Could This Year's SummerSlam Finally Break WWE Out Of Its Summer Slump?

WWE invades New York City this Sunday, when its annual SummerSlam pay-per-view event takes over Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. SummerSlam is widely considered WWE’s second-biggest event of the year, behind only WrestleMania. That might lead fans to think the mega-event is a big part of WWE’s annual business just like its spring counterpart - last year’s WrestleMania accounted for more than one-third of WWE’s total pay-per-view revenue - but it turns out that summer is actually the company’s worst financial season of the year.

WWE’s third quarter, in which SummerSlam falls, is traditionally home to the company’s least impressive performance in terms of revenue. Last year the company generated $120 million in Q3 revenue, $6 million less than any other quarter. In 2012, the company had income of $104 million during the summer months, while no other quarter had revenue under $115 million. And it’s been a consistent trend for nearly a decade.

From 2007 through 2014, Q3 has provided an average 22% of WWE’s annual revenue. The first and last quarters pull their weight at around 25% of yearly income apiece, while Q2, the usual home of WrestleMania, has averaged 28% in those years. After looking through the revenue segment breakdowns, it doesn’t seem like the income dip is driven by any single area, but is rather a general summer slowdown in the business.

This year’s event offers some reason for hope, though. With a much-anticipated rematch between Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker on the card and demand clearly up in a big way – the average SummerSlam ticket costs nearly $540 on the secondary market, the highest for any WWE event since 2010 – this may finally be the year that WWE is able to break out of its summer slump.

source: forbes.com

Sean Waltman On What Triple H Told Him Regarding Chyna Incident At Roddy Piper's Funeral

Recently on You're Welcome with Chael Sonnen, Sonnen spoke with Sean 'X-Pac' Waltman to set the record straight regarding Joanie 'Chyna' Laurer approaching Triple H at 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper's funeral.

Although Waltman did not see the exchange between Chyna and Triple H firsthand, Waltman claims that Triple H told him what happened after the fact. According to Waltman, Triple H said that the encounter lasted no more than twenty seconds. Chyna approached Triple H as he was leaving the funeral. As he turned, she grabbed him, hugged him, and whispered that she was sorry for everything.

Waltman stated that Triple H's security was about to "pounce" on Chyna, even though nobody saw the security crew in action.

"You've got to understand, Hunter's security, and he's the COO of a publicly traded company, his security is like secret service type security," Waltman said. "They are very discrete - they're not going to make a scene, especially at somebody's funeral."

Given the "serious accusations" Chyna made against Triple H and the "threats" she has made to Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, Waltman is of the opinion that Chyna owes Triple H an apology, but Piper's funeral was not the appropriate forum. He said that it was a tacky place to do it, and felt as if there were ulterior motives besides paying tribute to Piper.

SEE ALSO: Chyna Talks To Wrestling Inc. About The Last Time She Spoke To Vince McMahon, If Triple H Allegations Hurt Her WWE Hall Of Fame Chances

Waltman suggested that Triple H suspected that Chyna was having the exchanged secretly filmed, though no evidence has surfaced indicating as much.

In addition to chatting with Waltman, Sonnen welcomed Rampage Jackson to the show. To listen to the entire podcast, click here.

Booker T's Big Announcement Revealed

Booker T announced (via Periscope) that his “big announcement” he has been teasing this week is a new home for his Reality of Wrestling wrestling school and promotion.

Booker, along with wife Sharmell, Bruce Prichard and development partners, made the announcement and said the building will be called “Reality of Wrestling World Headquarters”. The 21,000 square-foot facility, situated next to World’s Gym at Mall of the Mainlands in Texas City, Texas will hold their shows and training school.

In addition, starting September 20th, ROW will be seen on the Houston CW television affiliate (CW39), and will air on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m.

#TheAnnouncement is we are now apart of the @CW39Houston family! We start Sunday, September 20th! pic.twitter.com/p4MQZwVYMN

— Booker T. Huffman (@BookerT5x) August 21, 2015

Video: Triple H takes a special look at “Ultimate Warrior: A Life Lived ‘Forever’”

WWE Takes Over New York City With SummerSlam

For the first time since 2007, WWE’s SummerSlam returns to the NYC-Metro area with a week-long lineup of events including interactive fan experiences and community outreach programs covering all five NYC boroughs. SummerSlam takes place this Sunday, August 23, live on WWE Network at 7 p.m. ET from a sold-out Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The events begin today and include:

• Children’s Hospital Visits – Wednesday, August 19
WWE Superstars and Tag Team Champions Titus O’Neil® and Darren Young® will be at The Brooklyn Hospital Center and WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose® will be joined by WWE Diva Alicia Fox® at St. Mary’s Hospital for Children in Queens. On both occasions, they will visit with patients and hand out WWE Mattel toys.

