WWE News

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JBL Teases Shaq vs Big Show, Austin on New Magazine Cover

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin will be appearing on the cover of next month's "Muscle and Fitness" magazine.

John Bradshaw Layfield has teased the possibility of Shaq vs Big Show in a new blog he posted on his WWE Universe account: "The two biggest guys I have ever seen are Shaq and Big Show, I say let these two guys fight! Shaq is a big MMA fan who trains, and Big Show is trained as a boxer as well as wrestler - this could be a lot of fun to watch. I see where Shaq hosted Raw and I think the natural match up is Shaq versus Show. I don't know who we could get to referee, but who cares?"

 

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Update: More Details Behind Brian Kendrick's WWE Release

Jason Powell of ProWrestling.net is reporting that despite some rumors, Brian Kendrick did NOT ask for his WWE release. The report indicates that although Kendrick did ask for his first release from WWE several years ago, he did not do so again this time around. His latest release from the company came at the hands of John Laurinaitis, who told Kendrick that he was being let go from the company due to the current economy and creative's lack of work for him. As we reported last week, however, the word going around backstage in WWE right now is that Kendrick's release had more to do with him repeatedly failing marijuana drug tests than anything else. Kendrick has been telling many in the business that he feels the only reason why he remained in WWE as long as he did during his second run with the company was because Pat Patterson was a major supporter of his.

 

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Elijah Burke Speaks On TNA Signing, Benoit, Best Match Ever

[email protected] sent along the following:

ForceOfWrestling.Com was honored that ‘The Pope’ D’Angelo Dinero (Elijah Burke) took time off of his busy schedule to conduct this interview for you the fans. FOW wishes him well on the next journey of his career, the six sided ring will be no match for the Pope. Enjoy the interview folks.

What first attracted you to pro wrestling and led you to begin watching it?

Watching the NWA with my Dad. Every Sat morning me and my brothers be watching wrestling with him every time it was on. Just seeing how much joy it brought to me and my family, especially my dad. It made me want to return the favor, and bless others with what I felt as a child.

What wrestlers did you idolize growing up? Who was your favorite?

Dusty Rhodes was my favorite. He was the only “Black” wrestler on top at the time that us florida peeps had to look up . Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen.

What do you consider as being your greatest match in this point of your career?

That’s a hard one.

I believe the greatest achievement match would be Mania 23 because of obvious reasons, but my greatest would probably be the triple-threat against Punk and Dreamer.

I was the lone bad guy against the top two good guys and after holding my own against the two, I came out of the match with a ton of respect from peers and fans alike who gave me a standing ovation after the hard-fought contest.

How did you come up with your finisher the Elijah Express?

During my down time, I would still go up and continue to get in the ring at OVW and roll around with the guys, practice and try out new moves. Triple H always did this running knee and Flair had the Knee (Which I pattern my Knee drop after) and so forth. One day I was just thinking of how to be different and thought of doing Double Knees, but it was difficult doing it off the ropes Triple H style. So, I then thought of Double A and Ole’s brutality and how they would take there opponent to the corner, Climb the turnbuckle and with no knee pads (or w/knee pads down) drive there opponents head or arm/shoulder to the mat from out of the corner. The rest is history.

At one point, while you were in OVW, the WWE creative team offered you a spot in the Spirit Squad and you turned it down, what were the main reasons you turned it down? Or did it even happen that way?

Yes, I turned it down. It was not forced upon me but an opportunity for me if I wanted it. I chose not to put myself or career into a situation for the “Right Now Money” as I plan on being around for a while in this business. I knew the Spirit Squad would get a lot of TV time and PPV’s cause Vince said so, it was his idea; But at what cost? A year later, the stench of the SS killed (or hurt) all of their careers. Kudo’s to Dolph Ziggler for working his butt off.

You wrestled Chris Benoit in his last match, and with all the stuff that followed that match and surrounds his death, looking back now, how do you feel about that?

I have no problem talking about Chris because he had (as evidenced by testing his brain) a disease that was undetected at the time.

I remember talking to him, and he would tell me that he forgets a lot of things, and how he would like for me not to be afraid to communicate with him.

Chris was a great guy, and regardless what happened (and I’m still not sold on how everything went down, nor the operation in which it was handled) he loved his family too much to ever knowingly commit such an act.

However, he had a condition that I’ve witnessed older people deal with all the time, being that my mother’s a nurse. And let me tell you, one minute they’re (Alzheimer Patient) telling you to help them, and the next minu te they’re screaming, “Help, there’s a stranger in my room”. So by Chris’ brain being worse than a 80-year-old Alzheimer patient’s, then who knows.

