30/10/2018 **

Champion vs Champion:

Ronda Rousey vs Becky Lynch is booked for next months Survivor Series. Neither of their titles will be on the line.

Cena pulled:

WWE have officially confirmed John Cena will not be making the flight to Saudi Arabia. Bobby Lashley will substitute. Daniel Bryan is still not going, despite WWE continuing to promote his match. Interestingly a plan to tape his match vs AJ Styles at the WWE PC, and to then air it as part of the Crown Jewel broadcast, as a way of getting around it, was dropped late last night, as AJ Styles has reportedly also expressed concern over the trip. It seems that AJ is going to be on the flight, but will likely have a different opponent. An angle is expected to be taped on SD tonight, to change the planned match. 

WWE Crown Jewel:

(Photo) WWE have released the bracket for the Crown Jewel World Cup.

Injury:

Shayna Baszler suffered an ankle injury at Evolution.

Steph wants celeb:

Stephanie McMahon told a UK newspaper (The one we do not name) which celebrity she wants to join the women's evolution in WWE, tennis legend, Serena Williams.

JR mocks story:

Jim Ross has mocked a story that he is starting a new wrestling promotion...

"I've got to get something off my chest, I feel like I'm obligated to update folks on the rumor of me and others getting involved in a promotion. I am going to break the news here tonight that there will be a new promotion. I will be involved in it. I have some thousandaires who are also looking to invest in my new idea, the World Domino League where we will double sixes like a b---h. So we shake the bones in J.R.'s World Domino League. And stay tuned with more information coming, which is about as absurd as the rumors last week about all this data that was compiled. Jesus, almighty. Oh well. Fun stuff."

Goldberg vs Gillberg:

Goldberg says he regrets his initial reaction to the Gillberg parody gimmick...

"I wanted to cut his head off, and then I wanted to cut everyone's head off that came up with the idea. You can take it a number of ways. I took it violently in the beginning. I should have been honored that they would think enough of me to copy, in a negative way, and try to poke fun at me. Because if I didn't evoke a feeling in them, then they wouldn't have done that. So, there was a reason for it, and I hold nothing against the guy, and I'm greatly appreciative that one more person in the professional wrestling business got a job because I don't know what he was doing prior to that. Hey man, good for him."

Matt Hardy not retired:

Matt Hardy has emphasised that he has never said he was retired...

"Well, that's funny because, once again, people had quoted that I had left WWE and threw around the word "retirement." But typically when someone teases it, it's retirement but I never said retirement. I said that I needed to go home, which I really did after being there for a year-and-a-half and working on a full time schedule the entire time I was there. Obviously, I am not a spring chicken anymore. I have been doing this for 26 years in October. I needed to go home and needed to address some issues that I was having with my lower back and my hips. If I can bounce back from those issues and get back into the ring and be physical in the ring that is great, and if I can't then I will do whatever we need to do on air to be entertaining for Matt Hardy. But as far as leaving WWE that hasn't happened. I am still with WWE. Being off gave us time to work on this first episode of 'House of Hardy' special on the WWE Network. I am still with WWE full-fledged. I am waving the flag. I am in the trenches. I have been off TV for a little bit to take care of some injuries.''

Renee regrets TD:

Renee Young says she regrets making her relationship with Dean Ambrose public on 'Total Divas'...

"I think our relationship was not something we wanted to pull the curtain back on. That made me uncomfortable as well, because the whole time I'm just saying he's crazy and how do I deal with this crazy person, which is really not our dynamic. That was really odd to navigate as we were doing it."

*********************************************************************************

29/10/2018

Evolution:

Last night WWE held their first ever all-female PPV...

Results...

• Rhea Ripley bt Dakota Kai to retain the UK Women's (Pre)
• Trish Stratus & Lita bt Mickie James & Alicia Fox
• Nia Jax won a 20 women battle royal
• Toni Storm bt Lo Shirai to win the MYC 2
• Natalya, Sasha Banks & Bayley bt Riott Squad
• Shayna Baszler bt Kairi Sane for the NXT Women's
• Becky Lynch bt Charlotte Flair
• Ronda Rousey bt Nikki Bella

Cody Rhodes:

Cody Rhodes told fans on Chris Jericho's cruise that he has no intentions of signing for WWE and is working on a second All-In event.

NXT own Evolve:

Fabian Aichner and the Street Profits won titles for Evolve last night.

