia Via Australian TV

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http://www.foxsports.com.au/Other+Sports/interview-with-the-miz/video-e6frf56c-1226084893110?subcat=1225914720791&site=FoxSports

One HD
http://one.com.au/video.htm?movideo_m=115863

WWE: Former WWE Champion Returning To The Company?...

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and former ECW owner, manager, and commentator Paul Heyman are negotiating for a WWE return. However, the proposed return is only for consumer products (according to AOL’s MMA reporter Ariel Helwani) and there is no interest from WWE, Lesnar, or Heyman regarding an on-air return for either of them, but at the same time, anything can and usually does happen in the WWE. Currently, Lesnar and Heyman are very close to making the business deal official with the WWE. Brock Lesnar was in the WWE from 2002-2004 and, in that time, Lesnar became the lead star for over a year, becoming the King of the Ring in June 2002, just four months after his WWE debut. Two months later, Lesnar won the WWE Championship for the first time at SummerSlam. Lesnar continued at the main event level, getting two more reigns as WWE Champion, as well as winning the 2003 Royal Rumble. Prior to WrestleMania XX in 2004, Lesnar made the decision that he would be leaving the WWE to pursue an NFL career. This led to Lesnar facing the also departing Goldberg at WrestleMania, with Stone Cold Steve Austin as the Special Referee, in his final WWE match. After a failed stint in the NFL, Lesnar decided to get into the world of mixed martial arts, ultimately landing in the UFC, securing a reign as the UFC Heavyweight Champion, but lost the title to Cain Velasquez. After the original ECW closed its doors for good in 2001, Paul Heyman joined the WWE as a color commentator before becoming a key player in the WWE Vs. WCW/ECW Invasion angle. After the WCW/ECW faction lost, Heyman was "fired" by Vince McMahon and Heyman went on hiatus until March of 2002 when he returned to become the manager of Brock Lesnar, later turning on Lesnar to join Big Show. Heyman also became the SmackDown General Manager for a time before returning to being a manager for The Dudley Boyz and Heidenreich. When the WWE decided to present a special one night only return of the original ECW called "ECW One Night Stand", Heyman was given heavy booking and promotional involvement in the rebirth. This led to WWE doing a second ECW One Night Stand event in 2006, this time featuring an "invasion" of WWE Superstars. Following the 2006 One Night Stand event, ECW became a third brand (in addition to RAW and SmackDown) under the WWE umbrella. In December of 2006, WWE decided to host an ECW-exclusive event titled "December To Dismember", which did poorly in the PPV sector. The failure of an ECW-exclusive pay-per-view was largely blamed on Heyman. He and Vince McMahon had a very heated argument in front of the WWE writing team, leading to Heyman parting ways with the WWE. WWE history shows that just about anyone can return to the WWE if its good for business, and we're tipping Lesnar and Heyman to make a full return. Be watching this space in coming days and weeks for more on this real life saga that is the WWE.

Randy "Macho Man" Savage Dead Before Car Crashed: Autopsy...

Randy "Macho Man" Savage died of a heart attack before the car he was driving crashed, his autopsy revealed. Savage, 58, died May 20 after he suffered a heart attack while driving in Pinellas County, Fla. His car veered into oncoming traffic before striking a tree. Savage, whose real name was Randall Mario Poffo, was pronounced dead at Largo Medical Center. He wife, Lynn, was in the 2009 Jeep Wrangler with him but suffered only minor injuries. His autopsy revealed advanced heart disease, including an enlarged heart and severe blockage of his arteries. The injuries would not ave been considered life-threatening. Savage had small amounts of hydrocodone in his system, but not enough to have been a factor in the crash. He wrestled during the era of Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Junkyard Dog and other iconic professional wrestlers who helped turn Vince McMahon’s scripted wrestling league into a worldwide phenomenon. He was known for his catchphrase, “oooooh yeah,” and his association with his manager, Miss Elizabeth. He also formed a “partnership” with Hogan, which of course went bad in typical soap-opera fashion. Savage joined World Championship Wrestling after his WWF run. He retired in 2005 after a brief stint with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He later worked as a pitchman for the “Snap into a Slim Jim” campaign. He joins a long list of wrestlers from his era to die an untimely death, including “Ravishing” Rick Rude, Owen Hart, Andre the Giant and Junkyard Dog. Miss Elizabeth Heulette died in 2003 from a drug and alcohol overdose. Savage was one of the most popular, famous and highest earning professional wrestlers of all time, perhaps only trailing Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair.

WWE Live event results from Acer Arena, Sydney, Australia

Rey Mysterio def CM Punk

Beth Phenoix & Kelly Kelly def Bella Twins

Zack Ryder def Primo

Evan Bourne def Jack Swagger

(US title) Dolph Ziggler def Kofi Kingston

(Tag titles) David Otunga & Michael McGillicutty def Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov

Alex Riley def The Miz

(WWE title) John Cena def R-Truth

CM Punk Shoot / Worked Angle On Raw...

WWE Raw came to an abrupt end Monday night moments after CM Punk’s mic went out while he was cutting a scathing, anti-WWE promo that was filled with insider references, like never done before in a WWE or even WWF or WWWF ring. It was more ECW than ECW, and we're talking about the glory days of the once hardcore promotion.

After the show went off the air, it was announced on the WWE website portal wwe.com that WWE chairman Vince McMahon has suspended Punk indefinitely for unprofessional conduct, and Punk’s bio was removed from the website.

The wwe.com story went like this "with [Punk’s] contract expiring on July 17, one can only assume that this suspension effectively terminates CM Punk’s tenure with WWE."

"John Cena, while you lay there, hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be, I want you to listen to me. I want you to digest this, because before I leave in three weeks with your WWE Championship, I have a lot of things I wanna get off my chest.

"I don’t hate you, John. I don’t even dislike you. I like you a hell of a lot more than I like most people in the back. 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 you’re better at than I am, and that’s kissing Vince McMahon’s ass. You’re as good at kissing Vince’s ass as Hulk Hogan was. I don’t know if you’re as good as Dwayne… he’s a pretty good ass-kisser… always was and still is. Oops… I’m breaking the fourth wall. [Punk waves to the camera.] I am the best… wrestler… in the world. I’ve been the best ever since Day One when I walked into this company, and I’ve been vilified and hated since that day because Paul Heyman saw something in me that nobody else wanted to admit. That’s right, I’m a Paul Heyman guy. You know who else was a Paul Heyman guy? Brock Lesnar… and he split, just like I’m splittin’, but the biggest difference between me and Brock is that I’m going to leave with the WWE Championship.

"I’ve grabbed so many of Vincent K. McMahon’s imaginary brass rings that it’s finally dawned on me that they’re just that. They’re completely imaginary. The only thing that’s real is me, and the fact that day in and day out, for almost six years, I’ve proved to everybody in the world that I am the best on this microphone, in that ring, and even on commentary. Nobody can touch me. And yet, no matter how many times I prove it, I’m not on your lovely little collectors’ cups, I’m not on the cover of the program, I’m barely promoted, I don’t get to be in movies, I’m not on any crappy show on the USA Network, I’m not on the poster of WrestleMania, I’m not on the signature that’s produced at the start of the show. I’m not on Conan O’Brian, I’m not on Jimmy Fallon, but the fact of the matter is I should be, and trust me, this isn’t sour grapes, but the fact that “Dwayne” is in the main event of WrestleMania next year and I’m not makes me sick!

"Oh hey, let me get something straight, those of you who are cheering me right now… you are just as big a part of me leaving as anyone else, because you’re the ones sipping out of those collector cups right now, you’re the ones that buy those programs that my face isn’t on the cover of, and then at five in the morning at the airport, you try to shove it in my face thinking you can get an autograph and sell it on eBay because you’re too lazy to get a real job.

"I’m leaving with the WWE championship on July 17 and hell, who knows, maybe I’ll go defend it in New Japan Pro Wrestling… maybe I’ll go back to Ring of Honor… [Punk waves to the camera again] hey, Colt Cabana, how you doing? The reason I’m leaving is you people because after I’m gone you’re still going to pour money into this company — I’m just a spoke on the wheel — the wheel’s gonna keep turning. And I understand that… that Vince McMahon’s gonna make money despite himself… he’s a millionaire who should be a billionaire… you know why he’s not a billionaire? It’s because he surrounds himself with glad-handing nonsensical [censored] yes-men like John Lauranitis, who’s gonna tell him everything he wants to hear… and I’d like to think that maybe this company will be better after Vince McMahon is dead, but the fact is it’s gonna get taken over by his idiotic daughter and his dufus son-in-law and the rest of his stupid family.

"Let me tell you a personal story about Vince McMahon. You know we do this whole bully campaign…” The mic is cut off Punk is stunned and smacks it a few times, then boos fill the arena he yells" I’ve Been Silenced!" and the feed to the show is cut off the air.

A Media Man spokesperson said "We believe that this is an elaborate work, and a great one at that. Likely the most realistic angle in the history of the promotion and CM Punk pulled it off beautifully. We're of the belief that if this was shoot i.e a totally real situation, the mic volume would have been cut earlier. Never say never, but we're 99% certain this was a work. We think a lot of hardcore and casual fans would have initially believed that it was a totally real situation happening in the ring. CM Punk and the WWE have once again made one of the most memorable happenings ever in a WWE ring. WWE top brass, if or when you read this, keep up the realistic angles and promos. CM Punk and WWE are over big time at the moment, so keep doing what your doing, and keep us guessing".

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2011-06-30T13:21:00.002+10:00

Wrestling News Media: WWE CM Punk Shoot / Worked Angle On Raw

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WWE Raw came to an abrupt end Monday night moments after CM Punk’s mic went out while he was cutting a scathing, anti-WWE promo that was filled with insider references, like never done before in a WWE or even WWF or WWWF ring. It was more ECW than ECW, and we're talking about the glory days of the once hardcore promotion.

After the show went off the air, it was announced on the WWE website portal wwe.com that WWE chairman Vince McMahon has suspended Punk indefinitely for unprofessional conduct, and Punk’s bio was removed from the website.

The wwe.com story went like this "with [Punk’s] contract expiring on July 17, one can only assume that this suspension effectively terminates CM Punk’s tenure with WWE."

“John Cena, while you lay there, hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be, I want you to listen to me. I want you to digest this, because before I leave in three weeks with your WWE Championship, I have a lot of things I wanna get off my chest.

“I don’t hate you, John. I don’t even dislike you. I like you a hell of a lot more than I like most people in the back. 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 you’re better at than I am, and that’s kissing Vince McMahon’s ass. You’re as good at kissing Vince’s ass as Hulk Hogan was. I don’t know if you’re as good as Dwayne… he’s a pretty good ass-kisser… always was and still is. Oops… I’m breaking the fourth wall. [Punk waves to the camera.] I am the best… wrestler… in the world. I’ve been the best ever since Day One when I walked into this company, and I’ve been vilified and hated since that day because Paul Heyman saw something in me that nobody else wanted to admit. That’s right, I’m a Paul Heyman guy. You know who else was a Paul Heyman guy? Brock Lesnar… and he split, just like I’m splittin’, but the biggest difference between me and Brock is that I’m going to leave with the WWE Championship.

“I’ve grabbed so many of Vincent K. McMahon’s imaginary brass rings that it’s finally dawned on me that they’re just that. They’re completely imaginary. The only thing that’s real is me, and the fact that day in and day out, for almost six years, I’ve proved to everybody in the world that I am the best on this microphone, in that ring, and even on commentary. Nobody can touch me. And yet, no matter how many times I prove it, I’m not on your lovely little collectors’ cups, I’m not on the cover of the program, I’m barely promoted, I don’t get to be in movies, I’m not on any crappy show on the USA Network, I’m not on the poster of WrestleMania, I’m not on the signature that’s produced at the start of the show. I’m not on Conan O’Brian, I’m not on Jimmy Fallon, but the fact of the matter is I should be, and trust me, this isn’t sour grapes, but the fact that “Dwayne” is in the main event of WrestleMania next year and I’m not makes me sick!

“Oh hey, let me get something straight, those of you who are cheering me right now… you are just as big a part of me leaving as anyone else, because you’re the ones sipping out of those collector cups right now, you’re the ones that buy those programs that my face isn’t on the cover of, and then at five in the morning at the airport, you try to shove it in my face thinking you can get an autograph and sell it on eBay because you’re too lazy to get a real job.

“I’m leaving with the WWE championship on July 17 and hell, who knows, maybe I’ll go defend it in New Japan Pro Wrestling… maybe I’ll go back to Ring of Honor… [Punk waves to the camera again] hey, Colt Cabana, how you doing? The reason I’m leaving is you people because after I’m gone you’re still going to pour money into this company — I’m just a spoke on the wheel — the wheel’s gonna keep turning. And I understand that… that Vince McMahon’s gonna make money despite himself… he’s a millionaire who should be a billionaire… you know why he’s not a billionaire? It’s because he surrounds himself with glad-handing nonsensical [censored] yes-men like John Lauranitis, who’s gonna tell him everything he wants to hear… and I’d like to think that maybe this company will be better after Vince McMahon is dead, but the fact is it’s gonna get taken over by his idiotic daughter and his dufus son-in-law and the rest of his stupid family.

“Let me tell you a personal story about Vince McMahon. You know we do this whole bully campaign…” The mic is cut off Punk is stunned and smacks it a few times, then boos fill the arena he yells ” I’ve Been Silenced!” and the feed to the show is cut off the air.

A Media Man spokesperson said "We believe that this is an elaborate work, and a great one at that. Likely the most realistic angle in the history of the promotion and CM Punk pulled it off beautifully. We're of the believe that if this was shoot i.e a totally real situation, the mic volume would have been cut earlier. Never say never, but we're 99% certain this was a work. We think a lot of hardcore and casual fans would have initially believed that it was a totally real situation happening in the ring. CM Punk and the WWE have once again made one of the most memorable happenings ever in a WWE ring. WWE top brass, if or when you read this, keep up the realistic angles and promos. CM Punk and WWE are over big time at the moment, so keep doing what your going, and keep us guessing".

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2011-06-19T19:08:00.002+10:00

Wrestling News Media: Wrestling Legends Update, WWE, Australia, Movies and more, by Greg Tingle - 19th June 2011

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Steve Austin Roddy Piper Chris Jericho Hulk Hogan Mick Foley Bruno Sammartino Vince McMahon Miz John Cena The Rock Mickey Rourke Jim Ross John Seru Wrestling Wrestling Legends WWE

In this writer's opinion, pro wrestling aka sports entertainment is hot again. Not quite yet at WWE Attitude levels, but getting close in some fashions.

Why? How about compelling storylines and character's in the WWE, the brand getting back some of their attitude (more hardcore and adult themes), developing talent, and let's face it - more of true legends on the broadcast like "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

The legends back on WWE television helps get the new talent over.

Then there's the elevation of R-Truth Alex Riley, former student of Miz, "Big" Andy Leavine aka "Silent Rage" (who yet had to show he truly brings it)... but the slap by McMahon and the stunner by Austin on Raw a few years ago sure helped get him over, but can Andy maintain the rage? Time will tell.

R-Truth, opponent of John Cena in less than 24 hours is on fire and over in a big way. Anti establishment all round bad ass is what helped get Austin over big time, going back to the King Of The Ring ceremony when he uttered the words Austin 3:16 said that I just whipped your ass. Some comparison can be drawn between R-Truth and The Gangstars in the old Extreme Championship Wrestling, and not just because they are the same colour. It's about the attitude, the out of control charisma, and ability to back in up in the ring. The world loves a rebel, and R-Truth delivers. He's attacking the corporate champion and ripping on WWE merchandise and the conspiracy towards him is hard not to love, if you're into more mature storylines. Randy Orton is on fire and CM Punk is one of the most entertaining superstars, in and out of the ring. Now all we need is for R-Truth to win the strap, and we will have a hell of a meaningful wrestling feud. It's R-Truth VS The World, and we're loving it.

The WWE powers that be do appear to be listening.

It's also compelling to hear that Mick Foley aka "Mankind", "Cactus Jack" and Dude Love", may be soon returning to the WWE, after a decent run in TNA. In addition, TNA's Hulk Hogan also frequently mentioning by name Steve Austin (Hogan wants a match), and Roddy Piper is apparently interested in doing a Piper's Pit with Hogan VS Austin and Hogan VS Ultimate Warrior.

FCW, the feeder promotion for the WWE continues to develop the next generation of wrestling superstars and TNA continues to keep up the good fight, with Hogan publicly getting behind Matt Morgan.

A number of wrestling insiders are saying that WWE needs to keep going with the more hardcore and mature storylines, and that they might also do well to further embrace some more UFC concepts.

Jim Ross, living legend of the wrestling announcer variety, continues to deliver great insight into the world of pro wrestling, mixed martial arts (and BBQ sauce).

Australian fans - don't forget the WWE comes back down to Australia for WWE Live, starting in Sydney on 1st July at Acer Arena.

Let's now take a look at some specific individuals and further probe some of the world's hottest pro wrestling news...

Ross on Steve Austin and Roddy Piper: "(Austin and Piper) were the two highlights for this old schooler on Monday's Raw. They both know how to fully command an audience and still have 'it.' Austin can be so intense that it bleeds through the TV screen. His Clint Eastwood-esque delivered line to CM Punk...."punk" was golden. @CMPunk and Austin have excellent on screen chemistry and back in the day they would have had a helluva run. Nothing but money."

Ross on R-Truth: "R-Truth' s professional career has never been more elevated. He fits the role that he's in well and it would not shock me to see, by hook or crook, R-Truth upset John Cena this Sunday on PPV to win the WWE Title. Long shot? Perhaps....but stranger things have occurred on a WWE PPV and no one can argue that a Truth title win wouldn't 're-shuffle the deck.'"

Ross on The Miz: "(The Miz) is so easy to dislike which is a marketable necessity for any villain. Guys that can talk as well as Miz, who I Tweeted reminded me of a male Kardashian, are essentially Teflon coated. Essentially no matter what occurs in the ring, more often than not, they are right back to where they need to be when provided the opportunity to speak."