• Brooklyn Cyclones Celebrity Softball Game – Wednesday, August 19
The Brooklyn Cyclones and WWE have partnered for SummerSlam Night. As part of the night’s festivities, WWE Superstars and Divas including Ryback®, Fandango®, Eva Marie® and Charlotte, will join members of the FDNY, NYPD and other celebrities in a pre-game Celebrity/Civil Servants All-Star Challenge and softball game prior to the 7 p.m. Cyclones game against the Lowell Spinners. Also scheduled to participate in the celebrity game are NBA Hall of Famer and current St. John’s Men’s Basketball Coach Chris Mullin, Mets Hall of Famer John Franco, Greg Kelly & Rosanna Scotto – the hosts of Good Day New York – and many others.

• SummerSlam Reading Celebration – Thursday, August 20
WWE and First Book will host a reading celebration at JCC Cornerstone Program at Todt Hill Community Center in Staten Island. WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler® and WWE Divas Nikki Bella® and Brie Bella® will read to local Staten Island students from grades 1-3 to promote the importance of literacy. A book donation will be made to all students in attendance.

• Firehouse and Police Precinct Visits to Support “Answer the Call” – Thursday, August 20
WWE is joining forces with Hollywood celebrities and professional athletes through a global online auction on Charitybuzz.com, featuring unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences in support of “Answer The Call,” the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund. To help raise awareness for the program, WWE Superstars Roman Reigns®, Jimmy Uso®, Jey Uso®, Kofi Kingston®, Big E® and Xavier Woods®, and WWE Diva Summer Rae® will be visiting firehouses and police precincts around New York City.

• “Be a STAR” (Show Tolerance and Respect) Anti-Bullying Rally – Thursday, August 20
WWE will host an anti-bullying rally at the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx, featuring Be A STAR alliance members, Facebook, GLAAD and DoSomething.org. WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, Facebook Trust and Safety Manager, Emily Vacher, GLAAD Vice President of Programs Zeke Stokes and DoSomething.org’s Chief Marketing Officer Naomi Hirabayashi will join WWE Superstars Kofi Kingston® and Sheamus®, and WWE Diva Eva Marie™ to deliver bullying prevention messages to more than 250 children between the ages of 6-15.

• Hire Heroes Veteran Employment Panel & Event – Friday, August 21
WWE, in partnership with Barclays Center and Orion International will host a Veterans Career Panel and Networking Event in support of Hire Heroes USA (HHUSA) for nearly 80 veterans. Corporate HR and Brand Executives from WWE, ESPN, Marvel, Priceline, MTA, LinkedIn, FDNY and Colgate will be in attendance to discuss veteran hiring practices. WWE Superstars The Usos, WWE Diva Naomi® and WWE NXT Superstars Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, will also be on-hand to speak with the veterans. The event will consist of a panel, networking opportunities and career coaching stations.

• John Cena 500th Wish Celebration – Friday, August 21
Make-A-Wish and WWE will celebrate WWE Superstar John Cena® becoming the first celebrity in history to grant 500 wishes. The event, which is being hosted at Dave & Buster’s Times Square, will feature appearances by WWE Superstar John Cena, WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, Make-A-Wish America President and CEO David Williams, WWE Superstar Sheamus, WWE Divas The Bellas and Wish children and their families.

• New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell – Friday, August 21
In celebration of SummerSlam and WWE Superstar John Cena’s 500th Wish, Cena, WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and Make-A-Wish America President and CEO David Williams will accompany seven Wish kids, and ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange. For more than a decade, Cena has been granting the wishes of children through WWE’s partnership with Make-A-Wish which began more than 30 years ago. To date, WWE Superstars and Divas have granted more than 6,000 wishes, more than any other sports and entertainment organization.

• Superstar Meet and Greets – Friday, August 21 & Saturday, August 22
These exclusive fan sessions will give the WWE Universe an opportunity to get autographs and photos with their favorite Superstars and Divas including WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins®; Randy Orton®; Roman Reigns; Dean Ambrose®; Bray Wyatt®; WWE Divas Charlotte, Paige and Becky Lynch; WWE Legend Sting; and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels.