Raw tease:

• Dean Ambrose finally snaps
• Nia Jax prepares to get Rowdy
• DX and Brothers of Destruction head toward cataclysmic battle
• Who will be our next Universal Champion?
• Elias' latest smash hit
• Roman Reigns is backstage

WrestleMania:

WrestleMania travel package tickets go on sale on November 16.

KSA effect:

WWE have had a massive 21% knocked off of their share price since confirming they were going to go ahead with their trip to Saudi Arabia.

28/10/2018

Hawkins moves backstage:

Curt Hawkins says he has been working as a producer while he waits surgery on an injury...

"I got a hernia, I'm pretty sure picking up Broski and slamming him on a live event. I'm hoping to be cleared very, very soon. It's a minor surgery but still a surgery, so big deal and stuff. So I'm hoping to be cleared this week."

Difficult trip:

Stephanie McMahon says WWE have struggled with the decision over Crown Jewel...

"Moving forward with Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia was an incredibly tough decision, given that heinous act. But, at the end of the day, it is a business decision and, like a lot of other American companies, we decided that we're going to move forward with the event and deliver Crown Jewel for all of our fans in Saudi Arabia and around the world."

Heat on champ:

Becky Lynch has been getting heat on social media for tagging a picture of an iconic feminist American statue with the hashtag ''I'm The Man.''

Injuries:

Tyler Bate has pulled out of his UK dates this week with an injury.

Vanessa Kraven of the MYC suffered a severe leg injury on the indies this past weekend.

Alexa reveals she did not enjoy big angle this year:

Referring to her Mania feud with Nia Jax...

"One storyline that I didn't feel comfortable was the one with Nia Jax. There was certain things, even though I was the one doing the bullying and body shaming and stuff like that, we wanted the story to be real so we had to have real situations. There were some things I just didn't feel comfortable saying. It was obviously things that Nia provided where she would tell me to say certain things about her to pull real emotions but I just didn't feel comfortable saying any of that stuff at all, but it was fine so we didn't do it, which is what is great about our company too because nothing it set in stone. If you don't feel comfortable doing something there are other options. It is a creative process, which is what is so great about our writing team and our producers that help us feel comfortable in every situation that we are in."

New belts:

Stephanie McMahon says the Women's Tag Team Championship is closer than we think. She also said her goal for Evolution is...

"I hope the legacy of Evolution will be that it's not so groundbreaking or Earth shattering to have an all-women's event. I hope to see our women main event WrestleMania. Every match at WrestleMania is a main event, but I want to see them close the show. The way they have successfully in so many other shows. We want true gender parity and equality on the WWE roster and I'm just so anxious to get there, but today is hugely important step in that mission."

27/10/2018

Homecoming:

Neville has accepted his first UK booking since leaving WWE. He will wrestle in Yeovil on November 18.

Impact debut:

Chelsea Green, formerly Laurel Van Ness, debuted for NXT last night.

Angle misses attitude:

"Truthfully, there is not a lot I'd like to change (In WWE). It's doing pretty damn good right now. I do miss the adult humor we had 15-20 years ago, but that is long gone, and for good reason. More children watch than ever before."

AA hurt:

Austin Aries had been working with a concussion, apparently without telling the Impact office.

Hulk Hogan admits bad behaviour to stay on top:

"Once I got in the spot, to keep the spot, that's where the politics came in. Everybody goes, `Well, Hulk Hogan was a politician.' Well, thank God I was. That's why I made more money than anybody, that's why I kept the belt longer, that's why instead of a five or six or ten year run like The Rock or Stone Cold or different wrestlers, I had a 35 year run on top."

Top indie star injured:

Dalton Castle has wrestled for two years with a broken back, he says...

"Life is pretty boring because I am injured. I got hurt, and here is the truth of the injury--I broke my back. We have decided, several doctors thought that it was about two years ago that I had broken it. So, I have won a world championship with a broken freakin' back."

ROH losing top star:

Cody Rhodes will work his last ROH date on the Chris Jericho cruise. Still no word on his plans for 2019, but he, the Young Bucks and Hangman Page are all adamant on staying together as a unit, wherever they go.

Alum praises wrestling world:

Tazz says of the Roman Reigns news...

"It's really cool to see the wrestling community come together. No matter if you're a fan of Roman Reigns or not, that you came together and supported him, and you felt horrible for the man and you know he's gotta fight on his hands. And he's gonna dominate, and he's gonna win the fight. So, pray for that man and his family."