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper

Rowdy Roddy Piper recently shared his thoughts on the Warrior vs. Hogan situation; here are the Twitter highlights: "Warrior made some comments I heard that Hogan may sue over. Sex and Wrestling, Warrior talking of Hogan. Hogan talking about Macho. This is not a time to be funny or reckless. I take it very serious! There's a honor a man has to carry with him. I have seen a lot. There's a line that I won't cross for any $ value. I have to catch a plane in 4 hrs. Going to Battle. I will try an address H/W over the weekend.1st. Warriors interviews. Warrior was not making interviews to be analyzed. They were made for the PG audience at the time. For kids! You have to look at the presentation Warrior did a good job presenting. Yes he could have layered it, parents and children could enjoy together. His merchandise. His way. Taking negative about another man's family? YOU CAN DIE FROM THAT!! Nothing to do with business...A thought. Take both Hogan and Warrior together or apart. Do a Shoot Piper's Pit!!! Then again fools rush in were wise men never tread!!"

A Roddy Piper vs. Terry Funk singles match is officially advertised for the 2011 Gathering of the Juggalos event, which takes place August 11-14 at Cave in Rock, Illinois. For more information, visit JuggaloGathering.com

Chris Jericho

(PETERBOROUGH) Chris Jericho has struggled with critics throughout his career, both in the wrestling ring and on stage. Jericho spent two decades climbing the ranks of sports entertainment, passing off the skeptics who labeled him not good enough, too small etc to become one of the most celebrated stars in World Wrestling Entertainment history, including being crowned the first-ever undisputed champion. Now the lead vocalist of Fozzy, playing venues like the Historic Red Dog, is defying the disbelievers who first slammed the heavy metal group as simply "the band with the wrestler." "There were a lot of people who stayed away from us, thinking it was just a novelty," says Jericho. "But I just didn't wake up one day and say, 'Let's start a band.' This was something I've been doing since I was 12. The passion is there, the belief is there and the knowledge is there. "I think people can sense that. That's why we are building momentum. Once people can realize it's real, they'll get behind you." Fozzy's recent Peterborough stop is a visit between two huge concerts in Toronto and Brantford before a major summer tour in Europe alongside metal stalwarts Metallica, Slayer, Slipknot, Anthrax and Motorhead. "You get a different vibe when you play a smaller club than in bigger places," says Jericho. "It's a little sweatier; more energy and a little more rock and roll. We love that." Fozzy Osbourne, a cover band formed in 1999 by Rich Ward of Stuck Mojo, evolved into Fozzy. Jericho joined in 2000, accompanied with characters such as Moongoose McQueen and a satirical storyline. They had signed a 20-year contract to stay in Japan only to discover many famous artists in the U.S. had ripped off their music. The group's high-energy sound led to a record deal and two albums of cover songs, Fozzy (2000) and Happenstance (2002), paying tribute to the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Twisted Sister, Motley Crue and Black Sabbath. The second album also included five original songs. "It was a fun side project and suddenly we got offered a record deal just to play covers. We were kind of confused with that but like any self-respecting musician, we took the money and did it," quips Jericho. In 2005, the comical shtick was dropped as was the cover song focus. All That Remains was an album of entirely new music, as was Chasing The Grail, which was released in 2010 to rave reviews and loads of radio time. "The gimmick can only last so long if the music isn't there," says Jericho, who composes the lyrics while Ward writes the music and plays lead guitar alongside guitarist Sean Delson, drummer Frank Fontsere and guitarist Billy Grey. "We're a very heavy band but with a lot of melodies." But from groove-driven metal compositions, such as Under Blackened Skies and Martyr No More to the epic 14-minute prog-metal tune Wormwood, Jericho finds inspiration from the unlikeliest of bands: The Beatles. "They are my favourite band of all time. There are a lot of harmonies and melodies in our vocals and much of that comes from listening to them." The Winnipeg-raised Jericho (his real name is Chris Irvine, the son of former NHLer Ted Irvine) admits he always chased two childhood dreams. "Wrestling just kind of took off first before the music did," he says. "But now that the music is starting to catch up, it's very gratifying and rewarding because we've been working hard on it." Jericho left the WWE in September after his contract expired. It's his second departure after a two-year hiatus in 2005 during which he said he was disheartened with wrestling. But he remains a busy entertainer. He has written two New York Times best-selling books chronicling his wrestling career and is working on a third book. And there's been numerous TV appearances include competing on ABC's Dancing With The Stars. But wrestling fans are clamouring to know when, or if, Y2J will ever step inside the ring again. "That's a big question and I really don't know. "When I left in September, I had no plans of coming back and had no plans of not coming back and I still feel the same way. I love them both but right now my main focus is on Fozzy because of all the great stuff we have going on. "I still like watching wrestling and I keep track of it very diligently and know exactly what's going on in all aspects of it. I'm still enjoying it as a fan." Fans of Jericho share his passion for music and wrestling. "We have fans from all aspects -- your Chris Jericho fans and your die-hard Fozzy fans. "And there will be the people who will come check out Chris Jericho 'the wrestler guy' and see what we're about. "I always like to say the only people that don't like our band are the ones who have never heard it." Something tells us that Jericho is way too good to stay away from the wrestling ring forever, and when the WWE needs him to spark new energy into the show, he will be there. Perhaps the most rounded sports entertainer ever - that's Chris Jericho.

John "Vulcan" Seru

One of the biggest superstars of the Australian pro wrestling scene of all time. Today Seru runs the Muscle Mania gym in South West Sydney. Seru recently told Media Man on Randy "Macho Man" Savage that he was one of the very best pro wrestlers ever and that the industry had lost a great one. Savage was the best 'Oh Yeah'!

WWE Films Wrestles With Gorgeous George - 27th April 2011

EXCLUSIVE: In an age where books routinely get tiny movie options and languish in development, one could do worse than make a deal with wrestling mogul Vince McMahon's WWE Studios. In a mid-6 figure outright buy, WWE acquired the 2008 John Capouya book Gorgeous George: The Outrageous Bad-Boy Wrestler Who Created American Popular Culture. Not only was the deal brokered by Justin Manask generous for the author, but WWE Films has committed to a 2011 start date for a film about a journeyman wrestler who remade himself into a preening, vamping villain and became a national TV star at a time when there was little on the boob tube but wrestling and Milton Berle. WWE Films set John Posey to write the script for a film that will be the last of nine features WWE will generate in less than two years. The fourth, Killing Karma, is shooting now.

While early WWE films were schlocky action showcases for its spandex stars, WWE Films head Mike Pavone said the company has morphed into a family film factor with better scripts that draw actors like Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, Patricia Clarkson, Danny Glover and Parker Posey to work alongside ring fixtures like Triple H, The Big Show and John Cena. Each film costs around $7 million after rebates for location shoots in Louisiana and Pavone said they save about $1 million for each film by never really wrapping production. Crews get a couple weeks rest after each film completes its 20-25 day shoot, and then the next one gets going.

A Gorgeous George film was McMahon’s idea, an exception to his unwritten rule not to make pictures about wrestlers. Pavone said George’s flamboyant persona not only set the tone for future stars like Hulk Hogan and The Rock, but also helped Bob Dylan come out of his shell and influenced the likes of Muhammad Ali, James Brown, and Liberace.

“George Wagner was a good wrestler who couldn’t get over the top until he developed this character that people loved to hate,” Pavone said. “He had this effeminate, aristocratic persona that he and his wife Betty created from whole cloth, down to the robes and platinum blonde hairstyle his wife copied from Betty Grable. George realized that they don’t come to see the good guy win, they come to see the bad guy lose. He paraded as this effeminate man in the 40s and 50s in Texas and the South, with 12,000 people screaming and throwing things.” Wagner, who made his entrance to Pomp and Circumstance, rubbed elbows outside the ring with Hollywood stars, and made as much--$100,000 per year--as Joe DiMaggio. His fortunes flagged, though, and George stayed too long in the ring. His final payday: a humiliating match, pre-arranged for him to lose and have his signature blond locks shaved in the ring by his opponent, Dick the Destroyer.

Pavone said McMahon is committed to fully finance the Gorgeous George pic as well as the other eight WWE Films. It's a bold play, because McMahon won't know if the film program works until the pics start getting released in September. Samuel Goldwyn distributes the first few, and WWE Films will handle the marketing.

“We’ve been making these movies in a vacuum, confident that our model will prove itself,” Pavone said. (Credit: Deadline.com)

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan is still 'The Main Event', By Jon Robinson...

Every birthday from about 8 years on, I begged and pleaded with my parents for the same present: tickets to see the WWF live at the Cow Palace. My aunt was actually a regular at wrestling matches from the days of Gorgeous George and once almost got kicked out of the arena for throwing her high heels at some heel who was hitting her favorite fighter with a foreign object every time the referee turned his back. Funniest thing about this is my aunt was the most uptight, old-money, stuck-in-her-old-ways woman I knew. She was someone who might throw a fit if someone spilled soda or even sat on her all-white couch that for some reason was never sat on (why someone would feature furniture you couldn't sit on, I'll never know), but I could never imagine her throwing a shoe.

But that's what the wild and wacky world of professional wrestling is all about. It's more than just the soap opera for men it's so commonly referred to as. It's more like a rock concert of kung fu fighting acrobats complete with fireworks and the occasional dead man, masked man and/or midget. It's a place where good battles evil between the ropes while bringing the thousands in attendance along for the next chapter.

And that showmanship that helps drive the action is what the new video game, "Hulk Hogan's Main Event" is all about. Because wrestling is more than just men in tights rolling around and getting sweaty (not that there's anything wrong with that), Hogan is using the power of Kinect to bring gamers into the ring with him while teaching them the taunts, poses and posturing that made him a worldwide phenomenon.

I caught up with Hogan inside video game publisher Majesco's booth at E3 to talk wrestling, showmanship and his time inside the ring, from his days rocking a mask to his nights as "Hollywood." Here's what one of the most influential wrestlers in the history of the business had to say.

Jon Robinson: I'm about to play your game for the first time. What's your advice on how I can become the next Hulk Hogan?

Hulk Hogan: You're very lucky because instead of looking for a coach, you have now found the greatest coach of all time. I don't know too much, but I do know a lot about wrestling, and in "Hulk Hogan's Main Event" I'm your coach, brother. I teach you the moves, get you all excited, and then it's up to you to get the crowd booing or cheering and get them ramped up. The whole entertainment aspect gets you rolling right into the ring, and then you get to turn the moves up and either do some scientific wrestling or cheat like the bad guys. And what's cool is, you can't sit on the couch for this one. Since it's on Kinect, you actually have to get up, get moving and move your bum around.

Jon Robinson: You are one of the best showmen professional wrestling has ever seen. How did you learn to get the crowd so moved during your matches?

Hulk Hogan: I played music for about 10 years before I ever got into the wrestling business, so I was used to being on stage and being in front of people. I really wasn't a great singer, so we had a couple of guys who would sing, but in between songs, I would grab the mike and talk to the crowd, so I got over any shyness I had in the music business before I ever got into wrestling. Then when I got into wrestling, it was all about that scientific stuff and rolling around on the ground and putting each other in arm locks and leg locks, but the first time I ever looked out into the crowd -- I was wearing a mask back then, and they called me The Super Destroyer -- the reaction from the crowd was a lot louder than I got for the actual wrestling. So the reaction from the crowd made the wrestling easier for me, and I worked that in my whole career. Most of the time when I wrestled, the crowd wasn't just cheering, they were standing up and cheering or carrying on, and that's what's cool about this game, it really plays up that entertainment aspect. As soon as you enter the arena and walk down that ramp, it's up to you to get the crowd going, and that parlays right into the fact that now you're on your feet and doing the wrestling moves using Kinect. It really takes you from wanting to be a wrestler to putting you right on the spot and in the spot.

Jon Robinson: So, how did you go from some strange dude in a mask to arguably the most popular wrestler of all time?

Hulk Hogan: That transmutation or transformation took quite a while. I started wrestling 35 years ago, and I had a pretty intense attitude back then when I was young and injury free. The wrestling promoters back then had me start under a mask because they were hoping that one day I might turn into something. When you start out in the wrestling business, you make a lot of mistakes, tripping over your own feet and looking like a fool. The Super Destroyer mask was really to protect me because I was so big and back then I was one of the few guys who actually looked like I trained. A lot of the guys I was wrestling had big arms, but they also had big stomachs. So under the mask, I could learn my way while everyone beat me. Then this whole transformation started happening, but becoming Hulk Hogan took quite a few years. I quit wrestling a few times, then I was Terry Boulder, then the promoter starter calling me Sterling Golden, then I was Terry "The Hulk" Boulder, then I was Terry Hogan, then I became Hulk Hogan. It actually took me eight or nine years before I was able to put it all together. That's why it's so hard for these young wrestlers who all think they should be in the main event. There's a lot more to it than just having a scientific match. You have to put the whole thing together.

Jon Robinson: What do you think of your persona living on in all of these video games like "Main Event" and "WWE All-Stars"?

Hulk Hogan: It's crazy. WWE owns my intellectual properties and all of my old footage, so Vince McMahon is repackaging all of that old stuff. It's a great compliment, though, because at the end of the day, I'm so grateful to anybody who contributed or helped me become who I am today. A large part of my career and a large part of my life, I'm very grateful to Vince McMahon Sr., Vince's father. I'm also very grateful to Vince McMahon because he and I were best friends and business partners. I was an employee, and we went down a lot of twisty roads together. Even right now, if I was to call him and tell him, "Hey, Vince, I need help," I guarantee Vince would be there for me. So I am very grateful for the fact that I have "Hulk Hogan's Main Event" coming out and that I'm on the cover of "WWE All-Stars." It's kind of like Hulk Hogan has found his niche, not only in Americana but in the video game world. It didn't have to be this way. The fans could've totally forgotten about me, but the fact that the fans have been so loyal, I'm still in the game. Right now, I'm with Impact Wrestling, formerly TNA, and, after two years of back surgeries, I'm working there creatively and helping out, but you never know, I might just slide back into the ring someday. It's not like I could take any crazy bumps, but then again, I never did. [laughs] I have to be really careful with my back.

Jon Robinson: When you think back to your favorite matches, do you have one moment that stands out as your personal favorite?

Hulk Hogan: I'm torn between my match with Andre the Giant and my match with The Rock. Andre was huge, and it was a defining moment for me because Andre passed the torch when I body slammed him. That was a huge deal, and I'm not trying to downplay it, but then later on in my career, when I finally returned to WWE after all those years of working for Ted Turner, Vince told me, "Hey, if you're coming back, then you better bring it." So when I went back, I was the ultimate bad guy, and when they put me in the match against The Rock, the fans were supposed to boo me out of the building. But it was a defining moment because the fans cheered me so loud and they booed The Rock. The fans were letting everyone know that they loved Hulk Hogan so much, that they were so loyal to Hulk Hogan, that nobody was going to tell them who to boo and who to cheer. It was like the fans slapped me in the face and told me, "Don't you know who you are? You're Hulk Hogan!" It was a huge moment in my career.

Jon Robinson: After so many years of drinking your milk and eating your vitamins, was it fun flipping it on everyone and doing the "Hollywood" character?

Hulk Hogan: I talked to Ted Turner about it before we did it, and I told him, "We're either going to ruin this business, or we're going to capture lightning in a bottle and it's going to be the greatest thing that ever happened." When I turned into a bad guy, the ratings shot up, the numbers went through the roof, and for two and a half years, we were able to beat WWE in the ratings.

Jon Robinson: One of the guys you fought with and against for years in both WCW and WWE was Randy Savage. What are some of the memories you have of him?

Hulk Hogan: Randy and I were stuck together like glue for about 15 years. We did everything together -- we traveled together, we worked out every day together -- and then we went on to have some great matches. I know this sounds horrible, but we made a lot of money together, and then we had this huge falling out that to this day, I still don't know why he got mad. He went through a lot with his divorce from Elizabeth and stuff, but we just started talking again a few months before he died. I don't do many independent wrestling shows, but I finally did one and [Randy's brother] Lanny was there, and he was telling me how tough it was after their dad passed away, but his dad was really happy that Randy and I had started talking again. But then Lanny was really worried about his mom, so they were going to throw a big barbecue at his mom's house with Randy and I, and that was supposed to be the next weekend, but Randy died in the middle of the week. Out of all the guys who have died, that one hit me the hardest. I've known a lot of guys, I've walked into hotel rooms where there have been bad situations, but that one was a tough one.

Jon Robinson: You talked about your back problems earlier, but I was just curious if there's somebody out there you'd like to have that one last match with?

Hulk Hogan: Well, if there is that one last huge match that really, really meant something to the fans, that would have to be against "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. I can see him already making appearances back on TV, and he's already starting to get full of himself. I heard him say for a while that his back and his neck were too messed up to wrestle, but from what I've been seeing lately, I think he's getting geared up to do something, and I'd like to be a part of it.

Jon Robinson: How about in Impact Wrestling? Do you see a guy in Impact who might have the ability to carry that brand to another level?

Hulk Hogan: I've really tried to be optimistic when looking at the talent that is there, and I've already tried to give the football to a couple of guys who are there, and they are just so off into that: "TNA Wrestling, this is TNA Wrestling, I have a five-star match every week." But that's not the big picture. I think the one guy I really need to focus on is Matt Morgan. There are a couple of things that need to be fixed, and one of the main things is his interviews. When Scott Steiner looks at you and calls you a punk and says you look like a tiny turd in a toilet bowl, you need to come back and say something about how you can look over the top of Steiner's head. Instead, he's out there talking about how he respects Steiner as an athlete. His whole rap needs to change. I think if we sit down and really dial Matt Morgan in, he can be somebody who can really turn things around and lead Impact Wrestling to the promised land. (Credit: ESPN)

Bob Marella (aka Gorilla Monsoon) To Be Inducted Into Wrestling Hall of Fame...

