Vaughn Johnson of Philly.com recently spoke with WWE NXT General Manager William Regal to promote this week's NXT live events in Philadelphia. The full interview can be read at this link. Below are some highlights:
Scouting talent for WWE:
I can't give you any set formula to how it works because we're in a different world, in our own unique little world. You find people that learn to connect with an audience with an act. Get up your own backside about what we are, but we're an act. It doesn't matter how good you are, it's about connecting with your audience. It doesn't matter how technically good you are, if nobody wants to watch you then you're no good to anybody. Sometimes it's not about how good somebody is. It's whether they've got that connection with an audience. Sometimes, it's about how technically good they are, they may not have that connection yet, but you can see by talking to them or spending time watching them that you can teach them that or they could learn that on their own if given the right opportunities or given the right structure.
Sometimes it's a physical thing. If you can never find me someone with two heads then what's I'm looking for. It comes in different forms. We've got a huge TV deal in Brazil. We've got nobody from Brazil so sometimes it's just a matter of, "Can we try to find somebody that could fit the bill." There's no real set thing that I'm looking for. I watch out for, as far as the wrestlers go, which is what I do, I watch and know about everybody that's out there. The ones that are doing the right things and making a name for themselves I know about. Most of the names were coming my way even before I had this job over the last 20 odd years I've been in America, they've all come my way anyway at one point or another through people we know or we end knowing each other or through a friend or whatever. That's probably why I'm in the position that I'm in, because I know a lot of people.
What it's like being the NXT GM:
It's easy to throw words around like privilege and honor but it really is because I would imagine to get to watch everybody here develop, and the brand develop the way it has in the past few years, probably have been the best part of the last 32 for me. As much as I've really enjoyed the rest of it, just to watch everything grow so quickly and to have a hand in creating some of this, and have found people to bring here, recommended people is a great feeling. I try to keep my own career in check, but when I came to America there were very few people wrestling. I think I was the only one. A lot of people get credit for bringing the wrestling back, but I was doing it before Dean [Malenko], Eddie [Guerrero] and all of them fellas, I was doing it. To see that these fellas get to do that now and the ladies get to do that, and to go out and people appreciate the wrestling side of it is fantastic.
If he's surprised how far NXT has come:
It's amazing just to watch it and to watch the creativity that they've got. When you're given all of the tools — you've got everything you could possibly ever need at the [WWE] Performance Center in Orlando — if you've got half a brain, we're going to make it work for you. Even if you haven't, we're going to try and help you in any way that we can help you. There are so many people here that are so talented and so creative on their own when you get all of that it's like a double bonus. They just flourish. It also goes down to the audience you've been used to working to before. You work for to your audience while the promoter is paying you. A lot of these guys have worked with a certain audience that like a certain thing so some people unfortunately get labeled. If you can make yourself popular in front of any audience, you can use it anywhere. When they get to come here and they see that everyone is here to help, they go, "I can do this here and I can try this here and I can do that," and that's why it's all flourishing. There are no ties on doing things.
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May 15, 2015
William Regal On Scouting Talents For WWE, Being NXT General Manager, The Wrestlers In NXT, More
May 13, 2015
Most Popular WWE Network Shows from Last Week, What Weekly Show Doesn't Do Good, Other Favorites
The most-watched WWE Network content from last week are as follows:
1. WWE 24: Roman Reigns
2. Chris Jericho interviews Stephanie McMahon
3. WWE NXT, May 6th episode
4. Jerry Springer Too Hot for TV: Love Hurts
5. Extreme Rules
The Cinco de Mayo special with Los Matadores didn't do well and Superstars episodes also don't do too well.
The special on Floyd Mayweather vs. Big Show, the previous week’s NXT episode, Culture Shock with Corey Graves, Unfiltered with Renee Young, Mick Foley's Cheap Pops, the ECW Uncensored Volume 3 sneak peek, and a second Jerry Springer episode were also popular among viewers, as well as the last season of Tough Enough and 2014 episodes of Total Divas.
TNA Finally Pays Production Workers
TNA finally paid all of their production workers this past week. They were said to be shorted on money from January and February, and hadn't been paid for March yet. If the workers weren't paid, they were refusing to work, which would have caused a problem for the scheduled May 8th Impact Wrestling.