Even more Stratusfaction:

Even before wrestling this weekend, Trish Stratus has already set her sights on a potential next match, versus Sasha Banks. She says fans constantly ask her to do the match, ever since the Rumble this year.

Y2J cruise:

Chris Jericho's first Rock 'n' Wrestling cruise has taken to the seas. Rey Mysterio is aboard, despite efforts from WWE to keep him on dry dock.

Controversial sell out:

Crown Jewel has sold all of it's tickets.

Alum blast Alum:

Sid took aim at CM Punk's UFC career, just a day after the 400+ day World champ turned 40...

"I actually followed it. I followed UFC. I didn't understand it really. He was getting a little bit better. You understand why he wanted to be a fighter. He was so bad. There's a lot of guys in the locker room in the last couple months since the UFC has taken off, that some of the boys are doing that on the side, they did that before UFC or they have a fight coming up. Those guys aren't doing that. They're making it up.''

Paige recalls early incident in WWE:

"I had to do this bikini contest in FCW and I kind of put my foot down, like, 'no, I'm here to wrestle. That's what I want to do. I'm not here to flash my body around. I'm not here to not be wearing wrestling boots.' So yeah, like, a lot of the girls saw that and it was really cool, they kind of got a thirst for it too, like, 'actually, this is a big adrenaline rush, to know how to wrestle.'"

26/10/2018

Paige admits awkwardness with current role:

"Sometimes, a lot of the girls are really experienced, that we have already. They've been doing it a long time, so I feel kind of weird going up to them and going, 'hey, do this - it would be way better.'"

Rousey backs KSA trip:

"I think pulling out of Crown Jewel would be the wrong move because this is an opportunity to share our cultures and find what we have in common. Especially in times of adversity between two countries that's the absolute wrong time to be able to pull away. That's the time to find out what we have in common and be able to understand each other more. It seems almost frivolous—these WWE events and these big world issues, but in a world where we're always looking at it like 'us' and 'them,' I think those big events like Crown Jewel that bring everyone together just makes us realize it's 'us' all around."

Criticism continues though. Hacksaw Jim Duggan has taken a swipe a John Cena for missing the show...

"John Cena, of course he's in a different position than 90% of the guys on the roster. But of course he has his own opinion and he's in a position where he can state that opinion. He's a company guy, too, so it says an awful lot for the guy to stand up and do his own beliefs. Hogan, myself and that generation - rain, sleet or snow or natural disaster, we'll make the show. So I can see Hogan being there."

EPSN also aired a strong rebuke from one of their radio hosts...

"Did you see WWE is still going to Saudi Arabia? What a bad decision that is. But it's the sewer and the sewer is going to behave like the sewer. There's a lot of money in Saudi Arabia, so much money, so wrestling is going back to Saudi Arabia as we wonder whether Saudi kills journalists with bone saws. It's not a hard statement to make. You're not usually this overt about, 'We'll take your money even though you're being investigated for killing a journalist with a bone saw. ... Yeah, we'll take your money, your blood money. No matter what."

Roman Reigns:

Only 6 people knew that Roman Reigns was going home on Raw this week. That did not include any talent, including his Shield brothers, or the announce team. A pre show meeting confirmed he would be vacating the gold in the opening segment, to everyone, but no-one was told why, and Roman himself was kept in a private bus, so as not to be disturbed. Vince was first to know about Reigns' illness. He was told before the weekend. HHH, Kevin Dunn and Mark Carrano, head of talent relations, found out over the weekend, and on the day two members of the creative team were brought in to work new angles into the show, to compensate for Reigns departure. They included Dean Ambrose's heel turn being brought forward and the start of a face switch for Elias.

HHH has also revealed why he did not make his illness public sooner...

"Very few people knew about his first battle. He and I had spoken about it and this was something that he didn't want to put out there until he had reached a certain point in his career because he didn't want people to feel like he was being pitied or given things for a certain reason. He wanted to be able to come out at the end and say, 'Look, I've dealt with this the whole time. You can do anything. This is not an end sentence.' As we talked about on Monday, 'Life is what happens when you're busy making plans.' The rest of the stuff happens and it didn't work out the way he thought it would. It's back and now's the time to spread that message."

Injury:

Samoa Joe is out with an unspecified injury.