Waterloo, Iowa – Bob Marella, a 1959 Ithaca graduate who rose to fame in professional wrestling as Gorilla Monsoon, will be inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Marella will enter the hall of fame, which is located at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, July 23.

Marella, a member of Ithaca's Hall of Fame, was the wrestling program's first all-American, placing second at the 1959 NCAA Championships. Wrestling in the heavyweight class (which was then called the unlimited weight class), Marella upset the second and third seeds (from Northern Colorado and Iowa State, respectively), before dopping a 2-0 overtime decision to a wrestler from Oklahoma State in the title bout. Marella, who was nicknamed "Tiny" during his collegiate career, also starred in track & field as a Bomber.

Induction into the professional wrestling hall of fame includes a substantial impact on professional wrestling, general respect within the profession, and a strong amateur background.

“Bob helped raise money for the first mat that I bought at Ithaca,” said John Murray, Ithaca's head wrestling coach from 1980 to 1995. “He was probably the alumnus who had the greatest impact on our program through money he raised and the awareness he brought to the program.”

Monsoon had a distinguished professional wrestling career that included many titles, including the WWWF (now WWE) United States Tag Team title. He was also known for his successful career as a commentator for the WWE. Monsoon died on Oct. 6, 1999.

The Rock And John Cena

Wrestling News Media: The Rock VS John Cena At WWE WrestleMania, by Greg Tingle

The Rock's return to pro wrestling er... sports entertainment, or whatever it is now, has little to do with wrestling as such.

The booking The Rock vs. John Cena at WrestleMania 28 twelve months in advance has strong merit, but will both competitors be as hot then, as they are now... probably.

This is one of the smartest moves ever by WWE head honcho Vince McMahon, as it plugs right back into mainstream entertainment, with a hot main event which has star power and money written all over it, plus news media is going to have it as a media darling to boot. I don't see Rock or Cena "stuffing up" with real life situations that would stop the match, and hopefully both will remain injury free.

What's were doing here is getting Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the living legend himself, and putting him in the squared circles with one of the most popular pre-teen megastars ever. This is the pop culture main event of the decade, if not century!

Wrestling fans will go for this big, and spend, plus it should be a decent match to keep the loyal fan base happy too. Most mainstream news media companies should cover it also, and the buzz and coverage leading up is already there, so just imagine. Bigger than the MTV Hulk Hogan VS "Rowdy" Roddy Piper 'War To Settle The Score', Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III, and perhaps even up there with the very first WrestleMania back in 1985 which came from sports and entertainment mecca in New York - Madison Square Garden.

The Rock VS John Cena at WrestleMania is tipped to break all sorts of records and have mega success written all over it. As The Rock would say, Just Bring It!

Stay tuned to Media Man, Wrestling News Media and our friends at Google News as the saga continues.

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2011-06-15T13:43:00.000+10:00

Wrestling News Media: Jim Ross Website Update: Tuesday Ramblings..RAW Thoughts...UFC..Strikeforce..'Death Clutch'..Store Still TEMPORARILY Closed.

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Thanks for stopping by for a quick hitting portion of Tuesday Ramblings.....

Watching Monday Night Raw from Norman brought back lots of memories of the Nassau Coliseum. Great arena with lots of WWE heritage plus when I lived in Connecticut it was a Raw that did not necessitate an airplane ride. Long Island is a beautiful part of the northeast and I wish I had spent some time out there while I was stationed in the Nutmeg State.

Both former WWE alums Mick Foley and Taz call that part of the world home.

Raw thoughts:

@steveaustinBSR and @R_Roddy_Piper were the two highlights for this old schooler on Monday's Raw. They both know how to fully command an audience and still have 'it.'

Austin can be so intense that it bleeds through the TV screen. His Clint Eastwood-esque delivered line to CM Punk...."punk" was golden. @CMPunk and Austin have excellent on screen chemistry and back in the day they would have had a helluva run. Nothing but money.

R Truth' s professional career has never been more elevated. He fits the role that he's in well and it would not shock me to see, by hook or crook, R Truth upset @JohnCena this Sunday on PPV to win the WWE Title. Long shot? Perhaps....but stranger things have occurred on a WWE PPV and no one can argue that a Truth title win wouldn't 're-shuffle the deck.'

@MikeTheMiz is so easy to dislike which is a marketable necessity for any villain. Guys that can talk as well as Miz, who I Tweeted reminded me of a male Kardashian, are essentially Teflon coated. Essentially no matter what occurs in the ring, more often than not, they are right back to where they need to be when provided the opportunity to speak.

Austin's mic work with Miz, Vickie Guerrero, and CM Punk were three of the most memorable moments of the three hour Raw.

BTW Vickie is looking great and her change in diet and exercise are working for her.

Ever notice how stunning Alicia Fox is especially when watching the Anti Bullying promos that aired within Raw? She's a very nice young lady with a main event look that could take her beyond the squared circle.

Thought Booker T had his best nite to date at the announce table with King and Cole. Way to go Book! Announcing live TV for WWE isn't an easy job especially when one is 'green' in that area and have had little or no formal training or ample practice.

WWE.com did a list of WWE's top 25 managers. These lists always encourage plenty of debate. It isn't the list that I would have complied but I enjoyed the feature. Check it out at http://www.wwe.com. Leaving off Gary Hart and JJ Dillon made no sense until it was made clear that the list was for WWE alums only. I do agree that Bobby Heenan is a clear cut #1 and is miles ahead of the competition. 'The Brain' is THE BEST MANAGER EVER for my money. Bobby is still battling health issues and I think about him every day. Keep 'The Wease' in your prayers.

One of my pet peeves over the years is showing a wrestler "Running to the ring" as many grapplers have had knee issues, etc and don't run well. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the Big Show moved when he ran to the ring Monday night. The big guy is dropping pounds and let's not forget that he was a former collegiate basketball player where running is a big part of the game.

We received a ton of Tweets @JRsBBQ and emails to this site about Long Island's Zach Ryder not being on Monday Night Raw from his 'home town.' Not exactly sure what it was that some thought I could do about it but they vented nonetheless. Lighten Up, Francis.

@RealKevinNash defended his wife against a drunk dude with a beer bottle in hand and it was Kevin who got arrested and where it was made to look like a big deal by TMZ. Must have been a slow news day. Kevin protecting his wife isn't a crime the last I looked and it sounds as if the police over reacted. When Kevin told me this story last week, I never dreamed that it would actually become national gossip/news. I'd love to do a sit down DVD interview w/ 'Big Sexy' about his career.

Emailers.....Our Restaurant is CLOSED and has been for over a year. We still get fans emailing us wanting to come by and eat and say hello. Sorry we can't accommodate.

Upon reading @brocklesnarDC and @HeymanHustle 'Death Clutch' again it seems that, simply put, the reason for Brock Lesnar's premature departure from WWE was a gross lack of communication. Again, wrestling fans in particular will enjoy this quick read, I read it in less than three hours but for the anal media I don't have an EXACT time, as Lesnar was always somewhat private and this book gives those that have been fans of 'The Next Big Thing' in WWE or UFC a peek behind his well positioned curtain. It's obvious if Lesnar's schedule had been managed more efficiently by all involved that there's a good chance that Brock might not have ever left WWE but that's purely speculation and certainly no guarantee. Bottom line is that Lesnar got into a line of work that fits his personality and his skill set famously and I for one hope that he kicks diverticulitis ass and can resume his UFC career in 2012.

For the record, with Junior Dos Santos or Cain Velásquez being the UFC heavyweight champion in all likelihood upon Brock's return, hope the monster from Minnesota will sharpen his striking defense skills as JDS and Cain are deadly with their hands.

I would also like to see a fight when Lesnar returns against Frank Mir as it would be their 'rubber match' and the two men don't like each other whatsoever which would add to the imperative, personal issue a bout needs especially when there is no title at stake. Doesn't seem logical that Brock's first fight back in UFC be against Velásquez or Dos Santos.

If the State of New York doesn't fully license/sanction UFC in their state then the whole, damn crew of Empire State politicos are "Wieners." What a no brainer it is to bring another revenue producing sport to America's #1 market and throughout the state.

Our trip down to Dallas this weekend to watch the Strikeforce show live is in the TBD category at this hour due to my surgery which is only hours away. If I don't or am not allowed to travel, I will certainly watch the event on TV Saturday night. Too bad Gina Carano couldn't get right and make her fight. Rumor has it she has 'weight issues' with which many of us can identify but also many of us aren't trying to make weight for a fight/payday.

With UFC buying Strikeforce, is the window of opportunity closing for female MMA fighters once the existing Strikeforce deals in place have been honored? I feel the female athletes are marketable over the long haul and if UFC bails on the gender someone else will likely give it a shot.

We are working to get all the internal tweaks done to re-open our store and will know more in a few days. Thanks for everyone's patience and support.

Follow us on Twitter @JRsBBQ and I'll keep every one updated on what's going on this week as I can. However, there will be NO Tweeting while I'm attached to any sort of IV's. :)

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. (Credit: JR's Blog)

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2011-05-28T10:43:00.002+10:00

Vince McMahon Writes About "Macho Man" Randy Savage In Time Magazine

The June 6, 2011 issue of TIME features an article on the late Randy Savage written by WWE chief Vince McMahon. A preview of the article was released: "It’s important in sports and it’s important in entertainment to stand out. Randy knew that. Right away, he wanted to leave his mark, and to do that he was aware he had to make himself different from everyone else. "One way he did this was concentrating on his outfits, those brightly colored costumes with foot-long fringe that became his trademark. He brought to wrestling a unique look and style. Randy, who died in a car crash May 20 at age 58, was one of the building blocks of what is now WWE (previously known as the World Wrestling Federation). He had…" To read the article in its entirety, pick up a copy of TIME at your local newsstand or download the TIME iPad app. Oh Yeah!

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2011-05-21T22:57:00.002+10:00

WWE Annual General Meeting 2011: Video

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2011-05-21T09:46:00.000+10:00

Pro wrestling legend Randy 'Macho Man' Savage dies in car accident, by Greg Tingle - 20th May 2011

Randy Savage VS Ric Flair

RIP Randy Savage (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011)

Professional wrestling superstar Randy "Macho Man" Savage passed away after having a heart attack while driving his Jeep Wrangler in Seminole, Florida.

A witness told the press that he "suffered a heart attack while driving and hit a tree."

Florida Highway Patrol said Savage, 58, leapt a concrete median, veered into oncoming traffic and smashed into a tree head on.

He died from his injuries at largo Medical Center.

Savage, whose birth name is Randy Poffo, had recently celebrated his first wedding anniversary with his wife Lynn. It was his second marriage.

His wife was in the car at the time of the accident, which was first reported by TMZ. She suffered only minor injuries.

He married his first wife Elizabeth Hulette best known as "Miss Elizabeth," in 1984. They divorced in 1992. She ended up dying from a drug overdose in 2003.

World Wrestling Entertainment, in progress of rebranding to WWE, advised in a statement that Savage's death was a huge loss.

"WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of one of the greatest Superstars of his time, Randy Poffo, aka Randy "Macho Man" Savage. Poffo was under contract with WWE from 1985 to 1993 and held both the WWE and Intercontinental Championships. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. We wish a speedy recovery to his wife Lynn. Poffo will be greatly missed by WWE and his fans."

The wrestling world posted thousands of comments Twitter to grieve over the former wrestler.

"He had so much life in his eyes & in his spirit, I just pray that he's happy and in a better place and we miss him. We miss him a lot. I feel horrible about the ten years of having no communication. This was a tough one." Hulk Hogan posted on his Twitter account.

"RIP Randy 'Macho Man' Savage - you were one of my childhood inspirations and heros. Strength, love and prayers to the Savage/Poffo family," Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said on Twitter.

"I lost a close friend today. If anybody in heaven is wondering who the cat in the ugly cowboy hat is it's Randy. Love you Bro. Never another," Kevin Nash tweeted.

Twitter queen Alyssa Milano was also among those offering condolences, tweeting, "Rest in peace, Macho Man Randy Savage."

Savage helped put WWF wrestling on the global map in the 1980s and '90s, becoming, along with Hulk Hogan, one of its biggest draws of all time. His outrageous ring attire and his "Oooh Yeah!" catchphrase made him a fan favorite. He had also been pitchman for Slim Jims media and advertising campaigns.

"I feel so fortunate that I had a second chance to marry my first love, here where it all began," Savage said a year ago, after his Lido Beach wedding to Payne, whom he'd met there decades before.

Savage had recently returned to the wrestling scene with the release of the WWE Wrestling All-Stars video game. There was also a push to see him be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, many insiders and fans saying he was the greatest wrestler never to have been inducted, with rumours circulating that the reason he may not have got the green light was a fling with WWE boss Vince McMahon's daughter, but that is speculation, not fact.

Savage, who announced the release of a Macho Man action figure at Comic-Con in July 2010, was known for his catch phrase "Ooooooh yeaahhh" and his affiliation with Slim Jim snacks.

His pro wrestling success including numerous reigns as WWE (then WWF) and WCW champion...Savage appeared as Bone Saw McGraw, the wrestler Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker squares off with in "Spider-Man" (2002), among other occasional acting parts, and released a rap album, "Be a Man" (2003).

Savage had a numerous of other wrestling accomplishments and was the 1987 WWF King of the Ring and the 1995 WCW World War 3 winner.

His WrestleMania III match with Steamboat was considered a classic by both fans and critics and was named 1987's Match of the Year by both Pro Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer.

He drew a lot of money in just about every wrestling territory he entered, be it Memphis, Florida, Atlanta or New York.

Savage signature moves included the flying elbow off the top rope, sometimes even from the top of cages, double ax handle, and had an extremely fast brawling style, as well as being a solid technical wrestler, often using a variety of suplexs in his matches.

His greatest wrestling feuds were with Hulk Hogan, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Ric Flair, Andre The Giant, The Honky Tonk Man, Tito Santana, George 'The Animal" Steele,
Bruno Sammartino and prior to the WWE, Jerry "The King" Lawler. He's biggest out of the ring feuds with with Hulk Hogan and wrestling boss, Vince McMahon.

Under his real name Randy Poffo, he played minor league baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnatti Reds systems in the early 1970s. Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was also among those expressing condolences Friday.

A Media Man staffer was overhead "Savage was one of the greatest ever and a true legend. He was up there with Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Flair and Steamboat. It would be nice to see a classy tribute by the WWE and also see him finally inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Thanks for the awesome memories Randy".

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2011-05-06T12:48:00.002+10:00

Wrestling News Media: The Rock VS John Cena At WWE WrestleMania, by Greg Tingle

The Rock's return to pro wrestling er... sports entertainment, or whatever it is now, has little to do with wrestling as such.

The booking The Rock vs. John Cena at WrestleMania 28 twelve months in advance has strong merit, but will both competitors be as hot then, as they are now... probably.

This is one of the smartest moves ever by WWE head honcho Vince McMahon, as it plugs right back into mainstream entertainment, with a hot main event which has star power and money written all over it, plus news media is going to have it as a media darling to boot. I don't see Rock or Cena "stuffing up" with real life situations that would stop the match, and hopefully both will remain injury free.

What's were doing here is getting Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the living legend himself, and putting him in the squared circles with one of the most popular pre-teen megastars ever. This is the pop culture main event of the decade, if not century!

Wrestling fans will go for this big, and spend, plus it should be a decent match to keep the loyal fan base happy too. Most mainstream news media companies should cover it also, and the buzz and coverage leading up is already there, so just imagine. Bigger than the MTV Hulk Hogan VS "Rowdy" Roddy Piper 'War To Settle The Score', Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III, and perhaps even up there with the very first WrestleMania back in 1985 which came from sports and entertainment mecca in New York - Madison Square Garden.

The Rock VS John Cena at WrestleMania is tipped to break all sorts of records and have mega success written all over it. At The Rock would say, Just Bring It!

Stay turned to Media Man, Wrestling News Media and our friends at Google News as the saga continues.

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2011-04-20T16:15:00.000+10:00

WWE Gambles On Cigy Angle; WWE Lights Up Debate With Tobacco In Media, by Greg Tingle - 20th April 2011

WWE Lights Up Debate With Tobacco In Media...

Regular readers will know all too well that Media Man and and Gambling911 cover all matter of vice in their news reports. Usually its gambling or casino news, but we also cover crime, technology, odds on events and from time to time, cigarettes.

Cigarettes - tobacco or ciggies if you prefer, are back in the news, especially when it comes to the United States and Australia.

Down under the debate is on the way as to if plain packaging should be used at the point of sale (which may help them loose their appeal)... then again, it may work out the opposite also, as when products and services become more controversial, they also often become more popular!

Now leading American owned and operated media company, WWE (formally World Wrestling Federation - before they decided they we not so much wrestling, but sports entertainment), has been dragged into the tobacco in news media debate with one of their stars lighting up a cigarette as part of a story line.

The WWE superstar - the curiously named R-Truth (Ron Killings)... not Cig Killings, lit her up and has raised the ire of anti tobacco advocates across the global including Patrick Reynolds from Tobacco Free.org, who is calling for an apology on the stunt.

TMZ broke the story earlier today, but news media wires across the globe and running with it hard, including heated debate at Wrestling Observer Newsletter and the Pro Wrestling Torch.

Reynolds said on the wrestling superstar, "If he wants help in quitting, I'll be happy to be his personal coach."

The WWE issued a statement to TMZ defending the cigarette incident -- saying, "The negative effect smoking has on one’s health and physical performance was a part of a storyline on last night’s Monday Night Raw. Negative depictions of tobacco use on television are not unusual and can be seen on other TV-PG shows."

A Media Man spokesperson said "We're going to back up the WWE and Killings all the way on this one. It's a storyline, not unlike the sort of thing you would see on other American sitcoms, TV series and the like. The WWE audience is not stupid and audiences realise it's showbiz. Most of the programming is clearing PG-13, but somethings things get blurred. It's no secret that smoking is not good for you, and that the way WWE and Killings presented it. Last Monday Night may have been more Raw that usual, but we believe that they did not cross the line. It was interesting and entertaining television in our estimation. As is often the case, it was a small but vocal number of people who complained. For the record, none of our staff smoke either, but most enjoy WWE programming.