Adam Pearce Talks Working At The WWE Performance Center, His TNA Gut Check Exit, ROH, More
Former NWA World Champion Adam Pearce appeared on the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast, and discussed his travels within pro wrestling. Among them include his time at the performance center, the TNA Gut Check, and more. Here are the highlights:
Working at the Performance Center:
"I think anyone who is actively watching the WWE Network and specifically the NXT product itself sees the talent that NXT has as well as the incredible coaching staff and the staff behind the scenes and sees why it is an incredibly fun place to work. It is an absolute honor to step into the building in Orlando (the WWE Performance Center) and in my two decades in the business it is probably the biggest honor to actually have my hands on the future of what will amount to the wrestling business in our country. It was really gratifying to allow to turn loose that beast that everyone believes in behind the scenes and to have the ability to have the Takeover special on the network. That night with Kevin Owens debuting that night was the icing on the cake for what was an absolutely awesome experience. The tasks that are at hand for a guy who is working as a coach, trainer, agent or producer are literally a million things that are encompassed by one hat. When the television tapings are happening there are people that need to be agenting matches and producing for the television product and I was doing that, which are both obviously different then the nuts and bolts and hand to hand in the ring action."
His exit from the TNA Gut Check challenge:
"The funny thing about the Gutcheck thing is that the real story of what happened is far less interesting then what everyone's imagination pretends happened. I laugh about it because obviously I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't going to be good for me. People forget that pro-wrestling is a scripted form of entertainment and Gutcheck was supposed to be presented as a Reality TV (which is scripted entertainment) portion of a pro-wrestling show (which is scripted entertainment) and yet somehow millions of people were so upset and thought that I was wronged in some way without ever batting an eye lash to stop and say; Wait a minute, this is scripted. What happened, was what was supposed to happen because that is what was written. While I never ever will be mad at anyone who supported my character and wanted to see that character featured in a more prominent role by TNA that is simply not what was ever agreed to. TNA presented me with a two week opportunity on TV and I accepted a two week offer to take advantage of that opportunity to be on TV for a couple of weeks and that is what happened. Nothing more, nothing less. They lived up to every letter of the agreement that we made and so did I. Here we are two years later still talking about it. I think what people don't think about is to have an ongoing relationship there has to be people that want an ongoing relationship."
Working for ROH both backstage and in the ring:
"That five year period, three of that exclusively as a talent and two years after that running wrestling operations account for a humungous part of why I am doing what I am doing today with WWE and NXT. Especially with the last two years as not only a writer for the television but the booker of the house show schedule and kind of being a general babysitter of wrestling talent. Learning how to "manipulate" the locker rooms different egos and personalities and get everyone rowing the boat in the same direction, without that experience I am in no way qualified to be doing what I am doing today. I count my time as NWA Champion and my time involved with Ring of Honor running the wrestling operations as the two keys in pushing my development as a wrestling talent not just in the ring but all the way around in the direction it would need to be to having the kind of career that I am having. I am so grateful every day for it."
WWE and DK Releasing "WWE: Attitude Era" Book
DK Publishing will release the WWE: Attitude Era, a book that takes readers straight into one of sports-entertainments most colorful and controversial periods.
In this cure for the common book, we break down the outrageous moments, the pulse-pounding action and the over-the-top moments that made up the infamous Attitude Era.
Relive the late 90’s with:
*“Stone Cold” Steve Austin, D-Generation X, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Undertaker, Mankind and the deep roster of WWE Superstars and Divas that defined “Attitude”.
*New interviews from “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Triple H, Trish Stratus and many more.
*A retrospective on the beginning and end of the era, plus all the chaos in between.
*Stunning visuals, with full color imagery on every page, including never-before-seen photos.