WWE vs Y2J:

WWE have been trying to pull Rey Mysterio from Chris Jericho's cruise, according to the Wrestling Observer. This news comes as Y2J announced that the first sailing of his business venture has sold out.

Time change has bad Impact:

Impact drew less than 100,000 viewers for their show, in it's new later time slot.

Tye Dillinger deleting tweets:

Tye Dillinger has been posting critical tweets of his WWE status this week, including an exchange with Young Bucks. They have now gone, but some reply's he made to fans about the original tweets are still on his timeline.

Sin Cara honoured:

Sin Cara will be honoured in Mexico, on the country's version of the Hollywood walk of fame, the Paseo de las Luminarias.

Evolution:

Alexa Bliss has been withdrawn from the dream match vs Lita and Trish Stratus due to her injury of the weekend. Alicia Fox will substitute.

Rousey vs Bella is currently booked to be the main event.

Heat on Taker tour:

UK fans have taken to social media to blast the exorbitant prices for the Undertaker speaking tour, which was announced this week. Prices range from £220 - £375.

25/10/2018

HOF:

A fan has claimed Kevin Nash let slip that the current NWO reunion will culminate with a group induction, for the three original members, into the WWE HOF. It would be a second induction for all 3 members, if true.

Hulk to KSA:

The Hulkster says he is going to Saudi Arabia next month and WrestleMania next year...

"There are a lot of plans in the works. I'm looking forward to going to Saudi Arabia with the WWE, looking forward to WrestleMania -- but yeah, we're moving forward at a rapid pace. It's exciting to have this opportunity again after all these years where I was there and gone."

Lana:

Lana's social media has been hacked.

Nikki wanted Alum return:

Nikki Bella says she wanted to wrestle AJ Lee at the inaugural Evolution.

WWE KSA:

WWE have confirmed they will go to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel, despite media, political, business, fan and talent pressure for it to be killed.

MYC2:

Toni Storm vs Lo Shirai will be held at Evolution to crown the second MYC winner.

Injuries:

Sasha Banks reveals why she was pulled from ring recently...

"I was having head pain and I couldn't function, I couldn't even drive, couldn't sleep. I'm like, 'I need to go get checked out.' I went to several neurologists and they just pretty much told me that I had post-concussion symptoms, and to just rest, rest, rest. It came kind of scary, I'm like, 'Am I going to make Evolution? I was really scared because we've been having a lot of concussion meetings with WWE, taking care of ourselves and our head training, our head problems. I'm like, 'I'm not OK, I can't function, can't wrestle, can't drive, can't sleep, can't eat. So I need to go get checked out.' Thankfully God... I'm OK and I feel back to normal, and I'm ready for Sunday."

Bobby Lashley has a separated shoulder.

Foley gives up:

Mick Foley says his daughter has given up on her WWE dreams...

"No, she got banged up quite a bit. Injured, not just banged up but injured."

Matt Hardy:

Matt Hardy has confirmed he will remain with WWE. He is making a WWE Network show, with his family, and will have an on-screen role, with a slightly amended gimmick from the one he had in the last months of his in ring career.

Old boy has WWE hopes:

Quebecer Pierre has been getting rave reviews since coming out of retirement on the indie scene, leading to speculation of WWE interest. He though says he would not be tempted by an NXT deal, only a main roster run would get him back...

"I'm thinking of something on the big roster with WWE. It may take a little bit more time. It may take a few more months or maybe another year. Who knows? I'm not the architect of knowing what the future hold for me. But certainly NXT would be something that would not really interest me. I would rather go to ROH or Impact Wrestling with a great run than just going onto NXT because lately the top guys they've signed like Matt Riddle and Keith Lee... They sign them to maybe six-figure contracts and they just leave them on the shelf. They don't use them that much or it takes 2-3 months just to get started or before they get into a good storyline, or it could even take a year sometimes. At least the guys are getting paid good money. But in my case it's not about the money, it's about accomplishing something that means something... To me going to NXT wouldn't be the way I envisioned everything. A top 3 or 4 angle in WWE would be a good way to start something pretty big."

Wyatt Family:

WWE are talking to Bray Wyatt and Harper about reuniting their faction.

24/10/2018

Crown Jewel:

Despite mounting pressure, WWE are continuing to promote the event, and have added a new title match, Bar vs New Day for the blue Tag.