But I loved Chris, and was devastated as he had handpicked me to help elevate to the next level. He called me the day before they say the first “incident” happened to check on me following my back injury when he crashed into my knees during our first and last televised match. Does that sound like a monster to you?

Being a former amateur boxer and being a professional wrestler, what are some of the main differences, which of the two is easier and which one do you prefer?

Well, the big difference first off is that one’s Sports Entertainment and the other is Gladiator Entertainment. Both are very physical and tough on the body and mental state. I obviously prefer wrestling as The Pope don’t like to be hit at unawares if you get my drift!

Any good backstage stories you would like to tell the fans about? Maybe a unique storyline that was meant to be but never happened or something along those lines?

No storylines surprises. Lol. The net makes up enough as it is, but with Pope, what you saw is what you were supposed to get. Seriously, I’ve thought long on this question and can’t come up with nothing for ya. Pope just went to work, had fun, and went to his hotel or wherever his next destination was. Sry

Not too long ago you had a tryout match with TNA, now I’m assuming the reasoning you hadn’t been sign was because of your Michael Jackson (RIP) tickets, is that true or is their another reason and also was their any real difference working in the six sided ring from the four sided ring?

Lol. No. My signing with TNA was about timing and both sides being happy, plain and simple. As for the ring, well for Pope there’s not that much of a difference being that I never did a lot of running, diving, springboards, etc.

Will we see you back in a wrestling ring any time soon? & If so were?

Well, I think we all know the answer to this question by now, don’t we? Keep up with YOUR Pope via Twitter @DaBlackPope and check out the latest news on his forum @ TheElijahExpress.com ~ Pope Has Spoken!

 

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Linda Hogan Speaks on Drugs, Her Boyfriend, Hulk & More

PerezHilton.com has posted an article based on an interview that Linda Hogan did on "Good Morning America" earlier today. The following are highlights:

On reports of Hulk cheating on her: "There were infidelities. It scared me because I thought 'Oh my God, is that my fault? Is he moving on? Am I just a dumb housewife? Am I too fat, am I too dumb?' You just start doubting yourself and that was really sad."

On Brooke's comments that Linda was taking drugs: "It's just about the allegations and it's a whole publicity team that was on my husband's side that helped facilitate that," claimed Linda.

On her relationship with 19 year old Charlie Hill: "He's a great friend and a good soul and a great support system for me," Hogan said of her young boyfriend, Charlie Hill. She owns up to the fact that her relationship with Hill is "definitely weird," but isn't bothered by the "cougar" taunts of the tabs. "It's kind of a fad now, it's cool. I'm finally in style because they really knock me about how bad I dress," said the self-admitted K-Mart shopper.

 

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Slaughter Attends Funeral, New Lilian Garcia Pics, Knox

WWE.com has a new article up where the focus is Sgt. Slaughter attending the funeral of his nephew, Army Ranger Cpl. Benjamin Stephen Kopp. Check that out on their website if interested.

-Today's "Daily Diva" at WWE.com with a new photo is Lilian Garcia.

-The "Superstar of the Day" at WWE.com today is Mike Knox.

 

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Hulk Hogan Going On Book Signing Tour This Fall

WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan will be going on a book signing tour for his second autobiography, "My Life Outside The Ring." St. Martens Press lists the following as his schedule thus far:

Tuesday 10/27 at Barnes & Noble (Fifth Avenue) in New York City - afternoon

Tuesday 10/27 at Barnes & Noble in Lake Grove, Long Island - evening

Thursday 10/29 at Borders Books in Chicago (Michigan Avenue)

Friday 10/30 at Barnes & Noble in the Mall of America - Bloomington, MN

Thursday 11/5 at Barnes & Noble Farmers Market in Los Angeles, CA

 

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Big Exclusive: The Main Reason For The Raw/Host Concept

According to an inside source I spoke with earlier today, the real reason why WWE and Vince McMahon have decided to run the guest host concept on Raw is due to network pressure from Bonnie Hammer of USA.

The main feeling within NBC right now is that USA President Bonnie Hammer thinks Raw has lost it's "big star atmosphere." In looking at trending results, Hammer thought WWE's loss of Austin, Rock, etc followed by Shawn Michaels taking time off, and the brand split, has left Raw with only John Cena and Triple H as marquee names, with Randy Orton as the only new breakout star.

This is also why WWE is doing the "music video" version of Wrestlemania 25 on NBC, so that WWE can associate "more star power" with the brand. Bonnie Hammer was a huge proponent of the Donald Trump angle, but as predicted, WWE and Trump couldn't make the schedules work for long term for a longterm project, so Vince put the "celebrity guest" credit on Trump so whenever it's mentioned, it gets the rub from Trump. This is something that Bonnie Hammer is a big fan of.