Vince McMahon to be inducted into Boys & Girls Clubs of America 25th Annual Hall of Fame
This evening, top athletes, entertainers and business leaders will be inducted into Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Alumni Hall of Fame. Since its inception more than 100 years ago, BGCA has provided kids of all backgrounds with the opportunity to grow and realize their dreams. To celebrate the accomplishments of former Boys & Girls Club members, BGCA annually recognizes distinguished alumni during the organization’s annual National Conference, being held in Chicago in 2015. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Alumni Hall of Fame program, as well as the year the organization changed its name from Boys Club of America to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The event, hosted by Courtney B. Vance, honors alumni who have gone on to make major contributions in their fields, from sports to entertainment to business. Their stories are very different, but all started out the same — with the life-changing programs, caring staff and fun, safe environment of a local Boys & Girls Club. The BGCA Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductees include the following: WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon, three-time Grammy Award-nominated singer/producer/actor Trey Songz, fashion and music consultant for FOX’s hit drama “Empire” and Business Executive Monique Mosley, NFL Hall of Famer Andre Reed, world-renown violinist Earl Carlyss, President and CEO of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. Larry Young, two-time Oscar nominated costumer designer Ruth E. Carter, leading opera singer Denyce Graves and Professional Golfer on the PGA Tour Robert Gamez.
“Ensuring today’s youth have the encouragement and inspiration they need to pursue their dreams is at the core of our organization, and the Class of 2015 Alumni Hall of Fame inductees all showcase how a local Boys & Girls Club can be a critical element to ensuring a great future,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO of BGCA. “We are honored to have such exemplary inductees join the other prestigious members of the Boys & Girls Club of America Alumni Hall of Fame in its 25th year.”
The Elizabeth City Boys & Girls Club provided McMahon with a sense of belonging and a vision of what is possible, both of which were lacking in his home environment. He looked up to Club staff, who mentored and cared about kids. The feeling that somebody cared about him meant the world. Meeting other kids and teens from all walks of life showed McMahon there was a whole world of possibilities out there beyond what he knew. Since those early days, McMahon has become one of the most well-known pioneers in the entertainment industry, catapulting the WWE brand from a small, regional wrestling promotion to a global, family-friendly entertainment brand with television programming in 650 million homes in more than 175 countries and 35 languages. Today, WWE is one of the most recognized brands in the world with nearly half a billion social media followers. McMahon continues to carry forward the experience he had at The Club by supporting numerous programs and partners to help make a positive impact in the lives of children and families around the world.
WWE Hires Indie Wrestler As New Seamstress
We noted before that longtime WWE seamstress Sandra Gray left the company a few weeks ago. She has been replaced by indie wrestler Sarath Ton, who is also the fiance of NXT Women's Champion Sasha Banks. He has been making ring gear for wrestlers for some time now, even doing gear for some of the NXT talents. He's on the road with WWE for the next three months and will be working with the main roster.
Rumor Mill - Dixie Carter Holds Talent Meeting at Impact Tapings, Instructs Talent to “Pay No Mind” to Viewership Information
According to PWInsider.com, TNA President Dixie Carter held a meeting at this past weekend’s Impact Wrestling tapings and instructed talent not to believe what they might read on internet websites where it concerns ratings and viewership information.
Dixie claimed ratings data exists which internet sites are not privy to, but are available to people like her. She claimed when websites publish TNA ratings data, the sites are not including the information with the West Coast numbers, but rather we post the data that comes from Nielsen. Dixie also pointed out that websites don’t report on the +.3 or +.7 DVR numbers, as some fans watch Impact broadcasts on days other than Friday.
Dixie added the numbers are better than they appear to be, and instructed talent to “pay no mind” to what the internet reports.
May 12, 2015
Daniel Bryan Vacates WWE Intercontinental Title, Gives Update on His Health
WWE Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan announced on last night's RAW from Cincinnati that he is relinquishing the title. Bryan said he had a MRI last week and doctors do not know how long he will be out - it could be weeks, months or Bryan may never wrestle again.
Bryan noted that he has spent the past few weeks in and out of doctors offices and requested to come out on RAW to vacate the title.
WWE Announces Elimination Chamber for This Month
WWE has announced a second pay-pr-view for the month of May and it will be a WWE Network exclusive event. The event will see the return of the Elimination Chamber on Sunday, May 31st from Corpus Christi, Texas. This was previously a live event.
WWE officials made the decision to bring back the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view for a WWE Network exclusive event within the last few days. Talents backstage at last night's RAW were surprised to hear the announcement.
One of the reasons WWE did away with the Chamber was due to the lack of arenas that would allow the set up of the heavy Chamber when renovations to older arenas made it impossible for them to handle the structure. The American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas has not had renovations done that would prevent the Chamber from being assembled so it will be able to handle the structure.