UndertaKer:

Undertaker will take part in a 3 night speaking tour in the UK next spring. April 30 - May 2 in London, Glasgow and Manchester.

Evolution:

Alum Lilian Garcia will work Evolution, she has revealed.

Dragon's Gate:

Neville has announced a new wrestling Network. $13 a month will get you access to his Dragon's Gate promotion's footage.

Anoa'i illness:

Roman Reigns was not the only member of the iconic Anoa'i family to announce a cancer battle this week. Samu, of the Headshrinkers, is battling liver cancer.

205 top 10:

To mark the 100th episode of 205 Live, WWE have named the 10 best matches on the show...

1. Mustafa Ali vs. Buddy Murphy
2. Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali
3. Mustafa Ali vs. Drew Gulak
4. Cedric Alexander vs. Buddy Murphy
5. Cedric Alexander vs. Roderick Strong
6. Kalisto vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Buddy Murphy vs. TJP
7. Rich Swann vs. TJP
8. Mustafa Ali vs. TJP vs. Drew Gulak vs. Tony Nese vs. Kalisto
9. Akira Tozawa vs. The Brian Kendrick
10. Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali vs. Gentleman Jack Gallagher vs. Noam Dar vs. TJP

Rock attacked:

The Rock has been getting mainstream media heat after an old social media post he made after having a meal with the Saudi Royal family came to light.

Religious reluctance:

Mustafa Ali says he worried his religion would affect his wrestling career...

"So I initially started my career by hiding who I was. And I remember that at that point, I might've upset a lot of people. A lot of them think that where they're from or their religion will play a big factor in their success. So if I won the cruiserweight championship and I'm standing in the ring and I held that championship above my head, and the announcer announces the name 'Mustafa Ali', and there's someone in the crowd that looks like me and has a name like that, and they have concerns, now they have a visual representation of what that thought could do. It would go on to show it doesn't matter. 'This guy is in the front, despite his name and despite where he's from, he has been able to overcome all of that and he's now a champion in WWE.' So for me, just the championship will be cool but being the visual representation of what that would mean to a fan out there, someone who is going through what I've gone, for me that's the championship, that's the goal."

23/10/2018

Roman relinquishes gold:

Roman Reigns has relinquished the Universal title and gone home. He is suffering from leukaemia a cancer that cause over production of white blood cells. The survival rate is 57% five years after diagnosis. Although Roman has fought and won a battle with the disease before, and promises to do so again. He also said he was not retiring, but did need to be at home with his family at this time.

WWE released a candid backstage video of the roster reaction to his heartbreaking news...

Controversial Championship decision:

WWE say a new Universal champion will be crowned at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.

Injuries:

Alexa Bliss may miss the first all-female PPV after reportedly suffering a concussion over the weekend. Bobby Lashley is reportedly working hurt too.

New champions:

The Shield won the red Tag gold last night, only for Dean Ambrose to turn heel on Seth Rollins, right after.

Becky Lynch talks failed heel turn:

"I think they know that I love them as well. I think that they know I love wrestling and I love this sport. I think they're fans because they love wrestling, right? So when they can see that passion mirrored, they appreciate that. It's also that I think I give off an energy anytime I meet fans. I hope I let them know how much I appreciate them. I think that's all part of it and I just feel very lucky. It's not concerning that the fans don't boo me. They're reacting and they're entertained. They're enjoying the feud. It's just a matter of what side that they're on. Some people are on my side and some people are on Charlotte's side. I do see it on my Twitter feed and Instagram, that I'm getting a lot more hate as it goes on. But it's OK, I'm going after what I want. The people that are behind me, they'll stay behind me. The people that aren't, well that's fine. I'll just go ahead and succeed in spite of them."

All-In SPOILER:

It has emerged that the TradeMark filing for the term ''All-In'' was not a single one off use filing, but for multiple uses in relation to PPV or TV wresting events or programming.

Crown Jewel refusal:

John Cena and Daniel Bryan have reportedly told the WWE office that they will not travel to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel. This has been the biggest hit for WWE yet, and the event is now in more jeopardy than at any time to date. The company are said to be in a frantic search for a new host country for the show.

SD teaser:

• AJ Styles & Daniel Bryan clash with The Usos in a SmackDown 1000 rematch
• Rey Mysterio to appear on "Miz TV"
• Rusev to do battle with Aiden English
• What will be the fallout of Charlotte and Becky's WWE PC altercation?
• Naomi and Mandy Rose clash for the first time ever

Evolution:

Zelina Vega has joined the battle royal at Evolution.