A few months ago the WWE also attracted mixed press coverage when it was discovered they offered WWE Poker on their website.

Punters may also be interested to know that a decade ago the then World Wrestling Federation, formally also known as Titan Sports and World Wide Wrestling Federation purchase a land based casino in Las Vegas, however they never developed the sites and chose to sell it for a profit. Returned WWE superstar Kevin "Diesel" Nash also once played a smooth talking Vegas character 'Vinnie Vegas' in World Championship Wrestling.

WWE superstars gamble with their life and risk their neck and back every time they step into the squared circle wrestling ring.

We like one of the WWE slogans 'Don't try this at home', but when it comes to gambling as a whole its hard to beat 'Bet with your head, not over it, and have fun'.

WWE will be touring Australia from July 1st.

Australian Government To Try Boring Cig Packaging In Attempt To Reduce Consumption...

Down under in Australia the government in all their wisdom is pushing hard for a new tool in goal to cut smoking rates: extremely boring cigarette packages!

The government has announced legislation that would ban logos, colors, brand imagery, and promotional text, while mandating that all packages be olive green-determined in studies to be the least appealing color. The move would "take away the tobacco industry’s final capacity to promote its product," says a professor of public health.

Australia has long been a leader in war on tobacco, the Christian Science Monitor reports, but this time Aussie land will face a hell of a fight fight from the tobacco industry. A legal challenge has been threatened, alleging that the proposed legislation infringes on international trademark laws.

Should the government's plan comes to pass, brand names will appear on each cigarette package in a standard font, and the rest of the box will be covered in health warnings.

Summary: boring packages, but will that really stop folks from lighting up, or even trying a cigy for the first time. We're not sold, how about you?

Cigy moving for readers interested: 'Coffee and Cigarettes'
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379217
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_and_Cigarettes

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*The writer is a regular contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They also publish Wrestling News Media http://www.wrestlingnewsmedia.com

2011-04-19T21:39:00.002+10:00

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2011-04-03T16:36:00.002+10:00

Wrestling News Media: Snooki, 'The Rock' and 'Mania: When Headlocks and Hollywood Collide - 1st April 2011

One is the queen of MTV's Jersey Shore; the other is WWE's resident Mexican aristocrat. One is famous for being perhaps the worst of the tanned, bouffant-wearing, gum-chomping Italian stereotype. The other invites fans' wrath with a wink and a smile as he drives the world's most expensive cars to the ring and insists on being introduced by his own personal ring announcer - in Spanish.

Only one entity - and one extravaganza - could bring these two very different stars together: World Wrestling Entertainment's 27th annual WrestleMania on Sunday. Snooki will participate in a six-person, inter-gender grudge match while Alberto Del Rio will vie for the World Heavyweight Championship in his WrestleMania debut. Both promise to thrill 70,000-plus screaming fans in Atlanta's Georgia Dome.

"It's going to be the peak of my career," said Del Rio, a native of Mexico. "My family, my entire country, is going to be proud of me because I'm going to go out there and become the new World Heavyweight Champion. I'm going to die out there trying to become the World Heavyweight Champion."

So what's behind the infatuation with WrestleMania? Why do fans come from around the world and dole out hard-earned money to watch this spectacle on pay-per-view? What is it about WrestleMania that makes fathers and sons and daughters jump out of their seats and grown, muscle-bound men in tights speak in hushed reverence?

Simply put, it is pro wrestling's greatest annual event. All wrestlers who grew up as fans dream of performing in it and look forward to watching it. Even in the choreographed world of professional wrestling, there is nothing staged about the emotion and excitement from anyone who performs at WrestleMania.

"As a kid, all I wanted to do was be a wrestler," said Del Rio. "Now that I'm here in WWE - WrestleMania is our NBA, our Super Bowl, our World Series of professional wrestling. As a wrestler, as a performer, I always dreamed of being in something like that."

For the fan, WrestleMania's appeal is as nuanced as wrestling's longtime popularity. Wrestling's magnetism goes hand-in-hand with the dawn of the television age in the 1950s, but WrestleMania took it to another level. It is a marriage of headlocks and Hollywood that began in 1985, when WWE Chairman Vince McMahon teamed up the charisma of Hulk Hogan and the diabolical lunacy of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper with the star power of Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper. (Credit: News Corporation)

Wrestling News Media: Shawn Michaels' Speech At WWE Hall Of Fame Induction 2011: 'Thank You' - 2nd April 2011

Thank you. ["HBK!" chant. "Thank you Shawn!" chant. Whoa! Some other chant.] The damnedest thing on my way to my Hall of Fame speech, a damn roast broke out. Thanks. I knew there was no way you was gonna say anything nice about me. For the 15 years we've known each other he never has, and he never will. He's like the Fonz trying to say he's sorry. [Muttering.]

I know how tough it was for you to say . That was a huge deal for him to even recognize that I worked in this line of work for 36 years. You're not aware of this, but we shared a big moment there. There's some psychiatrists going, "They're starting to heal."

I'm nervous, so don't give me cat calls. [Cat calls.] I've been going over what I'm gonna say. ["One more match!" chant.] You're killing me with the one more match thing. Seriously, I know it's good TV, he'll have a nervous breakdown. We sold out the building! He had a heart attack!

["We love you Shawn!"] I'm serious. For the love of God, help me out here. I don't even know where to start. You know there are things that go between ... I can't say, I'm not supposed to say. That's one of the reasons I was OK to retire. Coincidentally, this is the first year where we're not doing it live. They'll chop it up in post to make sure it's ok to air.

When I was 19 years old, I didn't want to be a sports entertainer. I didn't know at the time. I told my mom and dad, I want to do what those guys do it on TV. Making it was going to be going out in San Antonio and wresting in front of 25 people. Fast forward, and I'm a 45-year-old man, and I get to stand here and say thank you.

Along the way, I wasn't really aware of it. I was raised by a loving family, sitting right down here, who loved me every step of the way and supported me. But for whatever reason when I started doing this line of work at 19 I spent the next 26 years searching for validation. I don't even know why. But what my peers thought of me and what you thought of me was the most important thing in my life. And I worked myself into the ground. It was so important to me that you thought I did a good job. I know that sounds patronizing, but I want to thank you so much for giving me that.

I'm very thankful to all the other inductees and especially Triple H for making this fun and amusing. Because as much as I've tried to not make it a deep and heavy cry fest, I can't do it. There are no words to express how much I lived and breathed to do this every night for so many years. And it begs the question, how am I gonna be OK away from this?

Last Monday the Undertaker had mentioned Shawn Michaels will walk into the Hall of Fame with a ton of regrets. If this had happened in 1998, that might've been true. At that time, I was good at my job, but there's no way I could've stood here with no regrets. And although my family would've been proud of me, I know there would've been a little disappointment for them and a certain guy backstage whose name I'm not allowed to mention. [Crowd WOOs. Guy next to me says "RIC FLAIR!" I believe him!]

I came back in 2002 after being told I'd never wrestle again, for one more match. That was nine years ago. I'm thankful I can stand before you with absolutely no regrets. [Missed a part about God and his family. Sorry.] Since they came into my life, I've had not a regret. Not a second goes by that I'm not thankful. The most precious gift of all is my little family. I love you all so much, and I want to thank you for being so selfless and letting daddy finish what he started.

It was very important to me to come back and go away on my own terms. I love my two children more than anything in the world. Thank you so much for letting daddy go wrestle. [I have a daughter. Totally about to tear up.]

There are countless WWE superstars that I've had to create with. I'd love to mention everybody, but I don't want to make this too long. I don't wanna be that guy. [Crowd WOOs.] You guys are implying that. I'm not saying that. Every year there's somebody, and we're like, dude there's WrestleMania tomorrow. I'm gonna assume you know who you are.

Because I did my best to make sure before I left to tell you how awesome it was for me, and how much I appreciate you guys [makes crazy hand gestures] putting up with me when I wanna do something you don't do all that much. I appreciate your time and patience. I appreciate you being a part of my life. A lot of times all we've got is each other. We're like guys in a fox hole together. But when we're with each other, we're all we got. We can stab each other in the back, but can't nobody else do it.

I wanna thank you for allowing me to be a part of that fraternity. We're always gonna look at everybody else and say you're not gonna understand it. And that's OK. It's something we're gonna take to our graves.

And lastly there's all of you. The WWE universe, the fans. I love every one of you, even when you bother me at 5 in the morning, even when I cuss you, you still come back and forgive me. You have been a part of my life and family for so many years, it begs the question, why would a 19-year-old kid from a wonderful upbringing seek validation from strangers?

One thing people used to always say that separated me is that I could make a connection with you. I don't know if I did a good job, but for the last 26 years whether you were connected to me I have no idea, but I was connected to you. I have never won Most Popular, I wasn't the prom king, I wasn't the homecoming king, so I guess in my adult life the most important thing to me was that you believed in me and thought I was good. On this night, 2011 Hall of Fame, I feel it, I thank you, I love my ring. And I love each and every one of you.

I know this has been sappy. I can't help it. And if you're not down with that, I got two words for you. ("Suck it!" from the crowd.)

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2011-04-03T15:41:00.002+10:00

Wrestling News Media: WWE WrestleMania and WWE Hall of Fame News

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WWE Champion The Miz vs. John Cena (WWE website)

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WWE Stars Come to Atlanta, Show Off Artistic Side (My Fox Atlanta)

Mark Henry has wrestling in his grip (AAP)

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Top 10 WrestleMania celebrities countdown: No. 2 (Baltimore Sun 'Ring Posts)

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2011-03-31T19:06:00.002+11:00

WM27..WM AXXESS..HBK/HOF Personal..The Streak..Snoop & JR on Commentary?? Ready to Grill?, by Jim Ross - 30th March 2011

It's Wrestlemania 27 Week. What more needs to be said? Let's grill...

Preparing to head East to Atlanta is like preparing to return to one's former hometown. Being a former homeowner and living in Atlanta was a great experience and without question Atlanta was my favorite town of which to base out of while I've been in the wrestling business.

I have no 'assignment' for Sunday but I'm channeling Ricky Vaughn, Charlie Sheen's character in the film 'Major League,' and assuming the role of the relief pitcher while standing by in the bullpen and ready to 'throw the heater, Ricky' if needed.

Hopefully every performer, no matter their role Sunday, understands the importance of being better than they have professionally ever been. Don't allow one's minutes to dictate one's performance. Maximize the minutes while turning heads would be my suggestion.

Seeing HBK go into the WWE HOF is going to be particularly gratifying to me. After seeing @ShawnMichaels_ break into the business in Mid South Wrestling, I've seen the best and the worst of HBK. Traveling to San Antonio to visit with him about coming back to WWE after his 4+ year hiatus due to a back injury was one of the most profound trips of my career. It's hard to believe that Shawn returned after such a long hiatus and from the first minute that he stepped back into the ring he was better than everyone else.

HBK, HHH, and Undertaker, three, old school guys, arguably, in the eyes of many, stole the show Monday night on Raw on a night where MNR was loaded with star power.

Someone asked me if I thought @TheRock was going to get physically involved Sunday on PPV in the Miz vs. Cena WWE Title Bout. Facetiously, I answered "Oh, no Rock's going to turn the other cheek and let bygones be bygones." If Rock doesn't get physical Sunday in some shape, form or fashion I will allow burnt orange to be displayed in our home.

All our JR's products will be available at WM AXXESS at the WWE merchandise stand. They will be available w/o any issues with shipping, handling, etc. They all come in plastic bottles, the Beef Jerky in plastic bags, and are travel friendly in one's checked luggage.

At Axxess, I will be playing against Jerry Lawler at the WWE All Stars video game Friday night at the THQ area. @WWEGames has been working OT on promoting WWE All Stars which is getting superb reviews from gaming experts. The King and I reunite for this video game where you can book the greatest bouts that never happened.

The King and I, sounds like a musical, reunite this weekend on Saturday at 10-noon signing autographs at the WWE HOF booth at Axxess. Come by and say hello.

Word on the street, and not officially confirmed, is that Terry Funk, WWE HOF'er and a rather hardcore individual to this very day, will induct the originator of hardcore Abdullah the Butcher into the WWE Hall of Fame Saturday night at the sold out Phillips Arena. Some tickets may still be lingering for Saturday night's event so check with Ticketmaster or the box office. With no TV time restraints, the inductor and inductee speeches should be classic.

Even though Ticketmaster may indicate that there are no more tickets available for Sunday's WM27, as a rule a few tickets or even a section or two often times become available when the production setup is completed. The Georgia Dome will be packed but some tickets may become available as the weekend progresses. I expect the gate to be in excess of $6M with north of 65,000 fans on hand. I could easily be low on both projections.

No rumor to the fact that Snoop Dogg and I will share a trailer at WM27 even though I lobbied for it. I'd prefer to make no more comments on this matter. Here's an idea for you. What if Snoop Dog and Ol JR broadcast a match or two at 'Mania. Now that's what I'm talking about and the pregame would be classic. Pass the Doritos, please.

Snoop's gazillionaire body was once guarded by Brodus Clay. Clay reminds me of a modern day, UWF version of the One Man Gang. That's a good comparison BTW for you kids in the audience

What match will close the show Sunday? Whether it is The Streak or the WWE Title the WWE seems to be destined to be 'damned if they do and damned if they don't' with this one. I'd be a Streak lean but closing the show with the WWE Title, Rock, etc would work for me as well.

Will 'The Streak' ever be broken? My guess is no but I do agree that nothing lasts forever.

People have asked me for a prediction on the Lawler vs Cole match. Really. Really? Lawler wins in a 'quicker than a hiccup' bout and King won't need Stone Cold to get it done. The thought of having to broadcast a Cole victory would be more annoying than an irritable bowel. Thank goodness that chore or possibility thereof will be left up to others or so it seems.

Follow us on Twitter @JRsBBQ as we are over 118,000 followers now. I find that number amazing and its growing daily. We have a blast interacting with our Twitter friends. Well, most of them.

BTW...don't look now but Barry Bonds is in a whole heap of trouble. Perjury ain't cool especially when one allegedly lies to Uncle Sam. Some people would rather walk a mile to tell a lie than walk across the street to tell the truth.

The NFL strike/lockout nightmare will be settled before the start of the season because 1. most players can't sustain their opulent, out of control life styles without game checks coming in and 2. too many people will lose too much money if the stadiums stay empty and w/o games.

How cool is it to induct one's father into the WWE HOF? I think that it's great that Bob Armstrong's sons will have that distinction. Bullet Bob was a helluva hand and even at 71 years of age has still got one of the better set of 'guns' in the biz. The former US Marine was truly beloved in the Southern territories.

Coach Brock Lesnar starts his gig tonight on Spike on the new season of TUF. This week on a media tour Lesnar left the door open to return to WWE, smart strategy, some day if the opportunity and the money were to his liking. No smart businessman closes any potentially, lucrative doors but with that said Lesnar has miles to travel ahead of him in UFC which is the perfect vocation for the former WWE Champion. Lesnar's focus is to beat Junior Dos Santos in June and then to regain the UFC Heavyweight Title. I for one hope that Brock gets back to the top of the UFC mountain.

Lesnar's book ,co-written w/ Paul Heyman @HeymanHustle, will be out in May. I'm anxious to read it as Brock and I had some interesting days in WWE. BTW I would love to travel to Vancouver to see the next Lesnar fight. Can someone get word to @DanaWhite? :)

Thanks for the business and support of our JR branded products and remember that http://www.wweshop.com ships outside the USA and are doing a great job distributing our goods.

Boomer Sooner!

JR (Credit: Jim Ross official website)

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2011-03-10T03:18:00.002+11:00

WWE Hall Of Fame 2011

Shawn Michaels

The Heartbreak Kid. The Icon. The Showstopper. Mr. WrestleMania. The amazing Shawn Michaels has gone by many names and he can now add WWE Hall of Famer to that list.

Sunny

A trailblazer and a true original, Sunny changed the way women were viewed in sports-entertainment. This unmatched influence has earned her a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2011.

Bob Armstrong

The patriarch of one of sports-entertainment's great families, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong is a wrestling legend, a Georgia hero and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2011.

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With his trademark 2x4 slung over his shoulder and an American flag held proudly in his hand, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan was a true patriot who brawled his way into the hearts of the WWE Universe.

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2011-02-18T15:48:00.000+11:00

Wrestling News Media Updated

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Professional Wrestling Legend Ric Flair Expands Gambling Biz

WWE News: JBL on Shawn Michaels angle, Gagne tragedy, Working for his wife on Wall Street (Pro Wrestling Torch - Media Man)

Rowdy Roddy Piper wrestles with a new foe: cancer(The Oregonian)

'Stone Cold' Steve Austin To Be In WWE Hall of Fame (WWE)

Hogan not coming with WWE to Melbourne, Australia!...(Australian Sports Entertainment)

A tight new hold on our TV? (Herald Sun)

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WWE: Again, it's all about the cash flow (Blogging Stocks)

Casino Affiliate Programs: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly ...(Gambling911)

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The Rock Returns Roaring on RAW!..Jericho's 'Undisputed' a Must Read..Follow JR on Twitter @JRsBBQ (JR's Blog)

Thoughts on comparing John Cena to The Rock (The Baltimore Sun)

Surprises, speculation spice up wrestling wars (The Post and Courier)

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson returns to WWE (The Washington Post)

Jericho: HBK is the best ever (The Sun)

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2011-02-17T01:56:00.003+11:00

The Rock Brings It To WrestleMania

February 14, 2011 STAMFORD, Conn., February 14, 2011 - Do you smell what’s cookin’? The Brahma Bull™, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will `bring it’ to WrestleMania® XXVII. WWE® (NYSE: WWE) announced tonight that The Great One™ will return home to be The World’s Most Electrifying Host of WrestleMania on Sunday, April 3rd at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

As The World’s Most Electrifying Host of WrestleMania XXVII, The Rock will lay the SmackDown® on all of the pomp and festivities that makes WrestleMania the world’s greatest, annual pop culture extravaganza.