• Susan G. Komen Community Health Fair – Saturday, August 22
WWE and Susan G. Komen will be supporting a community health fair featuring The Project Renewal Scan Van, offering mobile mammograms and information on Race for the Cure. WWE Divas Tamina™, Alicia Fox™, Naomi™, and Natalya™ and WWE Superstars Titus O’Neil and Darren Young will take part in a meet and greet at the Church of the Revelation in the Bronx to promote breast health education and the importance of early detection.

• NXT Takeover Brooklyn – Saturday, August 22
On the night before the biggest event of the summer, WWE’s next generation of Superstars and Divas will perform at a sold-out Barclays Center with the biggest NXT Takeover yet. Finn Balor’s reign as NXT Champion hangs in the balance when he takes on Kevin Owens in a Ladder Match. NXT Takeover Brooklyn can be seen live on WWE Network at 9 p.m. ET.

• SummerSlam – Sunday, August 23
A sold-out crowd will converge on Barclays Center for SummerSlam. WWE’s biggest event of the summer, which can be seen live on WWE Network at 7 p.m. ET, will feature WWE Superstars Undertaker® and Brock Lesnar® in a rematch of their historic WrestleMania 30 bout where Lesnar ended Undertaker’s 21-year undefeated streak.

• Monday Night Raw – Monday, August 24
The night after SummerSlam, Monday Night Raw takes place at a sold-out Barclays Center for the third night in a row, where fans can see their favorite WWE Superstars and Divas. Monday Night Raw is the longest-running, weekly episodic program in U.S. primetime TV history and is one of the most-watched, regularly scheduled programs on cable, airing live every Monday night on USA Network.

Details On The 'WWE Performance Center: All Access Pass' Day Next Month

Here's the full announcement on WWE allowing fans inside of the WWE Performance Center next month:

See how Superstars are made with a WWE Performance Center: All Access pass

Do you want to know what it takes to become a WWE Superstar? Have you ever wondered what goes into putting a WWE Live Event together? Well, now you can have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to go behind the scenes with WWE Performance Center: All Access!

For the first time ever, WWE is opening the doors to the state-of-the-art Performance Center in Orlando, Fla. to a limited number of fans from the WWE Universe on Monday, Sept. 28. This unprecedented experience will give fans the opportunity to gain knowledge from the best in the business and learn how to produce a private NXT Live Event.

The WWE Performance Center: All Access experience will allow fans to:
•Share breakfast and lunch with NXT Superstars and Divas (meals provided)
•Participate in a Q&A and orientation session with NXT coaching staff
•Attend a Q&A and autograph session with NXT Superstars and Divas
•Sign a one-day WWE booking contract, granting admission to a private NXT Live Event at the WWE Performance Center that you will help produce, manage and watch alongside your favorite NXT Superstars & Divas
•Take an all-access Tour of the WWE Performance Center, which has never before been opened to the public
•Get an inside look at a private NXT training session
•Learn the ropes during a promo class and then create your very own unique promo video

Plus, you'll be able to take the experience home, with exclusive keepsakes like:
•Commemorative WWE Performance Center: All Access credential
•Photo opportunities to capture and share your once-in-a-lifetime experience with friends
•WWE Performance Center gift bag
•Limited edition event chair
•Personalized promo video; available post-experience
•Downloadable highlight reel; available post-experience

The WWE Performance Center: All Access experience is $1,499 per person.* Tickets will be available beginning Monday, Aug. 24 at 12 p.m. ET at NXTTickets.com. Space is extremely limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. Don't miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime!

*Must be 18 or older, unless accompanied by a legal guardian. Transportation and lodging not included.

Call it a ‘Diva Revolution’: WWE’s NXT producing female stars of the future

WWE Performance Center coach Sara Del Rey (Sara Amato) recently spoke with Sports Illustrated's Extra Mustard blog. The full interview is at this link and has comments from Charlotte and Sasha Banks. Below are a few quotes:

Taking the training job with WWE:

"It's a void not having a trainer for the Divas, and that's an area that should be covered. It was kind of my dream job, but it didn't exist so I didn't know if it was possible. It all happened so perfectly—in my mind at least. Performing wasn't my passion. It is training and being in the ring and learning just the skills it takes to perform."

If the current crop of NXT Divas are here to stay:

"Oh yeah, I think there's going to be a very bright future for NXT Women's division."

Triple H NXT TakeOver: Brookyln Conference Call Recap: NXT Show In England, Divas, ROH, EVOLVE, More

Triple H held a conference call this morning in promotion of this Saturday's NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn show. You can check out the highlights below:

* He calls this event "incredibly historic" for NXT as a brand.