22/10/2018

Impact / ROH:

Scott D'Amore has discussed the relationship between Impact and Ring Of Honor...

"I would say that it is cordial. I would say that Joe Koff and Gregory Gilleland and everyone there, there has been no time that we have reached out to them and they haven't been responsive. We certainly have been responsive with them as well. We are not working together but like I said, they were a big part of the "All In" broadcast so we certainly wanted to be part of that. We are honored to be part of that and it was great. I would say that we are not partners, we are not working together, but we are not enemies, which I think is a big step. There was so much bad blood which was justified. Over the course of those years TNA had done some not so nice things to Ring of Honor so hearing their position now and doing tremendous business now, why would you, in any way, shape or form want to talk to or acknowledge Impact Wrestling? I think it is great from when we first talked about the new structure that we are going to have here with Ed,  Sonjay and Don we have always been in communication with Ring of Honor. There is no reason that just because you are competitors doesn't mean you wish ill on each other. There is no reason why you would want to have any bad communication. Good communication is important, even as competitors. You look at it, you look at the "All In" broadcast, you look at Chris Sabin being here and the Chris Jericho Cruise, which has Ring of Honor vs. Impact Wrestling, which is super cool. It is a nice way to do it. It is not being broadcast, it is just for people on the ship, and it's a cool event for Chris Jericho. Our talent and the Ring of Honor crew are both really excited because there are some fresh matchups there. Where will it go? I don't know, but I think it is great that we are at a point where if we reach out to Joe Koff, or Hunter Johnston, or anybody else where they are going to be responsive. They may not want to do something that we are wanting to do, but at least there is communication which I think is a great start for any relationship and re-establishing respect from the parties, which I think is a huge step."

Natalya recalls her dads last WWE gig:

"For me, I really had felt strongly about bringing my dad to WrestleMania last year. We weren't going to do it, but then a week before WrestleMania I called my mom and told her that you guys are going to come down to WrestleMania and I want Daddy there. And it was a very last minute decision to bring my dad to WrestleMania, which I am glad that I did because a lot of people got to see him and say hi to him and take pictures with him. My dad got to feel very important, but I can also see that there was struggle there with him. Like, at the Hall of Fame ceremony he couldn't stay for the whole thing. We were boarding the busses, and it overwhelming for him. There were moments where he was super clear and there were moments where he was like, super quiet and vacant. I was super protective of my dad, which I still am. I had told Jericho that he wasn't going to do any other interviews except for his podcast because I know he will do him justice. I knew he would feel comfortable and safe and would feel safe for him to do it. It was the last interview my dad ever did.''

Brother Love pops for Alum:

On Vickie Guerrero...

"Seeing Vickie backstage doing some different things when we used to use Vickie with the kids during segments with Eddie Guerrero and Eddie would come back afterwards and he would be disappointed that something didn't go right. Eddie would then go off on Vickie, and then you would see Eddie go off on Vickie and the way Vickie would fire back at Eddie and how he would backpedal. I remember Vince McMahon and I sitting in Gorilla watching this one time going, wow, that is interesting, but never in a million years at that point did we think that we had something in Vickie Guerrero. But it was interesting how she held her ground with Eddie so we knew there was something in her, but God, she was a natural heel, she was great."

He also talked about Vince's admiration for an old boy...

"Vince liked Carlito. Vince was a big fan of his going all the way back… he loved his gimmick. It was one of his gimmicks that he helped come up with, the whole "Carlito Cool man, you're not cool", and spitting the apples. He loved the gimmick. And he liked Carlito, being a second generation wrestler. So it was somebody overall that he really liked. He enjoyed working with him."

Taker:

Undertaker has been getting electrolysis treatment on his knees for the past 7 months, to battle chronic knee pain.

Alum to MMA:

Alberto Del Rio says his plan to return to MMA is not a publicity stunt...

I'm doing this for the right reasons, to prove something to myself. To prove me that I'm back, to prove that I still have it. To prove to my children that dad is a f**king superhero."

David Arquette calls out HOF'er and Alum:

David Arquette says Bubba Ray Dudley and James Ellsworth are bullying him over his ring return...