"I'm absolutely thrilled and fired up to be the host of WrestleMania. My goal was to partner up with Vince McMahon and WWE to create and deliver something globally entertaining and electrifying," said Johnson. "As an actor, entertainer and someone who both loves and has grown up in the sports entertainment business, the opportunity to host 75,000 passionate fans in a live venue, not to mention the millions that will be watching worldwide, is not only thrilling but quite honestly the opportunity of a lifetime. It's going to be one helluva an epic night."

In making the monumental announcement of his return to WWE just minutes ago on Monday Night Raw®, The People’s Champion™ whipped the crowd into a frenzy and was showered with thunderous applause.

For more, visit www.wwe.com for "Live with The Rock" online chat immediately following the conclusion of Monday Night Raw. For all the latest updates, 'Like' The Rock at www.facebook.com/DwayneJohnson or follow him at www.twitter.com/TheRock.

WrestleMania XXVII will be broadcast in more than 80 countries around the world. Check with your local cable operator or satellite provider to order the pay-per-view on Sunday, April 3rd. For more information on WrestleMania and WrestleMania events, please visit www.wrestlemania.com

About WWE
WWE, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly US PG rated content across all of its platforms, including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media, publishing and studios. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages, reaching more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and Mexico City. Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at corporate.wwe.com.

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2011-01-02T06:55:00.001+11:00

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2010-12-08T13:07:00.001+11:00

Wrestling News Media: 15 All Time Wrestling Legends

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Hulk Hogan

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2010-11-03T20:33:00.000+11:00

Conn. Wrestling Fans: Not Totally Sold On Linda McMahon Ex WWE Boss, by Greg Tingle - 3rd November 2010

Linda McMahon wasn't the first pro wrestling aka sports entertainment personality to enter mainstream politics, nor will she the last, but tipsters say she might end up being the most talked about, perhaps even to eclipse legendary Jesse "The Body" Ventura, now host of cable's 'Conspiracy Theory'.

To stake the obvious, being talked about doesn't automatically equal votes.

I'm an Aussie (Australian) so I can't vote for Linda, but you bet, I would if I could. She's likable, intelligent and has a proven track record in running a business - a business that she helped turn into a multi billion dollar concern, and has employed thousands of people over the years. That business - The World Wrestling Entertainment "sports entertainment" powerhouse is one of the world's most well known brands and provides millions, perhaps even billions of people with family friendly (these days) entertainment. A lot has changed since the smoke filled arena and bodybuilder - steroid era.

Wrestling fans or not, it is not fair to blame Linda or Vince McMahon on the steroids found in wrestling, or the ultra high level of early deaths found in the wrestling profession. No one forces wrestlers to take steroids or any drugs, but it is acknowledged that in the past - circa 1990 "monster" (big) wrestlers were usually pushed to the top of the card, and that was linked to earning capacity. The life of a pro wrestler can be presented as glamorous, but it is also one that doesn't come without high risks, injuries and the body encountering frequent pain over the years. The WWE has hundreds of wrestlers on their rooster which helps in given the talent a break when they need, as there is always another wrestler available to fill up the card.

Let's now swing forward to the here and now, with an upcoming election upon us...

Connecticut fans of World Wrestling Entertainment have advised Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon's ties to the wrestling aka "sports entertainment" company won't guarantee their votes come the Election.

Pro wrestling fanatics in Hartford on Saturday said the former WWE CEO's political - media campaign has "no bearing" on their enjoyment of the WWE. The company was in Hartford's XL Center for Fan Appreciation Day, which as you can imagine was a fantastic event and quite the moral booster for WWE management and "independent contractors" (wrestlers).

McMahon is running against Democratic state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for the seat of retiring Democratic U.S Sen. Christopher Dodd. A recent poll obtained by Media Man showed Blumenthal leading McMahon at the time of this publication.

WWE representatives say the weekend show wasn't so much about rallying voters. They say it was held to thank fans for supporting the company despite what they have named as unfair attacks on its image from state Democrats and sections of the media. For the record let it be known that Media Man has given fair and balanced coverage to the WWE over the years, even back to when it wasn't afraid to call itself World Wrestling Federation and "pro wrastling". Sometimes we even ran some negative based articles, when they were in order, based on the company's actions.

Only a few weeks ago current WWE top brass Vince McMahon started his own campaign: 'Stand Up For WWE', which by all accounts has been a global phenomenal success.

The global news media should be fair to WWE and Linda McMahon. A quick snapshot shows:

Linda McMahon has a proven track record in business

Politically savvy candidate

Strong community ties

Built leading global brand

WWE is family friendly entertainment (usually)

WWE Wellness Policy (which has proven to be a serious policy, unlike in some other sports and fields of endeavor)

So, wrestling fans or not, when you vote in the upcoming election, vote with your head. Don't be deterred by media beat ups or bias articles.

Will Linda McMahon and her tag team partner of sorts, Vince "Mr McMahon", lay the smack down on their political opponents? You can bet it will be a fight to the finish. Stay tuned to Media Man and Gambling911 for the aftermath of 'Celebrity Death Match' Connecticut style.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. The also offer political analysis

*Media Man conducts some b2b business with World Wrestling Entertainment and publishes Wrestling News Media http://www.wrestlingnewsmedia.com

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2010-10-29T10:36:00.000+11:00

Vince McMahon defends WWE; Conn. Dems cry tag-team

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Wrestling impresario Vince McMahon — who has largely avoided the role of political spouse and whose World Wrestling Entertainment alter ego has been on hiatus during his wife's Senate campaign in Connecticut — has emerged from ringside in the contest's final days, defending a business empire he says has been trashed because of politics.

Democrats call his actions a late tag-team effort to boost Republican Linda McMahon's campaign as she trails in the polls.

Fed up with what he called "malicious and misleading attacks," the bombastic 65-year-old McMahon recently launched an Internet campaign called "Stand up for WWE," whose past policies and programming have been attacked by his wife's opponents.

He also filed a federal lawsuit this week against the top state election official for suggesting that WWE fans who come to the polls cover up their wrestling clothing or paraphernalia, given Linda McMahon's ties to the company. A judge Wednesday ruled in McMahon's favor.

And on Saturday, the WWE is staging a fan appreciation event in Hartford just three days before Linda McMahon hopes to rally enough voters to defeat Democrat Richard Blumenthal for the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd. WWE announced Thursday it will hand out free merchandise near selected polling places on Election Day to "celebrate" its success with the lawsuit.

Vince McMahon says such efforts have been "a monumental success."

"Certain members of the media, they're a little less likely to write untruths. Elitists, a little less likely to be looking down their noses at us. And even government officials, are concerned about the collective power of you, the WWE universe," McMahon proudly tells the fans in a WWE Web message posted this week.
While WWE and Linda McMahon's Senate campaign both claim the "Stand up for WWE" endeavor is strictly a company initiative, state Democrats have sought a federal elections investigation into whether the company has illegally cooperated with the political campaign.

"Linda McMahon's $50 million attack machine is calling in corporate reinforcements with no respect for the law or the voters of Connecticut," said state Democratic Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo, referring to how much the candidate has said she'll spend on her campaign.

Vince McMahon has appeared politically only once with his wife since she declared her candidacy last fall — in May, when she won the state GOP's endorsement.

Still, his image and reputation have made an impression in a race where the issues of steroid abuses and the WWE's controversial programming have often outmatched policy discussions.

Political opponents have enjoyed showing clips of Vince McMahon — as WWE character Mr. McMahon — forcing a woman to bark like a dog. They also point to his 1994 trial when was faced charges of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids to wrestlers. He was later acquitted.

Linda McMahon has touted her 30 years as an executive at WWE, and its past incarnations, in saying she has what it takes to turn around Washington.

Her husband of 44 years acknowledges he doesn't have much use for politicians and politics.

"When Linda mentioned to me that she wanted to give this a run and what did I think, I said, 'Well if you're successful, you'll be the only honest politician I know in Washington D.C.,'" Vince McMahon told The Associated Press.

On the campaign trail, Linda McMahon has mostly been accompanied by her paid campaign staff, appearing at times with the couple's daughter Stephanie, or Stephanie's husband Paul Levesque, the wrestler known as Triple H.

And on WWE's programming, the fictional Mr. McMahon has been incapacitated for months after some renegade wrestlers beat him up in June. McMahon told the AP that he hopes to end the character, saying the performances in the ring have become physically grueling.

"This was not about Vince McMahon, it should not have been about WWE, it was about Linda. The campaign was about Linda McMahon running for Senate," WWE spokesman Rob Zimmerman said.

The McMahons transformed a small wrestling company they bought from Vince's father into the success that it's become today, complete with pay-per-view matches and a planned cable TV channel. Both talk about sharing a desk in the old days, not sure whether they could afford to pay their taxes or their staff.

Vince McMahon acknowledges he underestimated the interest, and scrutiny, the Senate race would bring to WWE and the issues he and the company have faced over the years, such as steroids, wrestler deaths and raunchy programming.

And he's also been surprised by how he's been portrayed as a mythic, all-controlling figure who knew what was really going "back in the day," before the company revamped everything from its programming to drug testing.

"I'm supposed to be this Machiavellian character of some kind ... ," he told the AP. "Oh yeah, I'm extremely aggressive, over the top and real matter-of-fact, and I go for the jugular everyday and have an extraordinary work ethic and what have you, but the stories are legendary."

Credit: Google News, Wires

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2010-10-21T13:44:00.002+11:00

Wrestling News Media Website Network Updated

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2010-06-22T21:19:00.001+10:00

WWE Superstar Batista To Enter MMA World; Want A Bet? by Greg Tingle - 22nd June 2010

With news that more professional wrestlers aka "sports entertainers" (term thanks to WWE owner Vince McMahon) are set to enter the mixed martial arts world, seems sports betting fans and wrestling fans will have more more to get excited about. Enter Dave Batista, whose next? Media Man and Gambling911 with this body slamming, clothes liner, no taping report...

Brock Lensar may have been the first former WWE superstar to make his considerable mark on the MMA world (via UFC) but he won't be the last. Enter Dave Batista, fresh off a scripted loss to WWE's who Media Man spys say is heading to StrikeForce...competitor of sorts to the UFC.

Gambling911 and Media Man have been scouring the planet to see who may take odds - bets on Batista's upcoming Strikeforce debut, before year end we understand. Comon' PartyGaming - PartyBets, Gamebookers, BetUS, Betfair, Centrebet, Paddy Power and SBG Global.

Public Challenge To Sports Betting Companies!...

We issue a public challenge to offer betting options on Batista and other pro wrestlers going to the mixed martial arts world!

Wrestling Legend Ric Flair Speaks On UFC (MMA) And WWE Fans...

"MMA doesn’t affect wrestling at all. I’m not saying wrestling fans don’t watch MMA, but it is two different audiences. My take on MMA is that those guys are phenomenal athletes and extraordinarily tough and committed but the people that are crazy about them got nothing going on themselves. I actually think most of the male public that is crazy for that are living vicariously for something they can never be. Wrestling is more entertainment-based. MMA is what it is, those guys are out there trying to kill each other. And the guys that are sitting at home going "Wow" could never find that within themselves on the first day of their life. When Lesnar fights, I like watching Brock… and I recognize a lot of names … you’ve got to have so much respect for what those guys put themselves through but it is a limited time frame [they've got]. It’s hard to develop a star in that business that’s going to have any longevity. In wrestling a guy that develops a name for himself can do it fifteen years."

Gambling911 fans or anti fans. Does Flair's quote piss you off, or do you like his tell it like it is attitude? Tell us in the forum, and we can't wait for Hollywood's crazed comedian nutter Tony Clifton, to offer his 2 cents worth again. Shame about what happened to the late Andy Kaufman (former inter gender pro wrestling champion of the world!!!). Trust us, Andy was not the UFC type... ask Jerry 'The King' Lawler.

'The Nature Boy' has enjoyed previous Gambling911 coverage thanks to his gambling and gaming entrepreneur exploits... namely being former NC Education Lottery front man, and the current man of the moment for the South Carolina Lottery. Woooooo! as Flair would say.

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Other Pro Wrestling Stars Predicted By Media Man To Be Able To Cut It In The MMA World...

Bill Goldberg, mainly known only as Goldberg. Bill is also a motorsport enthusiast, enjoying BullRun, monster trucks and Harley-Davidson bikes.

Antonia Inoki (but just for 1 or 2 matches, due to his age). Details full credit Wikipedia

On June 26, 1976 Antonio Inoki had a scheduled match in Tokyo with Muhammad Ali. Inoki initially promised Ali a worked match to get him to fight in Japan, but when the deal materialized Ali's camp feared that Inoki would turn the fight into a shoot, which many believe was Inoki's intention. Ali visited a professional wrestling match involving Inoki and witnessed Inoki's grappling ability. The rules of the match were announced several months in advance. Two days before the match, however, several new rules were added which severely limited the moves that each man could perform. A rule change that had a major outcome on this match was that Inoki could only throw a kick if one of his knees was on the ground. In the match, Ali landed a total of six punches to Inoki, and Inoki kept to his back in a defensive position almost the full duration of the match of 15 rounds, hitting Ali with a low kick repeatedly. The bout ended in a draw, 3-3. Ali left without a press conference and suffered damage to his legs as a result of Inoki's repeated leg kicks.

Bob Backlund (as above)

'Judo' Gene LeBell, actually, better to pass... Gene is 77 years of age.

John Layfield aka Bradshaw (a low level match, as Bradshaw is a brawler and had a gorgeous and intelligent wife who likely wouldn't risk anything else)

Pro Wrestlers Who Won't Be Going To MMA This Lifetime...

John Cena, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), Rey Mysterio Jr, Bret Hart...

Hornswoggle (Dylan Postl aka Little Bastard is a midget wrestler and character. Say so more).

Vince McMahon (too old and busy running WWE), Hulk Hogan (who Flair has gone on record with... "Hogan is in constant pain").

Steve Austin aka 'Stone Cold' (Austin has had many injuries and the closest you will see him in MMA is in action movie 'Damage', in a cage match!

Family Of Wrestling Stars In MMA...

Colton Toombs (son of legendary wrestler and pop icon, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper). As a teenager Roddy won a Golden Gloves boxing championship and was also awarded a karate black belt by Gene LeBell.

Former Pro Wrestlers Who Were Once Successful In UFC...

Dan "The Beast' Severn and Ken Shamrock

Too Old Or Dead...

Terry Funk, legit legend and tough guy brawler, still with us, bless the lord

Jerry "The King" Lawler, as above

Bruiser Brody - Frank Donald Goodish - dead - a fight - self defense or murdered in the locker room of a Bayamón - San Juan, Puerto Rico locker room at the hands of Jose Huertas Gonzalez, AKA Invader I. Brody reminds fans of David 'Tank' Abbott, the fighter who achieved fame in the UFC early years.

Karl Gotch - Karl Istaz (August 3, 1924 - July 28, 2007) was a professional wrestler and trainer born in Hamburg, Germany, best known by his ring name Karl Gotch. The German suplex is named after Gotch. Gotch had a behind-the-scenes feud with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, starting when Gotch asked for a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Rogers wanted to avoid getting into the ring with a wrestler he feared would 'shoot' on him and legitimately "steal" his championship. This led to a locker room fist fight between the two, ending when Gotch broke Rogers' hand; incapacitating Rogers for several weeks. These events only served to alienate Gotch from the American promoters, who already felt there was no place for his style in the world of American pro wrestling!

PS: WWE NXT former Superstar Bryan Danielson's chances of competing in UFC? "Slim and none, or about 1 million to one", whispered a Media Man insider.

PS: Vince McMahon, no, hardly any of your guys will leave WWE for MMA as they just don't have the skills or the desire to fight in a no holds barred environment, so no need to worry. Pro wrestling ain't MMA, and god knows many MMA fighters would boar pro wrestling audiences to death. If WWE can ever get Lesnar back, even for 1 match or as a special ref or something, they would do well. Shane McMahon met with UFC top brass Dana White last year, but what's his status now? Punters, tell us what you know in the forum.

UFC President Dana White On Potentially Signing Bobby Lashley (December 2008)...

"I don't know how many people can cross over and do what Lesnar has done. I don't think there's very many out there."

Current Status Of Bobby Lashley: In Strikeforce

What Is Strikeforce?

Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, operators of the HP Pavilion and the San Jose Sharks. Its live events and fights are currently shown on Showtime in the US and on Super Channel in Canada. The promotion debuted on CBS on November 7, 2009 with Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers.

UFC Update Etc...

Brock Lesnar VS Frank Mir expected to break a number of records including ticketing, PPV media buys and sports betting. The upcoming fight is expected to to the the stuff of legend. Tune in to UFC 116 on July 3, 2010. The match up is to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.

Shane Carwin, who won the interim heavyweight championship by defeating Frank Mir at UFC 111, will face current heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. The two were originally set to face each other at UFC 106, before Shane Carwin won the interim heavyweight championship, but Brock Lesnar pulled out of the fight due to an illness that kept him from training.

UFC Prez Dana White went on record that the promotion plans to make a down under Australia tour and annual occurrence, due to the massive success of UFC 110 in Sydney.

Media Man thinks that either James Packer 50% owned Betfair or competitor, Centrebet, would do well to become an official sponsor of UFC, even if only for the Australian - Asia Pacific region.

Wrap Up...

We keenly await a reply from sports betting companies on odds re pro wrestlers entering the mixed martial arts world, be it UFC, Strikeforce or other.