WWE will be running a live event that same night, May 31st, in Greenville, South Carolina. King Barrett, Rusev and John Cena are advertised for that event but the card is subject to change.
WWE's website has confirmed that the WWE Tag Team Titles and the newly vacant WWE Intercontinental Title will be decided inside the Chamber.
May 11, 2015
ROH TV Now Airing on NESN Nationally
According to PWInsider.com, Ring of Honor TV will start airing on the national NESN feed tonight at midnight EST. The episode will be the one which aired over the weekend.
ROH has yet to officially announce the deal, and might not be picked up by all NESN affiliates, so be sure to check your local listings to make sure the show is airing in your area.
TNA Airing a Three-Hour Episode of Impact Wrestling
Destination America is advertising a three-hour episode of TNA Impact Wrestling for Friday, May 22nd. This is the episode taped last night and that explains why there were so many matches.
The episode is scheduled to begin at 8pm EST and run until 11pm EST. A three-hour replay will air immediately after.
May 7, 2015
Samoa Joe Talks About Being Interested In Signing With WWE, Proving Himself There, More
Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion Samoa Joe recently spoke with Jim Ross on his Ross Report podcast. The full interview can be heard at this link. Ross asked Joe about signing with WWE and Joe said he is very much interested in joining the company. He called it the "unchallenged challenge of his career."
It should be noted that the interview was recorded before WrestleMania 31. Joe confirmed people from WWE had reached out but called it informal and said nothing was set in stone. Since then, we've heard that Joe actually met with Triple H in Orlando and could be starting with NXT as early as June. Joe did not confirm this in the interview.
Joe said he would be open to a trial in NXT or a straight shot to the main roster. Joe talked about how he's never been wanted in any company he worked for but got work by proving himself. He added that if he has to start in WWE as an unwanted entity and prove himself, then that is what he's going to do.
WWE Working on a DVD and Blu-ray for Owen Hart
WrestlingDVDNews.com reports that WWE is currently working on a DVD about the life and career of the late Owen Hart, who would have celebrated his 50th birthday today.
The release is going forward with the full backing and support of Owen's widow Martha Hart and his family. The issues between WWE and Martha have been well-documented over the years.
WWE Performance Center Morale Update Since Coaching Change
WWE NXT Star Possibly Out of Action for 6-8 Months
WWE NXT star Hideo Itami is reportedly out of action with a bad shoulder injury.
Itami is scheduled to face Finn Balor and Tyler Breeze in a Triple Threat #1 Contender match at Takeover on May 20th but word is that he could be out of action for 6-8 months.
Vince McMahon On Knowing Your Audience, Keeping WWE Successful, Using Social Media, More
Vince McMahon recently did a Q&A with Advisornet.org, which gives advice to veterans. Below are some highlights:
In your opinion, was it more difficult making WWE a success in the beginning, or keeping it a success today?
Both are challenging. At WrestleMania 1, we mortgaged everything we owned, hoping it would be a success. It was a huge gamble that paid off. Today, the challenge is to stay relevant, take advantage of new technologies and continue to evolve. The one constant is to approach every day like it's my first day on the job with fresh thinking and new ideas. But to answer your question directly, it is extremely difficult to get to the top but even more difficult to stay there.
What traits and attributes do you believe a veteran has to offer in your organization? Do you believe in recruiting experienced talent to fill roles, or do you like to train from the ground up?
Work ethic, leadership, communication skills and time management, as well as the ability to multi-task and work under pressure are traits I believe veterans can offer any organization. At WWE, we recruit experienced talent from a variety of industries and pride ourselves on promoting from within the company.
I'm starting a skateboard company. What are the most effective and low-cost marketing tactics you use for WWE?
Social media is today's "word of mouth" and an important part of WWE's success. Social and digital media provides us with an opportunity to engage our fans one-on-one and have a direct conversation with them. These same tactics apply to small businesses as well.
Hello Mr. McMahon! I'm sure there are countless aspects contributing to WWE's overwhelming success. Are there any attributes that you consider completely necessary?