* Triple H didn't originally want to use the Barclays Center. He thought the venue was way too big for NXT, but started at 6,000 seats, which quickly sold out. He says if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.

* He made sure to specify that both the NXT Title and NXT Women's Title matches are both main events.

* Several matches will be taped for future television, and the actual special event will air at 9 pm.

* Triple H boasts about being able to sell out the Barclays Center three nights in a row.

* He stresses that he doesn't want NXT to be like Raw or Smackdown. He wants NXT to build their own identity and serve their own fans.

* He says NXT stars leaving for the main roster is a strength, not a weakness. He's happy or the talent and thinks it helps magnify NXT. Talent moving on to the main roster creates new opportunities for other guys.

* He feels like a proud father when the new WWE Divas revolution is showing what they can do.

* Triple H says that he's not trying to cause Ring Of Honor any harm by running NXT on Saturday. It was the best decision for WWE as a company.

See Also: ROH Star Talks NXT Being 'A Goal,' If Kevin Owens Is A WrestleMania Main Eventer

* WWE is running a Performance Center all-access pass promotion.

* Triple H speaks about EVOLVE, and says they're looking for any opportunity to support business as a whole. Independent promotions are important to the health of the business, but he has to do what's right for WWE.

* The WWE is getting increasingly more confident in NXT as a brand with every accomplishment they achieve.

* NXT is looking to run a show in England.

* He leaves open the possibility of doing more NXT TakeOver events prior to big WWE shows.

* He put over Apollo Crews, the former Uhaa Nation, and thanked us for joining the call.

Total Divas Recap 08/18/15

Final Four WWE Tough Enough Competitors Revealed For Next Week, Details On The Finale

Tonight's WWE Tough Enough episode featured the final three male competitors up for elimination - Josh Bredl, Tanner Saraceno and Zamariah "ZZ" Loupe. It was Tanner that ended up getting eliminated. Judge Daniel Bryan had a "save" left but did not use it.

Next week's finale will feature the final two women - Sara Lee and Amanda Saccomanno, and the final two men - Josh and ZZ.

WWE announced on tonight's episode of Tough Enough that next week's finale episode will feature live wrestling matches with Sara Lee vs. Amanda Saccomanno and Josh Bredl vs. Zamariah "ZZ" Loupe. Chris Jericho noted that throughout this week the competitors will work on their entrances and their matches before next Tuesday's finale.

How Professional Wrestling Raised a Legion of Nerdy Feminist Fans

WWE Performance Center Reality Show to Air?

Last night that Triple H revealed a "WWE Performance Center All Access" special to air on September 28th after RAW. PWInsider notes that WWE had been working on a reality series that would showcase NXT talents trying to make it in WWE developmental. Apparently the project was being done for the WWE Network so this "All Access" special could be related to that.

Ever wanted to go behind-the-scenes @WWEPerformCtr & see how @WWENXT Superstars are made? #GetReady #ThisIsAwesome pic.twitter.com/3AcN3VAHEz

— Triple H (@TripleH) August 18, 2015

Triple H Reveals Several New Matches and New Start Time for WWE NXT "Takeover: Brooklyn"

Triple H revealed new matches for WWE NXT "Takeover: Brooklyn" today. Here's the updated card for Saturday night, which now has a 7:30pm EST start time:

Ladder Match for the NXT Title
Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor

NXT Tag Team Title Match
The Vaudevillians vs. Blake and Murphy

NXT Women's Title Match
Bayley vs. Sasha Banks

Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs. Tyler Breeze

Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin

Bull Dempsey vs. Elias Samson

Apollo Crews vs. Tye Dillinger

Eva Marie vs. Carmella

Enzo Amore, Big Cass, Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley vs. Jason Jordan, Chad Gable, Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson

Charlotte vs. Emma vs. Becky Lynch vs. Dana Brooke

Jushin 'Thunder' Liger On How His WWE NXT Takeover Appearance Was Signed, Tyler Breeze, More

Enuhito.com has a translation of a recent interview wrestling legend Jushin "Thunder" Liger did with the New Japan Pro Wrestling website to promote this Saturday's match against Tyler Breeze at WWE NXT "Takeover: Brooklyn."

Liger revealed that he was at a ROH show last March in Philadelphia, where NXT was running that same week and wanted to go to NXT to see Finn Balor wrestle. He had a NJPW agent contact NXT head coach Matt Bloom, the former Tensai who also wrestled in New Japan. Bloom was able to secure a seat for Liger at the NXT event in Philadelphia and he attended. It was noted that nobody recognized Liger being there because he attended without his mask on.