Loyal readers, don't hold back in the world famous Gambling911 forums

*The writer is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They also publish Australian Sports Entertainment and

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*Media Man is the former manager and agent for Australian MMA fighter Mick Cutajar

Disclaimer:

Media Man has online b2b agreements with the WWE Shop and UFC Shop. Media Man has nothing but respect for the awesome athletes in the WWE, UFC and other martial arts companies. The above article is a tongue in cheek number, intended to both educate and entertain. The disclaimers are there for the haters in the forum, and for those who hate a. WWE b. UFC and other MMA c. The writer!

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2010-05-24T09:03:00.000+10:00

Wrestling News: Why did WWE put the U.S. Title on Bret Hart?

Bret Hart became the U.S. champion for the fifth time on Monday night, defeating The Miz in a chaotic title match. This interference-packed encounter was further evidence that Bret Hart is relishing his return to the spotlight.

It surely won't be long before The Hitman gives the title up. However, it seems strange that WWE would decide to put the title on him in the first place.

At the age of 52, and collecting on an insurance policy that is being paid to him on the basis of him being unable to wrestle, Bret Hart is not capable of having anything more than matches filled with interference. It is a shame for a wrestler whose career comprised an outstanding body of work to be unable to perform at a level he could in his prime.

Nevertheless, it seems that Bret Hart still has something to offer professional wrestling in 2010. As limited as he may be in the ring, The Hitman has been consistently excellent on the microphone since returning to WWE this year. One of the biggest fears about bringing Bret Hart back to WWE was that he would be irrelevant to a new generation of fans who never witnessed him in his prime. That has not been the case.

The Hitman has more than held his own in verbal exchanges with the likes of Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Jericho, and his acting has helped to create sympathy for a character that younger fans may be unfamiliar with. The storyline with Vince McMahon was overbooked, but it had its moments, such as when Bret revealed that he had been faking his injury to get McMahon to agree to a WrestleMania match.

The problem occurred when The Hitman stepped in the ring at WrestleMania 26. Limited by what he could do, Bret Hart beat down McMahon for over ten minutes, which coupled with a contrived storyline about the Hart family, made for arguably the worst match of his career. This inability to wrestle at a decent standard is the main problem with the return of Bret Hart, as there is no point in cutting great promos if the matches they lead to are a disappointment.

Thankfully, his title match was kept short on Monday night, and his shortcomings were covered by a string of run-ins. The crowd was into the match, and reacted with jubilation for Bret Hart's win. Slightly tarnishing The Hitman's victory was the commentary of Michael Cole, who inexplicably started heeling on Bret Hart, saying that he did not deserve the title. We can only speculate as to why he was produced to say this. He is much better on NXT as a heel announcer than he is as an announcer on Raw, so maybe it will be a good thing if Cole brings this aspect of his character to Monday nights.

While the title change was well-executed, there is the question of why they wanted to give The Hitman the title in the first place. He certainly can't go on the road to defend his title, and will be surely giving the title up in the near future. Hopefully he will drop the title back to The Miz rather than vacating it on Monday night.

It seems as though every time The Miz comes close to heading to the next level as a cocky heel, WWE cuts his legs out from underneath him. The loss to Bret Hart this week, Tyson Kidd the week before, and being made to look like a jobber by Big Show recently has not done The Miz any favors. His alliance with Chris Jericho has potential, but the number of times he has been pinned recently suggests that he won't be rising above the mid-card any time soon.

Bret Hart's title win was a nice piece of nostalgia, but TNA has shown that regular nostalgia is not conducive to drawing money for a modern wrestling company. Dropping the title back to The Miz as soon as possible would probably be the best way forward, as Miz would clearly benefit from a pinfall victory over The Hitman.

Bret Hart can't wrestle the way he used to, but as his performance on Monday night showed, he is more than capable of working a crowd. Hopefully there will be a meaningful role for him after he loses the U.S. Title.

(Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)

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2010-05-22T12:50:00.000+10:00

WWE News: WWE continuing to play up Daniel Bryan vs. Michael Cole scrap with more "shoot" comments

WWE is continuing to play up the Daniel Bryan vs. Michael Cole "fight" from NXT on Tuesday with more "shoot comments" from Daniel Bryan after the angle played out.

WWE published a story today on their website with Bryan commenting on Cole "burying" him on commentary, Cole "putting over" David Otunga (who Bryan said "can't even run the ropes right), WWE "pushing" big wrestlers, and WWE trying to "hold him down."

It all adds up to WWE attempting to get a reaction out of hardcore fans by making it seem shocking that insider verbiage would be used in a WWE story and that WWE would "allow" Bryan to criticize WWE.

In actuality, it's a WWE-approved angle meant to get a reaction. One part of Bryan's interview that could point to the future direction of the storyline is Bryan saying in-character that he was "out of line" for attacking Cole on NXT.

"I think my actions were unprofessional and I'd do them all over again," Bryan said. "You can only be pushed so much before you get to that breaking point, you know, and at some point you need to stand up for yourself."

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2010-05-06T09:28:00.001+10:00

Edge and Randy face off on Raw - 4th May 2010

Tag teams were the focus on Raw this week, as an old duo clashed and a potentially great one formed.

Edge and Randy Orton once comprised the team known as Rated RKO, but after the Ultimate Opportunist speared the Viper to close last week's show, they were booked to face off in Edge's talk show segment, The Cutting Edge.

Hyped throughout the show, it proved to be the quasi-main event, and concluded with Randy standing tall after nailing an RKO on his former comrade.

Prior to this, Edge cut a very strong promo explaining that he tried his hardest to please the fans, but they wouldn't accept him, hence his heel turn.

Adam Copeland is a terrific talker, but hasn't found his groove since his return as a babyface. It's nice to see the wide-eyed, paranoid heel Edge back.

During this confrontation, Orton found time to RKO the Raw Guest Host Wayne Brady, who contributed little else to the show.

It evoked memories of Steve Austin dishing out stunners to all and sundry, suggesting that if Randy showed a similar penchant for hitting his finisher in scattergun fashion it could get him even more over.

We already know the WWE title, currently held by John Cena, will be defended against Batista at Over the Limit. So this show featured the two men wrestling in separate matches, with the man who got a win in the quickest time choosing the stipulation for the bout at the PPV.

Batista was due to face The Miz, but he produced a Doctor's note excusing him from action, and instead allowed his NXT rookie Daniel Bryan to face the Animal.

Batista knocked off the former Ring of Honor champ in about five minutes, although Bryan got some reasonable time to shine.

Later, Cena was supposed to wrestle Chris Jericho, but again a scheduled opponent cried off, with this time Jericho's NXT protégé Wade Barrett taking his place.

Cena beat Batista's time, and was about to announce what stipulation he would like, when he was ambushed by Sheamus, who had earlier got in Batista's face and claimed he should be the No1 contender.

With no obvious opponent for the upcoming PPV, Sheamus may well be inserted into the mix to create a Triple Threat by the time we reach Over the Limit.

Our favourite moment from the show, though, was the realisation that Chris Jericho and The Miz look set to be aligned as a Tag Team.

They have title reigns with Big Show in common, and a backstage segment where they compared note on the giant, who moved to Smackdown last week, gave rise to what seems like a uniting of the pair.

You could put forth a very good argument for Jericho and Miz being the best promo guys in the whole of wrestling right now, so a formation of a team is an exciting prospect.

They sat in on commentary to see the current champions, The Hart Foundation, get their hands raised against William Regal and Vladimir Koslov, and attacked them post-match.

There is only really one question to answer. Do we called them JeriMiz or Mizicho? (Credit: The Sun)

2010-05-06T08:53:00.000+10:00

Hitman drops WWE future hint - 4th May 2010

Bret Hart has raved about his recent return to the WWE and hinted he may extend his stay with the wrestling promotion.

The Hitman returned for a WrestleMania match with Vince McMahon, but remained as part of their programming in the aftermath of the showpiece event to guide the Hart Dynasty to the tag team titles.

And speaking on the Right After Wrestling show on SIRIUS Radio, Hart said: "I thought I'd be done at WrestleMania, but every week there's something else.

"I don't mind. I'm having fun. The return of The Hitman has been good for me, good for the fans and good for the wrestlers.

"There's been nothing but an upside to it all. I'm pretty happy with it."

Canadian Hart's last appearance for the WWE is scheduled to be on WWE Raw from Toronto on May 17.

And although he insists he does not see himself carrying on after that date, he added: "At the same time I wouldn't rule anything out if I can play a useful role.

"It's not like I'm doing that much these days.

"As long as I'm not on the road every day like I used to be.

"The Monday Night Raw role I've had for the last three months was a lot of fun...and I would do it all over again." (Credit: The Sun)

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2010-03-29T20:15:00.000+11:00

WrestleMania(R) XXVI Breaks Record

GLENDALE, Ariz., Mar 28, 2010 - World Wrestling Entertainment(R) made history tonight at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ, as WrestleMania XXVI grossed $5.8 million, becoming the highest grossing and attended entertainment event ever held at the stadium. The previous record was a U2 concert on October 20, 2009 that attracted 50,775 fans and grossed $4.9 million. 72,219 fans from all 50 states and 26 countries attended the sold out event, outdrawing Super Bowl XLII (71,101 attendance) in the same building.

WWE's annual pop-culture extravaganza was broadcast around the world on pay-per-view in more than 100 countries and 20 languages.

"WrestleMania XXVI was a tremendous success, and we thank the public and private sectors of Glendale and Phoenix for rolling out the red carpet to WWE(R) and our fans during WrestleMania Week," said John P. Saboor, Senior Vice President of Special Events, World Wrestling Entertainment. "WrestleMania is an important rite of passage for WWE fans each year, bringing with them a tremendous economic impact to the community."

WrestleMania XXVII will take place on Sunday, April 3, 2011 from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA. Ticket information will be announced later this year.

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company (WWE 17.60, +0.04, +0.23%) , is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE 17.60, +0.04, +0.23%) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.

2010-03-14T16:25:00.000+11:00

Statement from Randy Savage on Passing of his Father Angelo Poffo

Official Statement from Randy Poffo Regarding the Passing of his Father, Angelo Poffo

I have always been so proud to call Angelo Poffo my father. He is a great example of a self-sacrificing, hard-working man who always put his family first. As a parent, he was tough, but always fair. He was a true leader, and I am honored to be his son.

My father has left this world, but he will never leave my heart. He has always been my hero and my mentor, and the priceless gifts he gave I will have and cherish forever.

My family and I would like to thank my dad’s fans for all the support and well wishes they have expressed this past week.

Randy Poffo

2010-03-10T12:58:00.000+11:00

WWE Raw VS TNA Wrestling - Ratings - 9th March 2010

WWE vs. TNA head-to-head

WWE Raw scored a 3.4 rating and 5.1 million viewers.

TNA scored a 1.0 rating and 1.4 million viewers.

Raw was down 7.4 percent in ratings and 4.2 percent in viewership compared to last week's show.

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2010-03-10T12:14:00.001+11:00

Criss Angel’s 10–year reunion with WWE stars in the ring tonight - 8th March 2010

Mindfreak magician Criss Angel promises that there will be no disappearing act when he steps into World Wrestling Entertainment’s Raw ring tonight in Portland, Ore. Despite not feeling well, Criss flew out of Las Vegas this morning and will return in time for tomorrow evening’s performances of Cirque du Soleil’s Believe at the Luxor.

Criss also revealed to Vegas DeLuxe that he has signed for a sixth season of A&E’s Mindfreak, which he has just finalized planning for filming to start. In hosting the USA Network wrestling event, which also features a battle between WWE head honcho Vince McMahon and John Cena, he’ll be introducing The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels in the opening bout and veteran Ted DiBiase wrestling Legacy in a matchup.

The illusionist is a big WWE fan and says he uses martial arts in his cross-training physical workouts, including kung fu, tae kwon do and karate. He said it strengthens his body and his mind. For Criss, it’s a reunion with a group who gave him a unique start to his magic career, and that’s why he’ll be in the center of tonight’s rough-and-tumble action. You can expect to see magic in and out of the ring.

“When I started out trying to make it, I ran into a lot of people who never lived up to their promises,” Criss told me about his friendship with WWE. “It’s no secret that I borrowed money from the bank and took a $260,000 mortgage on my mother’s home. I was willing to invest the $410,000 to show that I had something very special.

“Back then, I was on the streets of Manhattan, and at Broadway and West 43rd Street, there was the World Wrestling restaurant filled with its memorabilia. Vince McMahon, the founder, and all the wrestlers all came to see my show. They were huge fans, and Vince gave me my very first break taking me off the street and into a 125-seat theater we built out of a banquet room. That led to all the stunts, all the TV shows, everything. (Credit: Las Vegas Sun)

*Read the full article here

2010-03-05T11:34:00.000+11:00

WWE(R) CFO George Barrios to Participate in the ROTH Growth Stock Conference on March 16th

STAMFORD, Conn., Mar 04, 2010 - World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. announced today that its Chief Financial Officer, George A. Barrios, will participate in the ROTH 22nd Annual OC Growth Stock Conference, on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, in Dana Point, CA.

Mr. Barrios' remarks are expected to begin at approximately 5 p.m. ET. A live audio webcast will be available online at corporate.wwe.com/investors. Also, a replay of the presentation will begin shortly after the actual presentation time and will be available until June 11, 2010.

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company (WWE 17.50, +0.00, +0.02%) , is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Toronto and Sydney. Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. can be found at corporate.wwe.com.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, copyrights and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; the need for continually developing creative and entertaining programming; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent McMahon; the conditions of the markets in which we compete; acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to regulatory and litigation matters; risks resulting from the highly competitive nature of our markets; the importance of protecting our intellectual property and complying with the intellectual property rights of others; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to our film business and any new business initiative which we may undertake; risks relating to the large number of shares of common stock controlled by members of the McMahon family; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition, our dividend is significant and is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends, general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant, including a waiver by the McMahon family of a portion of the dividends.

SOURCE: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

2010-03-02T20:12:00.002+11:00

WWE SUPERSTAR ‘THE MIZ’ TO SHOW AUSSIE TEENS THE MEANING OF AWESOME IN HABBO

Habbo VIP Chat - Thursday 4th March 2010 at 4.30pm AEDT

1st March, 2010 – The self proclaimed ‘awesome one’, WWE’s talented young superstar Mike ‘The Miz’ Mizanin will be joining Habbo Australia (www.habbo.com.au) – the world’s most popular virtual world for teenagers – live on Thursday 4th March 2010 at 4.30pm AEDT, to discuss life in the entertainment industry, the upcoming world event WrestleMania and his fight to the top of the WWE ladder.

This exciting opportunity will provide Habbo users with the chance to discuss everything wrestling with one of the world’s most talented WWE performers. As part of his Australian tour for WWE’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania, The Miz will be chatting all things ‘awesome’ with his Aussie followers, as well as his current status in RAW and his goals for 2010.

Jeff Brookes, Regional Director Asia Pacific, Sulake, says “We are looking forward to having such a well recognised and goal orientated performer like the Miz visit Habbo.
An international figure such as the Miz, provides great insight for our users about what it’s like to be a worldwide star and how much effort is required to have a successful career. I know our users will enjoy his positive attitude, knowledge and hearing about his experiences and sporting achievements.”

About Habbo Hotel – www.habbo.com.au
Habbo Hotel is the world’s largest virtual world for teens. Users join by creating a fully customized online character called a Habbo. From there, they can explore many public spaces and thousands of rooms created by other users in the virtual world, play a variety of games, connect with friends, decorate their own rooms, and have fun through creativity and self expression. Currently there are Habbo communities in 31 countries on six continents. To date, over 155 million characters have been created and over 15 million unique users worldwide visit Habbo Hotel each month.

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2010-02-28T12:14:00.002+11:00

WWE Hall of Fame 2010

Names thus far announced

Ted DiBiase "The Million Dollar Man"

Antonio Inoki

Wendi Richter

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2010-02-24T11:16:00.001+11:00

WWE's "The Undertaker" Gets Burned by Pyrotechnics, by Greg Tingle

WWE's "The Undertaker" Gets Burned by Pyrotechnics; Bad timing for WWE, by Greg Tingle

St. Louis, MO - According to the Associated Press, a pyrotechnics mishap is to blame for burning professional wrestler The Undertaker during a Sunday performance in St. Louis.

Officials say pro wrestler Mark William Calaway only suffered minor burns to his chest and escaped serious injury. Fire officials in St. Louis continue to investigate the incident.

According to World Wrestling Entertainment spokesman Robert Zimmerman, The Undertaker continued to wrestle Sunday night and still appeared during a Monday performance of WWE's Raw.

Calaway usually enters the wrestling ring as fireballs explode, but a timing mistake caused the wrestler's jacket to catch fire. The Undertaker threw down the jacket and title belt before he was treated by a ringside physician.

Doctors say that the wrestler's chest was red and appeared to be about as serious as a sunburn. According to WWE officials, the pyrotechnics overseen by a third party that is contracted with the wrestling group.

The majority of wrestling insiders, fans and media analysts believe that this latest WWE incident it likely to have some negative impact on former WWE CEO Linda McMahon's political campaign.

Media Man hopes this is a further wake up call for the WWE and the professional wresting industry in general. Minds go back to when Owen Hart died at a WWE PPV whilst performing a stunt on the way to the ring, rather than a basic professional wrestling move. As pro wrestling living legends such as Bret "Hitman" Hart and Mick "Cactus Jack" Foley has gone on record with, "Pro wrestling is more real than you think". That may be so, however does the WWE need so many "highspots" like pyro if it adds what could be seen as unacceptable risk to the performers, and potentially, fans? Roddy Piper, who currently appears for the WWE from time to time, along with Hulk Hogan (TNA Wrestling) have been campaigning for extra health benefits for professional wrestlers.

Perhaps something good may come from the latest WWE (real life) accident to The Undertaker.

The Undertaker is widely regarded as a living legend of the professional wrestling industry and has been contemplating retirement in recent years. He has been scripted into WWE WrestleMania storylines in recent weeks and it is unknown as this time if today's incident will effect the WrestleMania line up or angles.