"If somebody wants to fight we can fight, but we're not gonna call it a wrestling match. I really dislike bullies, and there are a lot of bullies in wrestling. Bully Ray is someone who isn't happy about the return to pro wrestling. I think Bully Ray, Bubba Ray, isn't too thrilled. I called in to his podcast just because they put the number up on Twitter and I couldn't sleep and it was early in the morning. So I called in to his podcast and we has a little contentious podcast moment."

Fox want UFC star:

Officials from Fox are pushing WWE to hire UFC star Daniel Cormier for their announce team of SmackDown.

Raw teaser:

• Big man fall hard: can Braun Strowman afford to fight a war on two fronts?
• You know who I am: will Elias overreact to Apollo Crews taking his spotlight?
• As goes Dean Ambrose...: is anyone's guess what this week will bring
• Lashing out: will Finn Balor see how hard Bobby Lashley falls this week?
• Do something Bellas?: can The Bella Twins keep RAW Women's Champion Ronda Rousey off their tails for one more week?

Roman misses shows:

Roman Reigns no-showed this weekends lives.

TNA on Rock show:

Robbie E. will be a contestant on The Rock's 'Titan Games.'

Foley wants change:

Mick Foley has shared what he dislikes about modern wrestling...

"I think the perception that a match can only be great if it has spectacular moves or multiple false finishes. I think there's more than one way to have a great match. I think Superstars are pigeon-holed into delivering what fans have come to expect of what a great match should be. So, I think it's just a matter of conditioning people and having guys out there willing to take chances."

Evolution:

Natalya, Bayley and Sasha Banks vs Riott Squad has been added to the first all women's PPV card.

Sting:

Sting says only one match will bring him out of retirement...

"I would only consider against one opponent, and that would be Undertaker, and that's it. Anyone else, at this point, why? But, I have always loved the idea of the Sting-Taker thing. So many ideas in my head, you know, how to make it just a night that people would never forget."

21/10/2018

TV made friends:

Kenny Omega says the show 'Trollhunters' helped them bond...

"I watched it on a whim. Just thinking that everything that's CG animated from either DreamWorks or Pixar is just so good all the time. And I saw that DreamWorks had done Trollhunters, and I thought, 'This being a series, wow! This is going to be longer than a one-and-a-half hour jog, so I'm going to give this a shot'. I think we had like three seasons of it. It's just so good for me, and again character development, and the way it's animated, I love it. And Cody loves it too. So it allowed us to close the gap between one another. We became closer because of that. And for our love for animals, dogs especially."

Joe Hendry talks booking his own dream match:

"When I wrestled Kurt Angle, I had a really active part in setting that up. It's probably the ballsiest thing I've ever done in wrestling, it was basically the path I took to get that match. The crazy thing with what happened with Kurt was, somebody asked me, 'What's your dream match?' And I thought, 'Why not?' I just tagged Kurt, didn't think anything of it and I get a DM. It was like, 'Gee, this is really happening!' And it was early on. It's one of those things that you put out to the universe and sometimes these things just happen. And he says to me, 'I've heard of you, I know you're working hard but you're not ready.' He's like, 'Keep working hard. Maybe one day you'll get the match.' So basically I'm working hard, and I now join this company, they're called What Culture. They now run as Defiant, but basically they tried to book Kurt, and they couldn't get him. And I was like, 'You know what? Let me just send a little message'. And I was like, 'Okay, I've been working hard, I've got a financier. Are you interested?' And he's like, 'Right, here's what we need'. So I went back to them and I said, 'Alright, you wanted to get Kurt Angle didn't you?' And they were like, 'Yeah'. And I was like, 'What did he say?' And they said, 'No, couldn't get him'. And I was like, 'I can get him. But if we bring him in, I have to wrestle him. If you give me your word on that, we'll see what happens'. And that's how it happened, and that match changed my career. Kurt when he came in, all he was concerned about… he was so selfless. He was like, 'What do we need to do to elevate you to the next level? How are we going to do this to make sure that you have momentum going forward? That we can boost your career'. And when I got in the ring with Kurt, I realized… you know when CM Punk talked about that thing, where he thought he was good until he wrestled Eddie Guerrero? When I wrestled Kurt, I was like, 'Oh okay. This is what intensity is. This is where I need to be'. And I knew immediately what I needed to work on, and that really changed my life."

John Cena:

John Cena has confirmed he will be at WrestleMania 35.