Liger noted that Balor worked a great match against Neville that night and thanked him for coming afterwards. A few weeks later, William Regal, Bloom and Balor called the NJPW offices and asked for Liger's e-mail address. Liger does not use a computer so NJPW put them in touch with a representative and that's how the Takeover match was made.

Liger confirmed that he's not working under a "double contract" and that his Takeover appearance is a one-time deal. Liger said he does not know much about Tyler Breeze but will be researching him. He seemed impressed when the interviewer mentioned that Breeze was trained by Lance Storm.

Brock Lesnar On His Relationship With Vince McMahon, Returning To WWE Over UFC, Fans, More

Brock Lesnar appeared on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike Show" this morning to promote WWE SummerSlam. Below are highlights:

* Brock said it's been good being back with WWE so far. He says not going back to UFC was a lifestyle choice and a lifestyle commitment. He was forced out of UFC because of his illness but when he was ready to come back he felt like he was cheated out of a few fights. Then it came down to a family lifestyle choice. He says WWE treated him well in 2012 when he came back and it's now refreshing to be back with the company. Lesnar added that he can come and do his thing when they need him and he's not always living life on the road. He said Vince McMahon welcomed him back and they see eye to eye now. He said their relationship is better than it has been.

* He said his homecoming at RAW in Minneapolis last night was great. He was asked about UFC 100 or WrestleMania being bigger and he said WrestleMania. Lesnar talked about how you're able to absorb the crowd in WWE but all he remembers from his UFC days is being a stone cold barbarian killer because it's a whole different mindset as you're out to hurt your opponent.

* Working as a heel comes very natural to Lesnar but he's getting cheered out of the arena now. He says connecting with WWE fans is just like any other sport - without the fans you have nothing.

WWE Launches 'Direct-To-Fans' Mobile Service on Vuclip

Vuclip to Stream WWE Video Clips to Fans in India, Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia

MILPITAS, CA--(Marketwired - August 18, 2015) - Vuclip, the leading premium mobile video on demand [VOD] service for emerging markets, has today announced a partnership with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Ltd. to engage WWE fans in emerging markets of the world with video clips on their mobile phones. Through this partnership, Vuclip will make available WWE's video clips on the Vuclip service in the markets of India, Africa, Middle East and South East Asia. WWE is NYSE listed and the global leader in sports entertainment.

Via this arrangement, WWE fans can stream the following mix of video clips on their mobile devices: match highlights such as Slam of the Week from both RAW and Smackdown; The Vault, a flashback to a monumental match; WWE Classics from legends of the past; and WWE Countdown which shows favorite superstars and match moments.

Speaking about this new service, Nikhil Naik, Director, Head of Distribution, Vuclip said, "For more than three decades, WWE has been entertaining its fans across the world. With emerging markets such as India and Africa seen as 'Mobile first' markets, Vuclip will help pave the way for engaging WWE's fan base in these countries along with deepening the engagement in the Middle Eastern and South East Asian markets. We are happy to offer WWE fans premium mobile entertainment in these markets."

WWE programming is broadcast in more than 150 countries and 35 languages and reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide. It hosts more than 300 live events annually and possesses 130,000 hours of content which is growing by 500 hours each year.

Jon Stewart to host SummerSlam

After 16 epic years as host of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” Jon Stewart has announced his retirement plans. What will Stewart do next? A trip to Disney? A run for President? A one-way trip to Mars? No, as first reported by USAToday.com, Stewart is set to host SummerSlam, this Sunday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT live on WWE Network.

Stewart, a longtime member of the WWE Universe, appeared earlier this year in an ongoing rivalry with now-WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. After Stewart taunted Rollins on social media, Rollins appeared on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” where he challenged Stewart to appear on Monday Night Raw to settle their score.

Most recently, Rollins appeared in a look-back segment during Stewart’s final few days on “The Daily Show.”

Stewart stepped down from his post as host of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” on Thursday, Aug. 6. During his tenure, Stewart welcomed a wide array of high-profile guests, including President Barack Obama, former President Jimmy Carter, Clint Eastwood, Halle Berry, Ben Affleck, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Derek Jeter, Shaquille O’Neal, Bill Gates and many more.

Watch ESPN SportsCenter, live from SummerSlam

Start your SummerSlam Sunday off right when ESPN SportsCenter airs live from The Biggest Party of the Summer.

ESPN SportsCenter, live from SummerSlam, will air Sunday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 6-7 p.m. This broadcasts mark the first time ESPN's long-running sports-news franchise will be on-site for a WWE event.