Rest in peace, although we're not certain all WWE top brass will tonight.

*The writer has a b2b agreement (website b2b) with World Wrestling Entertainment, as they do with dozens of companies in the media, new media and entertainment sector.

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2010-02-21T17:00:00.001+11:00

Ed Harris to Star in WWE Studios' "Big Red"

Amy Madigan and WWE(R) Superstar Randy Orton(R) Also Star in the Coming-of-Age Film

STAMFORD, Conn., Feb 19, 2010 - WWE Studios announced today that award-winning actor Ed Harris ("Pollock," "Apollo 13," "The Truman Show") will headline the cast of the (tentatively titled) film, "Big Red." Chase Ellison ("Tooth Fairy"), Molly Parker ("Deadwood"), Daniel Roebuck ("Final Destination"), WWE Superstar Randy Orton, Mia Rose Frampton ("Make It or Break It") and Amy Madigan ("Carnivale") will also star in this family-friendly movie, scheduled to begin principal photography in and around New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 23, 2010.

Set against the backdrop of the mid-sixties, "Big Red" is a coming-of-age story which follows 12-year-old Andy Nichol (CHASE ELLISON), a bright student whose English teacher, Mr. Simon (ED HARRIS), pairs him on a project with the school's biggest outcast and social pariah, Stanley (aka "Big Red"). When Andy watches Stanley fearlessly confront a school bully, a series of events is unleashed, which changes the lives of both young men -- and their teacher -- forever.

WWE Studios Executive Vice President Mike Pavone will direct the drama from his original screenplay. "Big Red" is produced by Pavone and Denise Chamian. WWE Studios Vice President David Calloway is the executive in charge of production and the line producer is Todd Lewis.

Golden Globe-winning actor Ed Harris stars as Mr. Simon, a popular "Teacher of the Year" who finds himself the target of a vendetta when he makes sure the principal (AMY MADIGAN) suspends a school bully. A four-time Oscar nominee and SAG Award winner, Harris has distinguished himself as one of film's most respected and talented actors in numerous popular and critically-acclaimed films, including: "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," "The Hours," "A Beautiful Mind," "Enemy at the Gates," "The Truman Show," "Glengarry Glen Ross," "A History of Violence," "The Rock," "Apollo 13," "The Firm," "Places in the Heart" and "The Right Stuff." Harris also directed and starred in the title role of "Pollock," for which he received an Oscar nomination for his performance. He also wrote, directed, produced and starred in the award-winning film adaptation, "Appaloosa."

Chase Ellison plays Andy Nichol, a bright student unwillingly paired with the school's biggest outcast, Stanley/ "Big Red" for an English term paper. Ellison's film credits include "Tooth Fairy," "Fireflies in the Garden," "End of the Spear," "Wristcutters: A Love Story" and "Mysterious Skin." His television credits include "Deadwood," "Boomtown," "Malcolm in the Middle" and as a regular on the daytime series, "The Young and the Restless" (Noah Newman).

Molly Parker, known to many for her role as Alma Garret on HBO's "Deadwood," portrays Andy's mother, Sherri. Parker has been a regular or recurring character on several acclaimed television series including "Swingtown," "Shattered," "Six Feet Under," "Twitch City" and "Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years." Her film credits include "Hollywoodland," "The Wicker Man" and "Wonderland."

Daniel Roebuck plays Andy's father, Jim. Roebuck has appeared in the films "The Fugitive," "U.S. Marshalls," "Final Destination," "Rob Zombie's Halloween," "Agent Cody Banks," "Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London," "Project X" and "Rivers Edge." He has been a regular on numerous television series including "Lost," "Woke Up Dead," "Nash Bridges," "Matlock," "Capital News" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation." He is also the writer, producer and director of the horror documentary series, "Monsterama."

WWE Superstar Randy Orton portrays Ed Freel, the father of the bully reprimanded by Simon. When Freel's son spreads a lie about Simon, Ed repeats the accusation and begins a campaign to get Simon fired. Since making his WWE debut in 2002, Orton has held the WWE Championship, the World Heavyweight Championship, the Intercontinental Championship and the World Tag Championship. A third-generation WWE Superstar, Orton is the son of WWE Hall of Famer "Cowboy Bob" Orton and the grandson of "The Big O," the late Bob Orton, Sr.

Mia Rose Frampton has been cast as Mary Bell, the prettiest girl in the school, who is also known as the preeminent make-out artist of the eighth grade. Frampton, the daughter of Grammy Award-winning artist Peter Frampton, stars as Becca Keeler in the popular ABC television series, "Make It or Break It" about the training of Olympic hopefuls.

Golden Globe-winner Amy Madigan ("Roe v. Wade") plays Principal Kelner, whose decision to suspend a school bully has devastating and unforeseen consequences. Madigan, familiar to many for her role as Annie Kinsella in the film, "Field of Dreams," and Iris Crowe in the HBO series "Carnivale," has received Oscar, Emmy and Independent Spirit Award nominations for her work in "Twice in a Lifetime," "The Prince of Pennsylvania," "Love Child" and "Loved." Her film credits include "The Laramie Project," "Pollock," "With Friends Like These," "The Dark Half," "Uncle Buck," "Alamo Bay," "Places in the Heart" and "Streets of Fire."

Writer-director-producer Pavone recently produced the family drama, "Legendary," starring Patricia Clarkson, WWE Superstar John Cena(R) and Danny Glover, as well as the comedy "Knucklehead," with Mark Feuerstein, Melora Hardin and WWE Superstar Paul "Big Show(R)" Wight. "Legendary" and "Knucklehead" are slated for theatrical release in late 2010.

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company (WWE 16.44, +0.10, +0.61%) , is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE 16.44, +0.10, +0.61%) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, copyrights and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, feature films, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, our dividend is based on a number of factors, including our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan, our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends and such other factors as our board of directors may consider relevant.

SOURCE: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

2010-02-14T07:30:00.001+11:00

WWE(R) Superstar Triple H(R) Unveils His Action Figure and Kicks Off New York Toy Fair

Mattel and World Wrestling Entertainment(R) Celebrate Partnership and Present Innovative New Toys for the Fall 2010 Line

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Feb 12, 2010 - WWE Superstar Triple H(R) joined Mattel, Inc. and World Wrestling Entertainment(R) to celebrate Mattel's first line of WWE(R) action figures and accessories, including several scheduled to debut in fall 2010, at a special event at New York Toy Fair today.

President of Mattel Brands Neil Friedman and WWE(R) COO Donna Goldsmith spoke about the partnership between these dynamic entertainment companies, the innovation behind the new FlexForce(TM) toys for kids and the renowned design behind the most detailed line of WWE figures ever assembled for the collector community. WWE(R) Superstar and 13-time World Champion Triple H(R), best known for his "Pedigree" finishing move, showcased his FlexForce(TM) action figure.

"Mattel's WWE action figures and accessories are the most complete and realistic ever produced, thanks to the close collaboration between two of the world's heavyweight brands," said Friedman. "We're certain that collectors will love the attention to detail of the WWE figures, while kids will be impressed with the moves and innovation behind the FlexForce line."

"This new line of WWE FlexForce figures is the first that captures the electrifying drama and action that goes on inside the ring," said Donna Goldsmith. "Through Mattel's new WWE line, kids and collectors around the world can experience the detail and authenticity of WWE's Superstars. These action figures and accessories also reflect the family-friendly PG content of WWE."

Mattel and WWE(R) joined forces to launch the most comprehensive portfolio of WWE(R) action figures and accessories, which hit shelves nationwide in January 2010. The line includes the FlexForce(TM) action figures for young fans and the Elite and Entrance Great figures for the avid collectors. Other products designed specifically for kids include Superstar Rings, Championship Belts, Ring Action Megaphone and motion-activated Tough Talkers(TM) that deliver WWE(R) Superstar catch phrases and striking sounds. Basic figure single packs will be released every month, while two-packs and Elite figures will roll out every other month.

Photos and b-roll of the special event are available at www.mattelbrandsmedia.com

About Mattel, Inc.

Mattel, Inc., (www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie(R), the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels(R), Matchbox(R), American Girl(R), Radica(R) and Tyco(R) R/C, as well as Fisher-Price(R) brands, including Little People(R), Power Wheels(R) and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. In 2009, Mattel is recognized among the "100 Best Corporate Citizens," as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" and as one of FORTUNE Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For." With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs approximately 30,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands--today and tomorrow.

About WWE, Inc.

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company, is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. can be found at corporate.wwe.com.

(C) 2010 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, copyrights and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. (C) 2010 World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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2010-02-13T10:35:00.000+11:00

McMahon: WWE Network Expected To Launch in Mid 2011 - 11th February 2010

Proposed Network To Help Promote `Raw,' `SmackDown' Properties

World Wrestling Entertainment is looking to jump into the cable network ring with a proposed network that the pro grappling outfit expects to launch in the next 18 months, according to WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

McMahon, speaking Thursday morning during the company's 2009 fourth-quarter earnings call, said it has been doing "a great deal of due diligence" toward creating a WWE cable network that would presumably offer live and library content.

"I would hope a year-and-a-half from now we would be up and running," McMahon said. "We think there is a tremendous opportunity for us out there and quite frankly if things happen as we hope they will happen it will be a really big game changer for the WWE."

The proposed network would not infringe on the WWE's current cable and broadcast shows, including USA Network's WWE Monday Night Raw and MyNetworkTV's SmackDown , but instead could be used as a marketing tool for those shows.

"We are unique in that what's good for the WWE is good for all our television partners as far as promotion and things of that nature," he said. "The new network could tie in and be adjacent to some of those shows and quite frankly our own network can enhance Raw and SmackDown. It would really be a win-win across the board for our television partners, as well as for us." (Credit: World Wrestling Entertainment, MultiChannel News, Wires)

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2010-01-24T12:34:00.000+11:00

Brisco doing well, signs with PR company - 23rd January 2010

Jerry Brisco, a legendary name in professional wrestling, has signed with a public relations company. Brisco, a current agent/talent scout for World Wrestling Entertainment, will be represented by Eclectic Media Productions.

Brisco, who won dozens of wrestling championships in his storied career, is pleased to become EMP's newest client, under the direction of President Shannon Rose.

``I was very impressed with Shannon's company, their aggressiveness and bold ideas,'' Brisco said in a statement.

The feeling is mutual, according to EMP Vice President Greg Eno.

``For a company like ours, you can only get better by bringing someone like Jerry on board,'' Eno said. ``We can't wait to get started.''

According to the agreement, EMP will help facilitate Brisco's public appearances, including autograph signings and conventions.

Brisco has been associated with WWE for more than 20 years, making him one of that entertainment empire's most tenured employees.

Brisco, along with older brother Jack, formed one of pro wrestling's most successful tag teams, the Brisco Brothers, which won more than 20 tag team titles in 13 years, starting in the early 1970s. Jerry also won a number of singles titles.

On July 15, 2005, Brisco was inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. On March 29, 2008, the Brisco Brothers were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

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2010-01-10T13:55:00.002+11:00

WWE Hall of Fame - Stu Hart almost certainly to be inducted this year

WWE's Vince McMahon has said that he wants to induct Stu Hart into the WWE Hall of Fame at WrestleMania 26.

Wrestling announcer icon, Jim Ross via his official web blog advises "Stu Hart going into the WWE HOF is a cool deal as Stu was a real character and is one of the most impersonated men in the history of the wrestling biz. The late Owen Hart played some amazing, telephone practical jokes on his Dad that are classics. I have no idea who else will be inducted but I'm sure that it will be a fun night for those that attend or watch on TV".

Other names that insiders and fans have been speculating on for inclusion in this years WWE Hall Of Fame include but are not limited to Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, "The Ultimate Warrior" and Bruno Sammartino. The names come up annually, however for a variety of reasons, including some heat and mixed history, haven't made the cut to date. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper showed guts and integrity by publicly championing Sammartino, who to date has rejected induction. A number of wrestling insiders say that Sammartino should follow Bret Hart's lead and "let go" of heat he was with McMahon and the company, and accept his rightful place in the HOF.

Roberts has also shown guts and leadership by accepting WWE rehab via the Wellness program. Roberts has also publicly thanked McMahon for saving his life.

The industry and fans are aware that the WWE Hall Of Fame is not the only wrestling Hall Of Fame on the planet, however its the most visible and the company does an impressive job with it, tying it in with WrestleMania and the like.

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2010-01-08T09:48:00.001+11:00

WWE(R) Promotes Whitaker to Head WWE International

STAMFORD, Conn., Jan 07, 2010 - World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. today announced that Andrew Whitaker will take on additional responsibilities and head up WWE International effective immediately.

In his new role as Executive Vice President, Whitaker will be responsible for determining the strategic direction for WWE's business outside of the U.S. across all revenue streams. He will report directly to WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and has been named an Executive Officer of the company. Whitaker will relocate back to WWE's global headquarters in Stamford.

Whitaker joined WWE in 1987 as part of the team delivering television syndication and developing WWE's pay-per-view business. He moved to WWE's international division in 1991, working in live events, international television and the pay-per-view business from WWE's London office, where Whitaker negotiated the largest international television contracts in the company's history. In November 2007, Whitaker began managing several of WWE's regional business units internationally and his role was expanded in January 2009 to include all areas outside of the U.S.

"Andrew has been instrumental to WWE's international growth. We are confident that he will continue to expand the breadth and depth of opportunities for WWE internationally," said Vince McMahon.

Whitaker commenced his career at NBC in New York, working on shows that include NBC News, Late Night with David Letterman, The Today Show, Saturday Night Live and The Cosby Show. He sits on the international program advisory board for the Banff World Television Festival and nextMedia, International Interactive Media Festival and is also a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

About WWE

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Toronto and Sydney.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, copyrights and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

2010-01-06T08:49:00.002+11:00

WWE: WrestleMania, by Greg Tingle

Insiders, fans, wrestling media and news media all generally agree that this years WrestleMania has the potential to be the greatest WrestleMania of all time.

Names expected headlining the WrestleMania card at this stage include Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Triple H and Vince McMahon.

The WWE is on the right track with the signing of Bret Hart, proper use of Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker, the push of Sheamus and other new talent, and interesting storylines.

Where John Cena, The Miz, Roddy Piper and a range of other extremly talented wrestlers fits in remains to be seen, however WrestleMania is looking to be totally awesome at this stage of the game.

Many wrestlers and insiders are also calling for Mickey Rourke to be part of this years WrestleMania, and Mr Rourke has been doing some campaigning in the media about his desire to do more with the WWE, and in the WWE anything can happen, as Mr McMahon reminds everyone.

2010-01-06T08:48:00.000+11:00

Sylvester Stallone reveals Steve Austin broke his neck during "Expendables" movie shoot - 5th January 2010

One of the biggest stories in entertainment news today is Sylvester Stallone revealing that WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin broke his neck while filming a fight scene for the upcoming "Expendables" movie.

"My fight with Stone Cold Steve Austin was so vicious that I ended up getting a hairline fracture in my neck. I'm not joking," Stallone told FHM Magazine. "I haven't told anyone this, but I had to have a very serious operation afterwards. I now have a metal plate in my neck."

Filming took place last spring in Brazil. The movie is scheduled to be released on August 20 of this year with a super-star cast that includes Stallone, Austin, "The Wrestler" star Mickey Rourke, UFC fighter Randy Couture, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Jason Statham, and Dolph Lundgren.

This isn't the first time Austin has injured a fellow cast-member during a fight scene. During filming for the "Damage" movie in fall 2008, Austin broke MMA fighter/actor Paul Lazenby's nose during a fight scene. (Read the details and the Torch-Exclusive interview with Lazenby.)

Link: Daily Mail report on Stallone. (Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)

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2009-12-24T13:16:00.000+11:00

THQ And WWE Agree To Eight-Year Deal - 23rd December 2009

THQ and WWE have been tangled in legal disputes for half a decade over alleged racketeering and licensing shenanigans, but the litigation is officially over, and according to an announcement yesterday THQ will continue publishing WWE games for another eight years. The messy affair that involved the two companies and toymaker Jakks Pacific will end with a series of payouts, but both THQ and WWE voiced satisfaction with their new agreement.

THQ will pay $13.2 million to the WWE and $20 million to Jakks Pacific to resolve things, according to MCV. The settlement was followed by a new licensing agreement that should make court arguments a distant memory.

“This agreement ensures that WWE games will continue to be an important cornerstone of THQ’s annual release schedule for the long term,” THQ President and CEO Brian Farrell said in a press release. “We look forward to working directly with WWE to expand their brand in the video game space through continued game play innovation and increased online delivery of WWE content.”

WWE echoed those sentiments.

“This year’s highly rated 'WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010' video game demonstrates the innovation and creativity that THQ brings to WWE,” WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon stated. “This new licensing agreement will ensure that we continue our tremendous success in the video game industry in the years to come.”