The idea of Big Show vs Shaq on free TV instead of on pay per view is yet another example of WWE attempting to please USA and Bonnie Hammer, as normally Vince would book such a high profile match like that on PPV. However, with Bonnie Hammer being one of the few WWE supporters in NBC, and with the possibility that Hammer could very well one day become the next President of NBC, Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and Kevin Dunn are doing everything possible to keep her happy.

 

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Pool Pics: Stacy Keibler & Jenna Dean, New ROH Promo Video

The Heyman Hustle has posted new, exclusive photos of former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler and Jenna Dean partying in a pool together. Below is a sample shot:

 

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Exclusive Report: NBC Wants Ric Flair Back on WWE TV

In a continuing effort to please both NBC and Bonnie Hammer, sources within WWE are reporting that Hammer and the network want Ric Flair back on WWE TV. They specifically want Flair to return to the company and work on the Smackdown brand to help boost the star power on that show, however the issue right now lies with Vince McMahon. Vince is reportedly not too high on Flair at the moment because of his association with companies like Ring of Honor and his desire to work elsewhere even if he is appearing on WWE TV.

As we reported a few months ago, Flair was pulled from his deal wtih Ring of Honor as NBC was pressuring Vince McMahon to bring The Nature Boy back to WWE, however, every time Flair's name is mentioned by network execs, Vince always responds with the same thing: "we'll talk about him next week." This is why Flair is not currently working with ROH but has yet to return to WWE TV.

 

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Mike Adamle Confirmed To Guest Host RAW In 2 Weeks

Credit to Josh LeBlanc and PWInsider.com for the following:

On a newscast for NBC Chicago today, Mike Adamle announced he would be making a WWE appearance in two weeks as Raw's guest host.

 

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WWE/"Deal Or No Deal" Update; WWE Classics Update

Steven Fernandes sent along the following:

The NBC gameshow "Deal or No Deal" will be holding auditions on Wednesday in Princeton, NJ for WWE fans in the NY-NJ-CT tri-state area, to be show contestants at the tapings in Connecticut. Check it out at WWE.com.

WWEclassics.com added the following WCW matches and features to their lineup this week.

Introducing: Finlay
"Finlay sits down with WWECLASSICS.com to discuss his debut match in WCW known as The Belfast Bruiser. Find out why he originally set his sights on William Regal, his favorite match in WCW and how he got the name Belfast Bruiser. Then, sit back and enjoy Finlay’s debut match from WCW Saturday Night."

WCW Saturday Night - Ricky Steamboat vs. “Jean Paul Levesque” aka Triple H September 3, 1994
WCW Nitro - Road Warrior vs. Steiner Brothers March 11, 1997
WCW Worldwide - Lex Luger/Ole Anderson vs. Ric Flair/Tully Blanchard February 20, 1989
WCW Nitro - Eddie Guerrero/Juventud Guerrera vs. Rey Mysterio/Billy Kidman December 28, 1998
WCW Saturday Night - Lord Steven Regal vs. Lex Luger August 31, 1996
WCW Nitro - Sting vs. VK Wallstreet September 11, 1995
WCW Starrcade - Diamond Dallas Page vs. Curt Hennig December 28, 1997
WCW Halloween Havoc - Hulk Hogan vs. The Giant October 29, 1995
Clash of the Champions - Junkyard Dog vs. Ric Flair June 13, 1990
WCW Nitro - Ultimo Dragon vs. Billy Kidman February 16, 1998

 

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Kevin Nash's Valet Contest, Mick Foley/Stand-Up Comedy

Mick Foley will be doing a meet and greet at the XPW 10th anniversary show on August 22nd. That date is the night before SummerSlam. The show will be in Los Angeles and there is a special offer where you can get $5 off tickets to the Total Xtreme Comedy show later that same night, which features Foley and Colt Cabana doing stand-up comedy.

Kevin Nash is in Northern California this week continuing promotion for his contest where he is in search of a valet to be in his corner at the 12/20 PPV.

 

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WWE.com Lists The Official Decision of the Cena/Y2J Match

Following last night's Raw, WWE.com listed in their results section that John Cena defeated Chris Jericho in the main event via disqualification. This seems odd, as Randy Orton did not physically attack either wrestler in the match before the referee called for the bell, leading many to believe, including myself, that the match should have ended in a no-contest.

 

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Big Main Event Announced For This Week's Smackdown

It was announced during Raw tonight that this week's edition of WWE Smackdown will be headlined by CM Punk vs John Morrison in a non-title match.

