Today's News

Dusty Rhodes:

WWE have announced a live tribute to Dusty Rhodes after Raw next week. Ric Flair will be the keynote speech maker at the ceremony.

CM Punk:

CM Punk will run the UFC 5K in Las Vegas next week.

Japan special:

Michael Cole and Byron Saxton called the Japan special from the WWE HQ, they did not make the trip to the orient for the event.

Funaki was backstage.

Faarooq talks helping make The Rock:

"That's how he got his identity. They didn't know what to do with him. I was able to help The Rock get over on the mic, to help him with his personality, with some of his catchphrases. He got a lot of this from me and I was glad to help giving him an identity. It was just a matter of time before he found his niche, his own identity. He had tried to come along and do stuff that his family background was doing. They didn't want a younger version of High Chief Peter Maivia. They wanted him to find his own identity and being himself. And that's when he took off. It makes me feel good I had a little to do in this."

He also revealed why he has become known for the ''Damn!'' catchphrase ...

"Let's just say I'd jump off the top rope and I'd sprain an ankle or I would miss a move or something, and the first thing I'd yell out was 'Damn!' and the people in the first few rows could hear me say that. Every time I was coming back to a city, the fans would notice that every time something would go wrong, I would say 'Damn!' and as I kept coming back to each of the cities, I noticed that they would all start chanting 'Damn!, You never know what people are gonna like, right?."

Jim Ross discusses his alleged feud with Big Show:

"One question I've been asked many times regarding the Big Show apparently saying on a podcast that he was "never one of my guys" while I was in charge of talent roster in WWE. That's news to me. It was Jerry Brisco and who I who made the first contact in person with Show to begin recruiting him to come to WWE which was the smartest thing that Paul Wight ever did. It was my wife who invited Show and his former manager into our home where she cooked him a meal fit for a king including home made biscuits and apple butter which we have given him as a gift occasionally through the years. I have always thought the world of Paul Wight and still do. Yes, Vince McMahon and I decided to send Paul to developmental to help him with his fundamentals and to give him the opportunity to lose some needed weight to improve his overall health and to help us maximize our significant investment. If that was being unfair, then so be it. The role that I fulfilled in assembling our talent roster as EVP of Talent Rations was a thankless one but I knew that when I took the job. Tough decisions have to be made and if encouraging someone to lose weight is a bad thing then I was guilty. Show wasn't the only performer with who we addressed this matter. Plus, how many 500 pound men do you know that live long, healthy lives? We also addressed these issues with Yokozuna and Vader who we both wanted to achieve optimum health. Our system of scouting, signing and developing talent seemed to work pretty well because, in the opinion of many, the best roster that WWE ever had or will have was during the time around the Attitude Era. I hope that roster is surpassed some day but only time will tell."

Paragon:

Paragon held the first episode of their nationally syndicated TV show last night.

Chyna talks WWE:

She shared the last conversation she had with Triple H...

"The day Stephanie [McMahon] and Vince booked me at TV (For her last day of work for WWE), it was like the Red Sea. Hunter never spoke to me. The only time I ever spoke to Hunter again, which wasn't really speaking again, was when he physically came to pick Sean Waltman up for rehab. He just showed up outside my door one day. I was incredibly surprised to see him, but I don't think we even spoke two words. I don't believe I could have spoken two words, either."

She also talked about reaching out to WWE, and her trip to the offices...

"We're documenting all of that. But really, I'd like to meet with them. I've repeatedly called and wrote and will continue to do so until I get that sit-down meeting. Personal reasons, financial reasons, contractual—let's see what's going on. I need to know. (But) We were abruptly turned away. It was as cold as ice in there. I went to take the picture, then we're told to basically take our leave. They weren't having any of it. (It was) definitely an icy atmosphere."

Randy Orton:

Randy Orton is engaged to be married, he proposed to his girlfriend of a year and a half recently.