It's important to know your audience, keep them engaged and always stay relevant. On a personal level, a strong work ethic and first day on the job thinking are two attributes that an employee must bring each day. It's also important to have a good sense of humor. Take your work, but not yourself, seriously.
Mr. McMahon, when did you realize the awesome potential for WWE to become a global brand and what advice do you have for veterans thinking of launching their own brand?
Brand building is an essential part of marketing. Make sure your brand is something easily understood by the public and make sure it is flexible enough to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the marketplace.
Hogan, Jericho, Paige and Daniel Bryan Headline New Season of Tough Enough
USA Network and WWE announced today that WWE Superstar Chris Jericho will be the host of the highly-anticipated series, WWE TOUGH ENOUGH, and will be joined by a panel of experts comprised of WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan®, WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan® and WWE Diva Paige™. The high-octane reality series premieres LIVE Tuesday, June 23 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on USA Network and around the world.*
This season of WWE TOUGH ENOUGH will combine the can’t-miss excitement of live television with reality-show drama, as WWE hopefuls vie for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the next WWE Superstar or Diva. Unlike anything on television today, the lightning-fast hour of entertainment and competition will include live results every week, giving fans worldwide the power to decide who stays and who goes the very same night. Each week, one cast member will be eliminated until one man and one woman are considered “Tough Enough,” with each earning a one-year, $250,000 WWE contract.
Throughout the competition, the contestants will be trained by WWE Legends Booker T™, Billy Gunn™ and Lita™. Contestants will also come face-to-face with WWE icons including WWE Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Vince McMahon; Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative, Paul “Triple H®” Levesque; Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon; and WWE Superstar John Cena®, among others.
“These athletes, each with varying skill sets, will be put through a grueling boot camp that will test their physical, mental and emotional limits in a way that the series hasn’t done before,” said Jessica Sebastian, Vice President of Unscripted Series, USA Network. “Each week, their training and experience culminates in a spectacular live event where they will be put in front of their WWE heroes and an audience of fans. In this reimagined version of WWE TOUGH ENOUGH only the best will survive.”
“This season of WWE TOUGH ENOUGH will be the most innovative, unique and engaging series on television,” said Kevin Dunn, WWE Executive Producer. “A live global telecast, real-time voting with immediate results, and unprecedented use of digital and social media during and between telecasts will all lead to a groundbreaking viewing experience.”
To date, entrants from 113 countries have submitted videos, which have been viewed more than two million times on YouTube. To view play lists of entrants’ videos or to submit a new audition video, go to WWEToughEnough.com. For a compilation of entrants’ video submissions, click here.
On Monday, May 25, the WWE TOUGH ENOUGH App will be available for free download, giving fans even more opportunity to engage with this cutting-edge reality competition series. Through the App, viewers will receive access to exclusive content, learn more about the contestants, take part in social conversation between live telecasts and vote in real time. Fans around the world can also vote live each week for who stays and who goes via text (U.S. only), on Twitter @WWEToughEnough as well as on the WWE App, WWEToughEnough.com and USANetwork.com.
WWE TOUGH ENOUGH will emanate live from both the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., home to WWE’s developmental division NXT, and the innovative professional production studios at Full Sail University located in Winter Park, Fla. This launch will mark the inaugural use of the University’s latest high-caliber, on-campus production facility. In 2012, WWE and Full Sail announced an innovative partnership, which created a student scholarship fund, and also allows students of the university’s entertainment-focused degree programs, including Film, Show Production, Digital Arts and Design, Internet Marketing and Entertainment Business, to gain real-world experience alongside WWE’s professional production staff during WWE NXT tapings.
WWE TOUGH ENOUGH is produced by WWE, USA Network and Left Hook Media. Matt Odgers and Scott Teti are Executive Producers for Left Hook Media. Jessica Sebastian is Vice President of Unscripted Series for USA Network. Kevin Dunn is Executive Producer for WWE.
Be sure to join in the conversation at @WWEToughEnough @WWE @USANetwork and engage with your favorite WWE Tough Enough personalities @IAMJericho @ReneeYoungWWE @HulkHogan @WWEDanielBryan @RealPaigeWWE @BookerT5x @AmyDumas @BillyGunnWWE.