Former WWE personality and current ESPN anchor "The Coach" Jonathan Coachman hinted at the developing news in a series of tweets over the weekend before it was formally announced on Raw.

More on Chyna Allegedly Confronting Triple H at Piper's Funeral

Dave Meltzer revealed on the Wrestling Observer message board that there was no real confrontation between Chyna and Triple H at Roddy Piper’s funeral last week despite claims by Sean "X-Pac" Waltman that she was nearly escorted away by police.

In fact, the exchange lasted no longer than about 20 seconds when Chyna approached Triple H after he left the service to apologize to him for things that had happened in the past.

Triple H was reportedly worried that someone might have been secretly filming him and Chyna for her upcoming documentary,

Photo: Triple H & Linda McMahon at the WWE Performance Center

Just got this great pic of 2 of my favorite people!!! @TripleH and @Linda_McMahon at the @WWEPerformCtr! pic.twitter.com/jDD3aWJrFJ

— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) August 12, 2015

Paige Talks WWE and the Diva’s Revolution, Triple H’s Influence, Which Diva Does She See Having The Most Promise in WWE?

WWE Diva Paige recently spoke with Doug Mortman and (filling in for Dave LaGreca,) Larry Dallas, of Busted Open interviewed WWE Diva Paige recently.

Paige talks WWE and the recent “Divas Revolution”, Triple H’s influence on the movement, which Diva she sees with the most promise, and much more. You can hear Busted Open on SiriusXM Rush 93 and on the SiriusXM app. Visit BustedOpenNation.com. for all things Busted Open. Here are some highlights from the interview:

On HHH’s influence on the Diva’s Revolution:

Paige: Just seeing him come in and completely take what was then called FCW like under his wing and make it into this huge brand to the point where it sold out in Brooklyn – 15,000 people are coming to watch NXT – that’s MIND BLOWING … and it’s all because of that guy. He really wanted to make it a success and he really did, especially with the Divas. He really did give the Divas a chance in NXT – like me and Emma, the first network show that we did – he really gave us a chance on there and it just progressed. He killed it. He knocked it out of the park with it. We’re all extremely thankful for the opportunity that he gave every single one of us.

On which young Diva Paige sees having the most promise:

Paige: Even though she’s on the opposing team, I would say Sasha Banks. I’m a huge fan of hers. And I’ve always said it. I’ve always said Sasha Banks. She’s just the full package to me. She can promo, she can wrestle, she looks good … she definitely shows the most, I think.

On whether she sees either of the remaining two Divas on Tough Enough becoming a big name in NXT and eventually the main WWE roster:

Paige: As much as I like Sara Lee, and everyone thinks I pick on her, I would have to say Amanda – and it’s not being biased because you know how I’m like with both of them, I’m brutally honest with both of them. Amanda is kind of the full package too – she can talk, she’s really starting to get things in the ring, and she’s really embracing that heel role that she’s got going on. She really doesn’t care what people think of her and that’s cool to me, I like that, she doesn’t care about being liked or not. She’s not afraid of being different, she’s not afraid to be herself. She does great in the ring. She takes control as well, especially with her and Sara’s match she really took control of it. That’s cool. I like that about her.

On the winners of Tough Enough and their eventual transition to the NXT roster:

Paige: (laughs) It’s definitely going to be hard transition for them because they’re going to have to start working extra hard … especially because there are a lot of people on NXT that have worked their whole lives to get where they are. To be honest with you, they DO work hard, but they’re doing it on a reality show and then they get handed the contract at the end of the day. I can see a few jealous people [in NXT] but everyone is cool and cordial and they’ll be fine.

DISH Network No Longer Airing ROH On Sinclair Stations, ROH Asks Fans To Contact DISH

ROH announced the following:

DISH Network Discontinues Ring of Honor/Sinclair Programming

Call DISH now to get us back!

As a result of an expired agreement between DISH Network and our parent company, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Dish will no longer carry Sinclair stations or programming, including Ring of Honor. At this time, we do not know if or when Dish will resume carrying our content.

We regret the inconvenience this is causing to Dish Network subscribers who want to continue to watch Ring of Honor on Sinclair stations.

We wish to remind these subscribers that numerous other means exist for receiving Ring of Honor programming, including DirecTV and at least one cable television company, for free over-the air, and on rohwrestling.com. You can also catch Ring of Honor every Wednesday at 11 p.m. ET on the Destination America channel.