 

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Bret Hart Speaks On His Favorite Angle, Interview & More


Bret "The Hitman" HartCredit to Alexander Robinson and F4WOnline.com for the following:

I recently attended the Big Time Wrestling (BTW) event on Friday, August 7th which featured an exclusive Q & A session with Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Here are some of the highlights of this Q & A:

-When asked about his memories of wrestling Mitsuharu Misawa (as Tiger Mask), Bret said it was great to work with him and that it was very unfortunate to hear about his passing. Bret then put over the Japanese wrestlers as great workers, but that many of them didn’t have any personalities.

-Regarding the catchphrase “The Excellence of Execution”, it was given to him by Gorilla Monsoon, which he considered it to be an honor.

-His personal favorite match was against “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig at SummerSlam 1991. Bret put over Hennig as a one of his favorite wrestlers, along with Owen Hart and The Undertaker.

-His favorite wrestlers to watch today are Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, Melina, Harry Smith, Nattie Neidhart, and TJ Wilson (Tyson Kidd). Says he would love to have wrestled John Cena and Batista in his prime.

-Doesn’t miss wrestling too much, because of the bumps and traveling.

-Says the schedule and traveling in the WWF was brutal, as he would travel all across North America in ten hours.

-Doesn’t believe there will ever be a union in wrestling.

-Never had any problems with the promoters he’s worked for, even with Vince McMahon. He said that everything between he and Vince is water under the bridge.

-His biggest tip he’d give to aspiring wrestlers would be to finish school and that it’s not about hurting your opponents or yourself. It’s about protecting yourself and your opponent, along with trying to convince the audience that what you’re doing is real.

-Said that there was never really any major heat between himself and Bad News Allen, but that it had to do with the styles they worked with. Bret did say though that Bad News wasn’t the easiest guy to work with.

-Credited Konnan on teaching him how to apply the Sharpshooter.

-Said that Vader and Goldberg were the most dangerous/stiffest wrestlers he’s worked with.

-Last time he spoke to Dynamite Kid was shortly after Owen’s death.

-Loved going to Germany, Japan, and England as the fans were respectful and great. He then proceeded to put over the American wrestling fans as the best wrestling fans in the world.

-His favorite WrestleMania match was against Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13. He then stated that his Iron Man match with Shawn Michaels was the hardest he ever worked.

-Had the most fun in his career, doing the Anti-America angle with the new Hart Foundation.

-Put over Sherri Martel as a great female wrestler, if not the greatest.

-Told a funny story where after he met Pamela Anderson backstage, Kevin Nash came up to him and said that she was a bitch.

-Aside from his Anti-America promos in 1997, his favorite promo was the El Dandy one…seriously.

-Regarding the WWE Hall of Fame, he said it was for his fans and not for WWE. He also hopes that Bruno Sammartino will be inducted, for the sake of his fans.

-Put over Dave Meltzer as the best and most honest wrestling journalist.

-Enjoyed the movie The Wrestler, but didn’t think it was an accurate portrayal of the business.

Overall, Bret was open to any question and was very polite to everyone. A true gentlemen and class act.

 

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New No. 1 Contender To The Diva's Title Named on Raw

In case you missed it, Gail Kim defeated 3 other Divas in a fatal four way match tonight on Raw to become the new number one contender to the Diva's Championship. Kim will receive a future shot at the Diva's Title, however it was NOT announced that the match will take place at SummerSlam.

 

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Next Week's Celebrity RAW Guest Host Revealed

Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler confirmed next week's celebrity guest host for WWE RAW earlier tonight on RAW.

It will be actor Freddie Prinze Jr. taking control of the reigns next Monday night for RAW.

 

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Big Tag-Team Match Confirmed For RAW Next Week

As confirmed on RAW last night in his "last official duty as RAW guest host", Sgt. Slaughter made a tag-team main event match for next week's RAW.

Next week, where Freddie Prinze Jr. hosts the show, it will be the Unified tag-team champions Chris Jericho and The Big Show in a tag-match against the tag-team combination of John Cena and Randy Orton.

 

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Confirmed Segment For ECW on SyFy Tomorrow Night

It was announced tonight on Raw that tomorrow night's ECW broadcast will feature an edition of The Abraham Washington Show and ECW Champion Christian will be the special guest.

 

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Updated WWE SummerSlam Line-Up: New Matches

Following last night's WWE RAW show, here is the updated WWE SummerSlam card:

WWE Championship:
-Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena

World Championship
(TLC Match):
-Jeff Hardy (c) vs. CM Punk

Unified Tag Team Championships:
-Chris Jericho & Big Show (c) vs. Cryme Tyme

Intercontinental Championship:
-Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler

Tag-Team Match:
-D-Generation X vs. Legacy