Bill DeMott Breaks Silence, Talks About Being NXT Head Trainer
Former WWE NXT head trainer Bill DeMott has broken his silence since resigning from the position over two months ago amid accusations of bullying, harassment, sexist and racist comments. DeMott appeared on Vince Russo's new podcast to talk about why the blame was cast in his direction:
"I always use the term it's never the quarterback, it's the coach," said Demott. "Millennials, I think right that's what this generation is called the millennials. I think it's in the whole world. So what I can say and what I will say is as a dad as you are, as I am, I try to figure that out to keep my children away from that entitlement."
WWE Chairman Vince McMahon infamously used the term "millennials" when expressing his frustration over the lack of ambition among the WWE roster while on an episode of Steve Austin's podcast. DeMott elaborated on his comments to a degree after Russo insinuated that DeMott had to coddle his students.
"I guess it's old school that you get what you earn and you try to earn what you want," said DeMott. 'I think that's all I am going to say about that because I think no matter what the case, Walmart, Publix, IBM, I always use IBM I don't know why, I go to a lot of management seminars and that's a lot of the conversation, the opening conversation: 'What do we do when they don't like that?' And I want to walk out because I'm not going to learn anything if I'm still trying to figure out. It's tough, it's going to be tough for whoever has to figure out what they want tomorrow."
May 6, 2015
Chris Jericho Reveals His WWE Return, Why He's Working Live Events, Update on His WWE Podcast
Chris Jericho revealed on the latest episode of his Talk Is Jericho podcast that he will be working WWE live events this summer. Jericho will be working 19 live events in June, July and August.
Jericho noted that he will not be working TV or pay-per-view events on this run but could return to those events soon. Jericho said he's only working live events this run because he still has some Fozzy touring to do and some family vacations to go on this summer. Jericho said he is very excited to return to WWE and work with some of the newer talents. He said he pretty much already knows who he's going to be working with and will be revealing that soon. Jericho's dates are as follows:
* June 12: Springfield, Illinois
* June 13: Terre Haute, Indiana
* June 20: Las Vegas
* June 27: Boston
* June 28: Reading, Pennsylvania
* July 2: Singapore
* July 3: Tokyo
* July 4: Tokyo
* July 10: Philadelphia
* July 11: Pittsburgh
* July 31: San Diego
* August 1: Ontario
* August 2: Fresno, California
* August 15: Detroit
* August 16: East Lansing, Michigan
* August 21: Bridgeport Connecticut
* August 22: White Plains, New York
* August 29: San Juan, Puerto Rico
* August 30: Tallahassee, Florida
Jericho also revealed that due to how busy he is, there won't be another live WWE Network podcast for a while.
WWE Shoots Down Vince McMahon Rumors from RAW
There were rumors all over social media about Vince McMahon after a Reddit user who saw Vince come out for the post-RAW Pat Patterson Appreciation Night segment expressed concern over Vince's vision. The rumor was even brought up via a fan question on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio but Dave Meltzer said he had not heard the rumor and would ask around about it.
The WWE responded with the following comment:
"We can confirm that the rumors are false."
Longtime WWE Employee Announces Their Departure
WWE seamstress Sandra Gray of Total Divas fame has left the company as she made the announcement on Twitter after last night's tapings in Ottawa. Gray has worked for WWE for more than 15 years and runs her own vintage clothing business. Raj Giri of WrestlingINC notes that Sandra recently took some time off after her husband became ill in January.
May 5, 2015
WWE hosted Pat Patterson Appreciation Night in Montreal
WWE honored the first Intercontinental Champion, Montreal native Pat Patterson after Raw concluded at the Bell Centre.
WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon kicked off the festivities by talking about the hardships the WWE Hall of Famer faced throughout his career and lauding his many accomplishments.
“Pat Patterson became one of the greatest Superstars of all time, selling out arenas throughout the world, including Madison Square Garden many times,” McMahon said.
Patterson came to ringside to a chorus of “Merci, Pat! Merci, Pat!” by the Montreal faithful. Bret Hart joined Patterson and McMahon to thank Patterson for being a “great friend and real hero.” Hart then presented him with a personalized Montreal Canadiens jersey, which Patterson immediately put on to the delight of the Bell Centre.
After a video of several Superstars and Legends thanking Patterson, Triple H led the locker room to the stage. The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion and current WWE Executive attributed his success to Patterson and praised him for working alongside Mr. McMahon for so many years.