If you are affected by this situation, we suggest that you contact Dish Network by calling them at (855)-318-0572, or through their website at dish.com/contact, Facebook at facebook.com/DISH, or on Twitter at twitter.com/dish, and let them know you want them to carry these local stations and receive their popular programming, including Ring of Honor.

Sasha Banks Talks Accidentally Hitting Vince McMahon Backstage The Night Of Her RAW Debut, Triple H

On a recent episode of Talk Is Jericho, current NXT Women's Champion Sasha Banks talked about Triple H's commitment to the future of professional wrestling and his involvement in the Divas Revolution. Also, Banks told a story about meeting Vince McMahon for the first time.

In the interview, Banks stated that Triple H "cares so much about the future" of professional wrestling and women's wrestling in particular. Banks said that Triple H is the reason that the female wrestlers get so much TV time and that she is afraid to let him down.

"We definitely don't want to let him down and we haven't," Banks said. "Every [NXT] Takeover, I have a little breakdown because I just don't want [WWE brass] to be like, 'this is the match, this is why [the Divas division] can't have time."

During the interview, Banks called meeting Vince McMahon for the first time a very nerve-racking experience and noted that he still scared her.

According to Banks, the night of her RAW debut, she accidentally hit McMahon backstage when she was talking with her hands while explaining something to her Team BAD partners, Naomi and Tamina. "And I was like, 'oh my God!' He's [Vince] like, 'are you guys excited [for Team BAD's debut]? Are you guys ready for this?'," Banks explained. "He's so intimidating!" she added.

In a wide ranging interview, Banks and Jericho talked about the late great Eddie Guerrero, how Banks came up with 'the Boss' gimmick, and many other topics. Click here to check out the entire podcast.

Vince McMahon Praises John Cena And Roman Reigns

Vince McMahon offered the following on his Twitter account, praising Roman Reigns and John Cena for their social awareness.

Cena came in second on DoSomething.org’s “Athletes Gone Good” list, and Reigns came in at #13. Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list this year; Ronda Rousey also made the list at #14.

Click here for more information about Athletes Gone Good, including the full list of winners.

I'm proud of @JohnCena and @WWERomanReigns for using their voices for social causes. #AthletesGoneGood http://t.co/HBCvZyRP7a

— Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) August 14, 2015

Finn Balor Recalls Meeting Vince McMahon for the First Time, Talks Winning the NXT Title, Dusty Rhodes’ Tutelage, HHH’s Leadership, More

WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor recently spoke with Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso to hype next week’s NXT Takeover Brooklyn special, and below are some interview highlights:

On meeting Vince McMahon for the first time:

“The first official meeting I had with Vince McMahon was in San Jose two days before WrestleMania,” said Bálor. “I was wrestling against Neville in the main forNXT San Jose. Neville had just got to the ring, and I was standing behind the curtain ready to make my entrance. I could hear Neville’s music tapering off, and I heard a call, ‘Finn! Finn!’ I turned around and it was Hunter. He said, ‘Have you met Vince?’

“So I went over and Vince’s head popped out from behind the curtain and said, ‘How are you doing, son?’ I said, ‘Hello, sir,’ and shook his hand. As I shook his hand, the heartbeat of my music started and I started, ‘That’s my cue, gotta go.’”

On Triple H’s leadership:

“With regards to what you see on TV, you’re really only seeing the tip of the iceberg with Paul Levesque,” said Bálor about the man better known to wrestling fans as Triple H. “He has been an incredible leader here for the people at NXT, and not just for me, but he has time for everyone. He motivates people and inspires. He’s someone that is very approachable, very down to earth, and full of new and alternative ideas. He’s helped me adapt to my situation, which has been very different with learning the working style of WWE and life here in America.”

On Dusty Rhodes’ tutelage:

“Dusty would say, ‘Finn, your work in the ring is up here, but you’re talking is down here – you’ve got to balance them out,’” said Bálor. “He was always very straight to the point, and we had a great relationship together. I remember him saying one time, ‘Prince, you know I heard them talking about you before you came in here, and goddamn, I thought Lou Thesz was gonna walk in that door the way they talk about your work.’ I’ll never forget that, and I was very lucky to work with Dusty. He helped me incredibly with my communication, as he called it, and I learned a lot of lessons with him. ‘The Dream’ was someone who filled me with confidence the first time I walked in the door.”

On winning the NXT Title in Japan:

“That whole night was memorable for much more than winning the NXT championship.” Said Bálor. “Japan was a place that became my second home. That venue [Sumo Hall] is where I watched my first New Japan show and wrestled my last New Japan match. It was a year after I said goodbye to so many friends, and the fans were almost like family there, and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see them again.

