Today's News

Heat on announcer:

The wrestling world have rounded upon Mauro Ranallo for missing SmackDown this week due to a winter storm. He tweeted a couple of days before the storm that he may not be able to attend because of the weather, and he has been questioned by many of his contemporaries, Tazz, Josh Mathews and vicariously by JR, who say, if he knew the storm was coming, why could he not make alternate plans, or travel before the storm arrived.

Tazz was most outspoken on the issue, and said, later re-tweeted by Jim Ross...

"You can not miss a show. You can't. You can't miss a show. When you miss a show - in no order of preference - you get heat with the locker room, you get heat with your boss, you get heat with your broadcast colleagues. It's just not a regular job. You are there once a week, and you are making a lot of money with a massive, massive platform. You've got to be there. You've got to make the shot. No matter what happens. Mauro is from Canada, okay, so he's well-versed when it comes to weather and snow. People knew the storm was coming for days."

NXT-Orlando:

Bobby Roode vs Shinsuke Nakamura will be the main event of the pre Mania NXT special.

WrestleMania 34:

WWE have already decided on their preferred main event for next years WrestleMania. Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns. WWE are still adamant that Roman will become the next John Cena, and will try again next year. This has led to speculation that Roman will beat Undertaker this year, and that Lesnar would win, and keep for a full year, the Universal title. It has been stressed that neither of those things are necessarily true.

This may also be Brock's farewell. He will work a much fuller schedule over the next year, including the live tour. His WWE deal ends the night after next years Mania, and the feeling is he may decide to hang them up, as he is running out of challenges left to take on.

Rusev:

Rusev is benched for around two months, meaning Mania is gone for him. However, bad news for him maybe good for his wife, Lana, who has been promised some in ring angles in his absence.

So Nia, but so far?:

WWE are going back and forth over whether to make the WrestleMania Raw Women's title match a triple threat or a four way, and if they do add another lady, who that should be. It was planned that Nia Jax would get the nod, but WWE officials are high on Dana Brooke, and some are pushing for her to be given a shot.

Hall Of Fame:

Jim Cornette is rumoured to be inducting the Rock 'N' Roll Express into the WWE HOF. John Cena will be doing the honours for Kurt Angle.

JBL puts roster on blast:

JBL is not a fan of current stars complaining about part-timers coming in, and says it will, and should, continue until they raise their own level, and can draw as well or better than the likes of 'Taker, Brock, Goldberg et al...

"People complain about a 50 year old guy coming back. That didn't have to happen during The Attitude Era when we had 'Stone Cold' and The Rock, and The Undertaker, and that incredible roster, maybe one of the greatest of all time, you didn't need anybody to draw ratings. Now, we're bringing some of these guys back. We have great stars, but Goldberg still draws and until he doesn't draw and there are people to supplant him, he will always be welcome in WWE."

TNA to WWE:

Former TNA star Wes Brisco is trying out for WWE this week.

Shaq Show:

Big Show says he has not given up on a match vs Shaq at Mania...

"I want to do this match. It certainly isn't on me. I'm serious and dedicated. Whether Shaq has other obligations or business, that's on him. As far as I know, we're still trying to make Princess Shaq happy so we can move forward with the match at WrestleMania. I have a lot of respect for Shaq. He's one of the greatest NBA centers of all time. But here's the thing, and I say this with all humility, I'm one of the greatest big men ever in the WWE. I'm giving Shaq the opportunity to showcase himself at our biggest event of the year. He is an entertainer and he is an attraction, and he is a heck of an athlete. But he's hemming and hawing saying it's somebody else's fault. If you want to do this, come do this. This is something where Shaq saw how great of shape I was in, and he decided to back out. That's a personal thing on Shaq."

He also says he will retire next year, and won't come back...

"No last matches, no fanfare, just ride off into the sunset and disappear. That's more my style. I'll find something else to do that is inspiring—and let these new kids take the business and the reigns and let them build the future. I wish them all luck. Everything changes. We've got a great group of talent that deserves the spotlight."

Rock:

The Rock is off to China soon. He has landed a role in 'Skyscraper' a new movie being taped in the country.

YouTuber's blaspheme wrestling:

A group of YouTuber's cut a replica version, signed by a group of HOF'er's, of the greatest title in wrestling history, the winged eagle, in half for their channel, just to see what was inside. I can't bring myself to share the video here. #BadYouTubers.