“You’ve tried to retire numerous times,” Triple H said. “This is just in your blood. You are family. Vince said it, I will say it: You are my family. I love you.”
Triple H then presented Patterson with a plaque featuring the Intercontinental Championship and legendary pictures from his Hall of Fame career.
Patterson thanked the locker room and his hometown fans for their support before signing a heartfelt rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
After 15 years as a main eventer in San Francisco, Patterson joined WWE in 1979 and became the first Intercontinental Champion. His brutal matches with Sgt. Slaughter in the coming years brought “extreme” to sports-entertainment more than a decade before The Attitude Era.
He likewise became an unforgettable part of The Attitude Era as one of Mr. McMahon’s “Stooges,” alongside Gerald Brisco on camera. He also created the beloved Royal Rumble Match concept at WWE’s World Headquarters.
As for what Patterson has done for WWE, Mr. McMahon said it simply: “I would not be standing in this ring tonight if it were not for Pat Patterson.”
Backstage News on Sami Zayn's WWE Status
Regarding Sami Zayn's shoulder injury suffered on last night's RAW in Montreal, the injury apparently came before the match with WWE United States Champion John Cena even began. As Zayn was making his entrance, he was raising his arms to get the crowd hype and it looked like something happened to the shoulder then.
Zayn started showing signs of an injury then but worked the match anyway. As seen during the match, the referee threw up a "X" symbol and a WWE trainer checked on Zayn before he was allowed to finish. Sami did appear on the stage for the post-RAW Pat Patterson Appreciation Night segment but his shoulder was bandaged up.
Zayn will be having a MRI today to find out how bad the injury is. It should be noted that Zayn was away from the NXT ring with an injury until April 2nd with a shoulder injury.
Last night's match is being called Zayn's official RAW debut but we don't know yet if this means he is on the main roster for good. Zayn is scheduled for more upcoming WWE TV tapings but that could obviously change with the MRI results.
Big E Talks New Day Getting Over, Having 'Uphill Battle' After First Xavier Woods Promo
SLAM! Wrestling has an interview with Big E, who was promoting last night's RAW in Montreal. During the interview, Big E talked about the New Day gimmick starting to get over.
"It's cool because it feels very organic," Big E said. "I think a lot of times when you say, 'This is what a talent is and this is how we're going to push him in this direction and it doesn't matter what the crowd says or what they do,' sometimes you can make that work if you shove things down peoples' throats, but a lot of times there's resistance toward that."
Big E noted that it's been an uphill battle getting the group going since Xavier Woods first confronted himself and Kofi Kingston on RAW last July, which you can watch above at the 2:20 mark.
"If you remember the original promo with Woods in the red and white suit, that happens and then we disappear for a couple of months," Big E said. "I think there was some buzz with that, which we were all excited for, and then that kind of just disappears. And then when you see us again, we're in a different incarnation of what people thought we would be. For us, it was kind of an uphill battle to get things off the ground for the first several months, but I think more than anything, we believe in our talent.
"It's really cool to get to this point of things feeling organic, where we're not in a box that people are force fed, and that's something we're excited about. I think it's a cool thing to not necessarily have a strong label. But I do think we're going to start moving in a certain direction that'll make it pretty easy for people to figure where we're going."
Big E also discussed preferring WCW to WWE when he was growing up, his physique, joining WWE, power lifting and more. You can read the whole interview by clicking here.
May 3, 2015
ESPN Reporter Michelle Beadle Banned From Mayweather/Pacquiao Fight; Blasts Triple H & WWE For Supporting a “Serial Abuser”
ESPN reporter Michelle Beadle – who has been a huge supporter of pro wrestling over the years, and was the host of all kinds of WWE mainstream press during this year’s WrestleMania week blitz – has apparently turned in her fan card following Saturday’s big Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas.
Beadle, who was in Vegas all weekend doing promotion for the fight through ESPN and HBO (a co-producer of the event) had her press credentials revoked by Team Mayweather/SHOWTIME, effectively banning her from the super fight. Along with CNN reporter Rachel Nichols (who was also banned), the duo has been outspoken against Mayweather’s history of violence against women, which spans over a decade and includes multiple convictions.