“To come back with WWE a year later to wrestle in the NXT championship match in a sold-out Sumo Hall against Kevin Owens, who came into NXT at almost the same time as me–and we became very close, experienced a lot of the same struggles–live on the WWE Network, the story couldn’t have been written any better.

WWE Sends Cease & Desist Order to Rapper

We noted before that rapper Meek Mill used The Undertaker's theme song in his response to rapper Drake during their recent feud and that WWE told TMZ, “WWE takes its intellectual property rights very seriously, and we’re looking into the matter.”

VH1 now reports that WWE lawyers sen a cease & desist order to Meek, forcing him to remove the song from Soundcloud this week.

Chyna Responds To Sean Waltman's Claims, Talks Alleged Incident With Triple H

As noted earlier, Sean Waltman claimed on Twitter that Chyna "bum rushed" Triple H at Roddy Piper's funeral last Tuesday. Waltman wrote:

"She may have met him a few times & you're exactly right.She bum rushed Hunter & said 'Sorry for Everything!' Pathetic."

He later wrote that Chyna crashed the funeral, however he quickly apologized and rescinded that claim, noting that he found out that she was indeed invited to the service. He did say that she was "very close to being taken down by security, whether she knows it or not," due to the past accusations of a physical dispute that she's made towards Triple H, that Triple H has vehemently denied.

Chyna issued a video to respond to Waltman's claims. While holding back tears, she stated that she didn't need to justify her relationship with Piper to anyone, and that Piper had been a dear friend for over a decade.

She also addressed the alleged incident with Triple H. She admitted that she didn't know that Triple H would be at the funeral. At the end of the service when everyone was paying their respects, she ended up in front of him. She said that she very calmly embraced him and whispered in his ear about how she's sorry about past comments that she's made.

"I whispered in his ear how deeply sorry that I am for anything that I said under emotional distress," Chyna said. "With everything I've gone through, I know it's understandable, but I realize that it's not justifiable. I wanted to tell him that, for me. There was no altercation, there was no security. It was a tender moment between two people who once cared about each other and [are] grieving over a lost friend."

You can view the video here.

Sean “X-Pac” Waltman Says Chyna Confronted Triple H at Roddy Piper’s Funeral, Says Security Almost Took Her Down

According to The Wrestling Observer, Triple H and Chyna were both in attendance for Roddy Piper’s funeral in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday.

The report notes Triple H and Chyna were in the same room for about an hour, but they never spoke to each other.

A fan took to Twitter and asked Sean “X-Pac” Waltman, who was also present at the funeral, the following question:

“Chyna at roddy pipers funeral? Did she ever even work with him? Reeks of opportunism to be around hhh.”

Waltman responded by saying the following:

She may have met him a few times & you're exactly right.She bum rushed Hunter & said 'Sorry for Everthing!" Pathetic

Waltman then Tweeted, but then deleted, the following:

“I wasnt going to mention Chyna crashing Roddy’s funeral, but I guess ppl already know. ‘Sorry for everything’? I thought she was the victim.”

Waltman then offered the following:

I was informed by a reliable source that she didnt "crash" the funeral. She was apparently invited. I have to correct myself. I apologize for using the term "Crash". She was very close to being taken down by security, whether she knows it or not, after the threats & lies she's told about him.

Backstage News On WWE Bringing Back The Diva Search

WWE is currently restructuring the Diva Search and the idea is to bring it back later this year.

However, instead of airing on TV it will now air on the WWE Network. The show was originally formatted similar to Tough Enough but with the issues they're having with Tough Enough, the feeling is that format doesn't work well and they're making changes for the Divas Search.

Triple H, Chyna And Others Attend Private Funeral For Roddy Piper Earlier This Week

A private funeral for WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper was held in Portland on August 11th, attended by family and friends. Ric Flair was among those that spoke.

Notable names who attended were Triple H, Chyna, Chael Sonnen, Michael Hayes, Brian Knobbs and Bret Hart. Triple H and Chyna were reportedly in the same room for about an hour but never spoke. Vince McMahon was not there.

Jushin "Thunder" Liger Addresses The WWE Universe

Welcome Jushin "Thunder" Liger to @WWENXT for #NXTTakeOver: Brooklyn. #TrulyGlobal #MakingHistory #WeAreNXT https://t.co/zNPiCkqMGk

— Triple H (@TripleH) August 12, 2015

Total Divas Recap 08/11/15