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2009-12-20T20:01:00.000+11:00

Wrestling News Media - 20th December 2009

Bret Hart returns to WWE

Bruno Sammartino hasn't committed to WWE Hall Of Fame

Chris Jericho appears in Bloodstained Memories wrestling film and ramps up Fozzy appearances

Roddy Piper remains vocal about better conditions for pro wrestlers re health etc

Edge and Eve look forward to WWE tour in 2010, having recently campaigned down under

WWE.com ranked in Yahoo! and Google top ten in numerous markets and categories

WWE sticking to Wellness policy

WWE new champion Sheamus performing solidly

Jim Ross renews contract with WWE; may appear at WrestleMania

WWE - newspaper teases VS Hulk Hogan for WrestleMania

WWE - Dennis Miller as Raw host draws mixed reactions from fans and insiders

WWE's Seventh Annual "Tribute to the Troops" aired on NBC 19th December 2009

WWE Studios - Ted DiBiase stars in The Marine 2; available in U.S stores 29th December 2009

The Rock to do numerous WWE appearances

Jeff Hardy remains missed by fans

Kurt Angle on TNA Final Resolution PPV

Mick Foley writing balanced blogs covering Hulk Hogan's TNA entry and role

Hulkamania Let The Battle Begin still not aired on One HD in Australia

Ric Flair likely to sign with TNA; financial terms getting close

Mario Milano wrestled in Australia recently at 73 years of age

Shane McMahon poised to ramp up profile, following UFC meeting with Dana White

Steve Austin to continue film roles

Wrestling Legends: Bobby "The Brain" Heenan recovering well

Wrestling Legends: Paul "Mr Wonderful" Orndorff and many others high on real Hall Of Fame

Wrestling Legends: Wrestlers Rescue campaign garners interest and supporters

Jake "The Snake" Roberts still interested in being in WWE Hall Of Fame

Brooke Hogan open to opportunities

New World Order may reform in TNA

TNA will go head to head with WWE

UFC, TNA and Spike TV "teaming up" to take on WWE Raw

UFC Sydney, Australia tour sells out of tickets 2 months prior to show at Acer Arena

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2009-12-14T21:44:00.000+11:00

The Celtic Warrior Sheamus O'Shaunessy Wins WWE Championship on RAW - 13th December 2009

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2009-12-04T07:56:00.000+11:00

Titan Publishing to launch WWE Comics - 3rd December 2009

Titan Publishing has announced its partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment in the launch of WWE Comics. Over the course of the agreement, 20 issues will be produced and distributed to comic retailers and specialty stores in the U.S. and Canada. The comic’s flagship title will be WWE Heroes featuring WWE Superstars and Divas, with the first issue debuting on March 23, 2010.

The series will take the biggest WWE Superstars and Divas beyond the spotlight of the squared circle and into a brand new fictional universe.

“Each week more than 1.6 million teens watch WWE programming on television in the U.S. This is an important demographic for the comic book industry and vital for a successful launch in the industry,” stated Ned Hartley, editor, WWE Heroes. “We've got some truly amazing stories to tell - our first issue is going to blow you away! The 'in-your-face, no-holds-barred' attitude of WWE works so well as a comic, we just can't wait for people to see the great surprises that we've got in store."

WWE Heroes series features Superstars Triple H, Undertaker, Randy Orton, Batista, Shawn Michaels, Big Show, John Cena, CM Punk, Kane, Edge, Chris Jericho, Matt Hardy, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Carlito, Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler and Kelly Kelly. The WWE Heroes cycle is written by Keith Champagne, who has penned acclaimed comics such as Justice Society of America, Green Lantern Corps, World War III and Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters.

Issue No.1 reveals an eternal rivalry set against the backdrop of the history of WWE. Why is the ruthless Shadow King so obsessed with WWE? What is the reason for his eternal and supernatural war with the Firstborn? And could his ancient opponent really be a member of the WWE roster?

Artwork is provided by comics’ artist, Andy Smith, who has worked as a penciller for major comic publishers such as Marvel, DC, Image, Acclaim, and CrossGen Entertainment.

An alternate cover exclusive to comic stores of issue No.1 features a specially-commissioned cover by comics’ artist Liam Sharp, who has worked on titles including Hulk, X-Men, Spider-Man, Venom, Gears of War, Superman, Batman, and Spawn: The Dark Ages.

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2009-11-23T21:30:00.000+11:00

Ventura to host 'Monday Night Raw' wrestling event - 17th November 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former Gov. Jesse Ventura will return to his old World Wrestling Entertainment stomping grounds next week, stepping inside the ropes once again to host "Monday Night Raw," the company's flagship television show, WWE officials announced late Monday.

Nicknamed "The Body," Ventura was known in the ring for outlandish statements, take-no-prisoners attitude and flamboyant costumes featuring bright, bushy feather boas. Ventura largely distanced himself from his former wrestling persona while serving as governor, though he agreed to serve as a special guest referee for WWE's SummerSlam pay-per-view in 1999, which was held in Minneapolis.

Ventura was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.

"Raw" will be broadcast live on USA Network from the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa., starting at 7 p.m. Central time.

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2009-11-21T17:19:00.000+11:00

Survivor Series Food Drive & Autograph Signing THIS Sunday - 20th November 2009

Donate To The WWE Survivor Series Food Drive

World Wrestling Entertainment, Verizon Center and the Capitol Food Bank are providing the opportunity for you, your family and friends to donate non-perishable food items for distribution to those less fortunate in the Washington, D.C. area during the Thanksgiving holiday

Bring your non-perishable food item(s) to Survivor Series on Sunday, November 22nd, drop them off at the Verizon Center lobby as you enter and get a free WWE bookmark while supplies last.

For those who come early, WWE Superstar Kofi Kingston and WWE Diva Eve will be at the Verizon Center between 12 noon and 2PM to sign autographs for those fans who make food donations.*

Go to wwe.com for more information.

*Limited to the first 300 attendees in line who donate a non-perishable food item.
One autograph per person. Talent subject to change. (Credit: WWE)

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2009-11-21T08:48:00.000+11:00

Fightin' Fanboys: WWE vs Hulk Survivor Series - Marvel.com - 20th November 2009

Marvel pits the heroes and villains of Fall of the Hulks against the Superstars of WWE

When you hear the phrase "Strongest There Is," you probably think of the Hulk; however, if you're a fan of World Wrestling Entertainment and their dynamic Superstars, that title belongs to Mark Henry, awarded the title "World's Strongest Man" after his feats of strength at the 1992 Olympics and the Arnold Schwarzenegger Strongest Man Contest...(full article here)

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2009-11-12T09:13:00.000+11:00

Wrestling News Media - 12th November 2009

WWE Raw to be hosted by Rowdy Roddy Piper at Madison Square Garden next Monday

WWE's Edge collaborates with Irwin family at Australia Zoo

Shane McMahon's business plans remain unknown, following his WWE departure

WWE Hulk Hogan DVD set "Unreleased Collectors Series" set to release

Media Man leak and tip offs to Wrestling Observer Newsletter re Australia, stay tuned for developments

Stone Cold Steve Austin rapt to be in Stallone's "The Expendables", Austin's "Damage" flick gets very mixed reports

CM Punt rise to the top continues

Linda McMahon political campaign looses some steam, but critics can't halt despite dirty tactics

WWE programing remains mega popular on Australian pay TV

WWE exploring own TV network, JR's blog comments

WWE Hall of Fame names being tossed around: Ted DiBiase, Randy Savage, Honky Tonk Man, Jake "The Snake" Roberts

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2009-10-17T11:09:00.000+11:00

Shane McMahon leaves WWE, by Kevin Elk - 16th October 2009

The first thing I did this morning after reading on wwe.com that Shane McMahon had resigned from WWE was check my calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1.

As surreal as it sounds, McMahon really is leaving the company that has been in his family for more than five decades. McMahon’s resignation from his position as executive vice president of global media takes effect January 1, 2010.

“I have never even considered a future outside the walls of the WWE,” McMahon, 39, said in a statement on wwe.com. “However, sometimes life takes an unexpected turn, and while it is the most difficult decision I have ever made, it is time for me to move on. … This is the opportune time in my career to pursue outside ventures.”

His father, WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon also issued a statement on the Web site: “Even though I am personally saddened by Shane’s decision to leave the company, I am proud of the enormous contributions he has made. He will unquestionably bring passion, commitment and extensive business experience to any endeavor he pursues.”

Obviously, there is a lot more to this story, and I’m sure it won’t be long before information starts leaking out in regard to the specific reasons for McMahon’s departure.

In the ’90s and early part of this decade, it was assumed by most that it was Shane’s birthright to one day be Vince’s successor. However, after Shane’s sister, Stephanie, became the head of creative, the perception was that she wielded more power than her brother and he no longer was a sure thing as the heir apparent. The popular opinion over the past few years has been that either Stephanie or her husband, Triple H, would eventually replace Vince. Shane was no longer even in the discussion.

Perhaps Shane is looking for a new challenge, something he can build and call his own. If he has learned anything from his father it’s the philosophy of nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Shane is the second McMahon to leave WWE in the past month. On Sept. 16, his mother, Linda, resigned as CEO to run for Senate in Connecticut. (Credit: Baltimore Sun)

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2009-10-15T14:10:00.000+11:00

'Captain' Lou Albano Dead: Wrestling Legend Dies At 76

Beloved pro-wrestling figure "Captain" Lou Albano died at his home Wednesday morning, reports the Los Angeles Times. He was 76.

Best known to the '80s mainstream as the man who played Cyndi Lauper's dad in the video for "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," Albano was instantly recognizable for his unkempt beard, rubber-band accessories, garish outfits and boisterous personality in and out of the ring.

Louis Vincent Albano (July 29, 1933 – October 14, 2009) was an American professional wrestler, manager and actor. With an over-the-top personality and a penchant for boisterous declarations, "Captain" Lou Albano was the epitome of the antagonistic manager that raised the ire of wrestlers and incited the anger of spectators. Throughout his 42-year career, Albano guided 15 different tag teams and four singles competitors to championship gold. A unique showman, with an elongated beard, rubber band facial piercings, and loud outfits, he was the forefather of the 1980s Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection. Collaborating with Cyndi Lauper, Albano helped usher in wrestling's crossover success with a mainstream audience. Capitalizing on his success, he later ventured into Hollywood with various television, film, and music projects. (Credit: Wikipedia)

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2009-10-11T18:38:00.002+11:00

Wham! WWE now stressing family friendly wrestling - AP - 9th October 2009

NEW YORK — Bob Barker, Shaquille O'Neal, Ozzy Osbourne, Al Sharpton and Cedric the Entertainer aren't who you'd expect to see when turning on World Wrestling Entertainment programming. OK, maybe Ozzy.

All are featured guests this fall with the WWE as Vince McMahon's machine undergoes some image polishing and stresses a family friendly approach.

They've toned down the language, gotten rid of the fake blood. The lingerie matches are gone, with the Divas now wearing the type of workout clothes common at the gym.

Characters who are popular with youngsters, such as John Cena and Rey Mysterio, get more screen time, and the WWE Kids magazine debuted last year.

The WWE has worked with networks that air their programming to change parental guidance ratings from TV-14 to PG.

"We just followed our audience and tried to listen to them," McMahon, WWE chairman, said. "It's a more sophisticated product. It's just the right move business-wise, but more specifically the right move in terms of reaching our audience."

McMahon said it's been a gradual process, with the company now trying to spread the word to potential viewers and advertisers who might not have given the soap opera in tights a second look.

The WWE's programming is spread across several networks: "Monday Night Raw" airs for two hours on USA; the SyFy network shows "Extreme Championship Wrestling" on Tuesdays; WGN America shows "WWE Superstars" on Thursdays; and "Friday Night Smackdown," which just celebrated its 10th anniversary, is on My Network TV.

During the peak of what the company refers to as its "attitude era" a decade ago, the WWE's audience was dominated by young men. While its popularity has waned, the fan base has simultaneously grown older and younger with new constituencies, according to audience research. A little more than a third of its audience is female. The audience is ethnically more diverse that most shows: 62 percent of audience is white; 20 percent of the viewership is black and 23 percent is Hispanic — Hispanics were counted as both white and Hispanic. It's the most-watched English-language show on cable among Hispanics, the company said.

With the Ultimate Fighting Championship and mixed martial arts becoming more popular as competitors, it made little sense for the WWE to ramp up the attitude with violence and sexuality, McMahon said.

"You really can't compete with that," he said. "Why not deliver a more sophisticated product and not go to those extremes? If the audience wants those extremes, they know where to go and how to get it."

Going PG has helped the company draw advertisers who might have looked away before. Pepsi, 7-Eleven stores, Mattel toys and the Army National Guard are among the sponsors that have signed up since the shift, the company said.

The association with steroids also hurt. Anabolic steroids were found in the home of wrestler Chris Benoit after he killed his wife, 7-year-old son and himself in their suburban Atlanta home two years ago. McMahon toughened the WWE's drug testing rules.

"Their public image was pretty bad," said Dave Meltzer, publisher of the trade publication Wrestling Observer Newsletter. "They took a major hit, and said 'we've got to become a kinder, nicer company.'"

Both Meltzer and Jim Varsallone, who covers professional wrestling for the Miami Herald, said they can tell the difference in the programming. The changes are subtle, though and they're not sure the casual fans will notice.

"I do not get complaints from fans," Varsallone said.

The work courting kids has paid off, said Varsallone, who sees many more young faces at WWE shows. The promotion of Cena, who has a hip-hop attitude popular with young fans, and Mysterio, who has lots of high-flying moves, has helped. They have an underdog mentality that many of their fans find very appealing.

It may not be a coincidence that Vince's wife, Linda McMahon, has just stepped down as WWE CEO to become a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. Her husband said the changes at the WWE were in motion long before he knew she was interested in a political career.

The guest stars are a way to give the WWE more of a variety show atmosphere and some juice in a traditionally slow season, when football siphons off many of its fans.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was a recent guest. Shaq was particularly popular.

Osbourne, in fact, could be a role model. The heavy metal singer thrived in a career considered threatening by many parents, before becoming an unexpected star cutting across all age groups with the reality series about his family life.

The non-wrestling celebrities also get publicity for the WWE on entertainment shows such as "Access Hollywood" that have otherwise ignored the company.

"They want to attract as many people as they can," Varsallone said. "That's why they don't label themselves as wrestling anymore. They label themselves entertainment." (Credit: San Jose Mercury News)

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2009-10-10T13:14:00.002+11:00

Stone Cold Steve Austin in new movie Damage - 10th October 2009

WWE Hall Of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin plays an ex-convict forced into the illegal and brutal world of underground fighting. It will be available on DVD and Blu-ray within a week.

Austin is also in Sly Stallone's "The Expendables" (in post production) and Robert Lieberman's "The Stranger" (filming)

Credit: Google News, Pro Wrestling.com, Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Pro Wrestling Torch, The Sun, IMDB, Wires

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2009-09-27T11:17:00.002+10:00

WWE's Jim Ross on WWE Hall of Fame

"Two more WWE HOF suggestions would include Antonio Inoki and Ted 'The Million Dollar Man' DiBiase. I hope that I just didn't jinx either man. Both men have made significant and diverse contributions to the business."

"The 2010 WWE Hall of Fame class has yet to be finalized and made public but one name that I am hoping to see be inducted is Ron Simmons. Ron is in the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana and recently was inducted to the State of Georgia Hall of Fame. I could theoretically hear JBL inducting Ron and that being an entertaining piece of business." (Credit: JR's Place blog)

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2009-09-26T08:31:00.002+10:00

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John Cena still top money maker for WWE

South Florida in the running for WrestleMania

CM Punk rising to the top, John Morrison, Jack Swagger on fire

WWE to tour Australia early 2010

Linda McMahon strong in political race

Triple H - Mayweather WWE - professional boxing links a huge win - win

WWE may potentially do a deal with Jeff Jarrett's TNA - Australian tour

Bret Hart - WWE talks in progress, indicated Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Pro Wrestling Torch, others

Randy "Macho Man" Savage and Jake "The Snake" Roberts decent chance for upcoming WWE Hall of Fame, insiders agree

WWE videogame sales going well, more releases to follow

WWE could show industry leadership with wrestling health plan, insurance et al following Wellness program

Chris Jericho already a living legend of wrestling, insiders and fans agree

WWE to release more films, aiming for stronger box office success

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2009-09-19T16:53:00.002+10:00

Triple H to accompany Money in Vegas - 17th September 2009

Floyd Mayweather Jr will be escorted to the ring by WWE superstar Triple H when he takes on Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The Pretty Boy is no stranger to the world of wrestling entertainment, having faced off against The Big Show at WrestleMania XXIV as well as hosting Monday night RAW earlier this summer.

And he will not be the first to be accompanied to the ring by a wrestler either, as Manny Pacquiao was joined by Batista on his way out to fight Ricky Hatton in May.

There could be divided loyalties for wrestling and boxing fans to contend with if Mayweather and Pacquiao do finally meet in a showdown next year, but for now the WWE is wholeheartedly backing the undefeated American.

Collaboration

Mayweather said: "Triple H is one of the greatest guys in the world and represents a whole universe of WWE fans that appreciate what he does.

"He and his stature are huge and I can't think of a better person to escort me to the ring for my return to boxing."

There is no doubt who D-Generation X star Triple H expects to prove victorious in Las Vegas on Saturday either.

"It is an honour to walk the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world back into the ring," said the WWE superstar.

"Floyd 'Money' Mayweather has shown WWE tremendous support and it is my pleasure to return the favour this Saturday by standing at his side as he defeats Marquez in what I am sure will be boxing's fight of the year."

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2009-09-05T08:44:00.003+10:00

Wrestling News Updated - Media Man Australia Network

WWE.com has removed the "Industry News" section from the front page of its website

Vince McMahon more open to ideas from lock room, insiders say product improving

John Cena doing fantastic community support work, Make-A-Wish Foundation et al

Jeff Hardy says goodbye to WWE family

Rey Mysterio Jr. suspended for 30 days

WWE ramps up Europe, dedicated websites for European regions and more tours upcoming

Bob Barker to host Monday Night Raw

Linda McMahon, CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, is considering running for the United States Senate

WWE Offers Free Tickets to US Military

More details on the WWE.com website and WWE Corporate website

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2009-08-12T10:04:00.002+10:00

WWE Living Legend News Update

Hulk Hogan turns 56 years old today.

Vince McMahon turns 64 years old on the 24th August. McMahon will be spending his birthday in Las Vegas, where WWE Raw will emanate from that night.

Ric Flair has been doing the news media rounds with Harley Race.

Roddy Piper continues to add excitement and ratings to wrestling shows.

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat will one of the best on WWE current roster.

Andre The Giant online slot game strongly rumored via NextGen Gaming.

Shawn Michaels to work feud and angles with Triple H.

Credits:

World Wrestling Entertainment

Pro Wrestling Observer

Pro Wrestling Torch

CAP Magazine

iGaming Business

Wikipedia

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2009-07-24T18:47:00.001+10:00

World Wrestling Entertainment Profile Updated

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