Michelle, who wrestling fans may remember was the ESPN host that sat down with Brock Lesnar for his shocking announcement prior to WrestleMania, has apparently had enough with WWE and Triple H’s public support of a “serial abuser”. She posted the following on her Twitter:
"I've loved @WWE for a long time. But @TripleH and his love for a serial abuser is too much. I'm turning in my fan card. #WasFunWhileItLasted"
May 1, 2015
Finn Balor on WWE NXT Stars to Look Out For, Where He Sees Himself In Ten Years, More
AfterBuzz hosts Cathy Kelley, Mark Donica and Boxcar Superstar The Hobo recently spoke with WWE NXT Superstar Finn Balor on their "NXT Aftershow" that airs live every Thursday. The full interview can be heard at this link. The following highlights were sent in:
AfterBuzz TV: Which NXT talent do you think is underrated and people should look out for?
Finn Balor: There’s a lot of guys you know, obviously for different reasons. One guy you know I think doesn’t get the credit he deserves is Scott Dawson. He’s a tremendous, tremendous competitor and I would love to get in there one-on-one with him. I’m also a big fan of Enzo and Cass. I don’t know how that would work with teaming up with them in a six man tag team, but I’m a big fan of their work too.
ABTV: We recently had CJP (CJ Parker) on the show, he’s planning to work the indies and wrestle in Japan. Did you give him any advice?
Finn Balor: We spoke about it….CJ was someone I was fortunate enough to get to work with when he was still here. He’s a tremendous competitor…The indie circuit is a tough circuit, but you know there’s a lot of good people out there. There is a lot of places you can learn. There’s a lot of people you can learn from and I’m sure that he’ll spend a year or two there growing himself not only personally, but as a performer and I’m sure he’ll be back in the future even better.
ABTV: Is there anyone on the indie scene you think WWE should have their eye on?
Finn Balor: I’m a little bit biased because this fella, he started in the same gym as me in England…and hopefully he’ll be able to make the transition some day into WWE, Zack Sabre Jr. He’s doing tremendous in the independents, not only in Europe but in America you know, but he’s holding his own in Japan.
ABTV: You recently traveled with WWE overseas. How was it wrestling with your home crowd?
Finn Balor: It was quite surreal. It was only less than a year ago that I said goodbye to everyone back home in Ireland and within 10 months to be returning with the WWE main roster. Going to the 3Arena in Dublin which was an arena I used to go and watch WWE when I was a kid. To walk up through the curtain and hear the roar of the hometown crowd, that was incredible.
ABTV: There have been many rumors that you will soon accept John Cena’s open challenge for the US Title. Do you see that happening in the near future?
Finn Balor: Well, Believe it or not, in London when John was in the ring making the open challenge, I was actually putting my gear on trying to get into the ring…but I just got beat to the punch.
ABTV: Where do you see yourself in 10 years and do you have a plan after wrestling?
Finn Balor: I live by the motto “Take one step at a time.” Obviously, there are a lot of short-term goals that I want to achieve, both at NXT and WWE. In 10 years time, maybe I’ll be Triple H’s right hand man, pulling the strings up in the office and helping coordinate this incredible company.
Ring of Honor Clears Big TV Market
Ring of Honor issued the following press release on Thursday.
Dallas, Texas has a deep wrestling history on professional wrestling that dates back to April of 1959. Ring of Honor Television has now added to that history with our debut on KTXD-TV airing every Saturday at 1pm.
Professional wrestling fans in Dallas grew up with legends like The Von Erich's, The Fabulous Freebirds, Bruiser Brody, Gino Hernandez, "Gentleman" Chris Adams, Playboy Gary Hart and so many more. Now you get to see the stars and legends of today in ROH World Champion Jay Briscoe, ROH World Television Champion Jay Lethal, ROH World Tag Team Champions The Addiction, "Mr ROH" Roderick Strong, The Kingdom and so many more.
Do not miss The Best Wrestling on The Planet, Ring of Honor every Saturday afternoon at 1pm on KTXD-TV!
Where to Watch KTXD-TV
AT&T: 47
DirecTV: 47
Dish: 47
Charter: 22 / 746 HD
Time Warner: 24 / 429 HD
Verizon: 18 / 518 HD