Tazz says WWE debut killed him:

"When I debuted and that popped happened, and all that jazz, and I talk about this on my show many times, when I was walking down the aisle and I had that black towel on my head in the Garden, it was an amazing feeling. But before I even got to the ring, I knew I was screwed. I knew that I was in trouble. Because I heard the pop, I've been in the business long enough, I knew the business and I knew that the pop was not made or built by the WWE. That was made from myself and the guys that I was fortunate enough to put me over by ECW. That pop? That's what that pop was. It was not them from advertising a tribal 13 logo, which was cool because people didn't know it was me coming. That pop was because of the fortunate history that I have had, in the tri-state area especially. Being a New York guy that was also from ECW. I knew that I was doomed because that's how WWE was back then, it's a lot different now. Today, if I debuted like that, I'd be getting pushed to the moon."

20/10/2018

Snowflake era:

Headshrinker Samu says today's wrestlers lack the toughness of his era...

"That it wasn't so much of a gimmick. We are as tough as people thought we were. The kids were scared because they thought we might eat them, and we might. But we take it seriously when we go out there. A lot of people today, it's so different than it was back then, we used to beat the hell out of each other and enjoy it, and some guys nowadays are afraid they're gonna break a nail and can't go to the gym and workout. We had a lot to hold on to back then, but we're still hanging in there."

NJPW mess up:

NJPW launched an attack on social media users during their last show, including getting a popular Twitter account suspended. They have conceded they were wrong, and are re-evaluating their copyright claims against a number of accounts on various platforms. This is because of the drop in the social media reach of their programming as a result.

Tanaka talks iconic match:

Pat Tanaka of the Orient Express has talked about the iconic Royal Rumble match in 1991 vs the Rockers. A match booked to last three minutes, that was stretched out to be a 27 minute match of the ages (And quite possibly my all time favourite tag team match, ever)...

"When we put our finish together for the first three minutes we didn't think we'd have to stretch it for twenty-seven minutes. But it is like when we faced Legion of Doom it didn't look right. They had five-hundred pounds on us and it looked ridiculous with us working them but when we did work with them it was the chemistry that was incredible and it was so much fun to work with them and I loved taking those fast bumps and that kind of stuff. Pretty much everybody that I remember stood up on their feet and started clapping because pretty much we couldn't breathe when we came to the back and it was just so crazy how out of breathe we were that I couldn't even talk and so blown up. But I remember that everybody was just saying what a match it was and that is something that is rarely said to you."

Miz talks respect:

"I will never get the respect I deserve, because I was on a reality show. Whenever you're on a reality show, you're the scum of the earth. You have no talent, you're a nothing and you deserve nothing. That's the way I've been brought up and how I feel people look at reality. Do I look at it that way? Absolutely not; I thank my lucky stars I was on a show like The Real World on MTV and I thank them for putting me on that show because it gave me the ability to say 'I can do anything I want with my life.'"

Miz & Maryse are spending this weekend at the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix.

19/10/2018

Book changes story:

Booker T has changed his mind about only returning to the ring for his own ROW promotion...

"I can tell you, if WWE asked me to come back and do a match, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Preparation is the only luck I've ever had in my career, and if they asked, I'd be prepared."

He also told fellow wrestlers and fans that it is time to move on from the Hulk Hogan controversy...

"There is not a building for the Hall of Fame, but the Hall is a very real thing. When guys get a chance to go on this journey and thank those fans for that ride, that's extremely real. It means a lot for those of us who have gone on that journey, and Hogan is one of those guys who has gone on that journey. If people still judged me from what I did 30 years ago, I would not be where I am now. But someone, a guy by the name of Bruce Gasarch, trusted me. He said, 'Man, I'm going to give you a chance.' And that's all I needed. Now I still have my broom, and I carry it around to sweep up all the dirt and trash I've left behind in my past. Hulk is also going to have to carry that broom in his back pocket and atone for his mistakes. That's the only thing we can do as human beings. Was the reinstatement right, was it wrong? That's always going to be up for debate, but I think it's time to move on."

Nikki Bella:

Nikki Bella says she is pushing for a change of name for the WWE reality show 'Total Divas'...

"I mean, being an Executive Producer of Total Divas, we've had so many discussions about changing the name of the show and unfortunately the way network TV is, you can't just change the name one day." Nikki explained, "so they have felt that people will still be connected with it even though it is called Total Divas. I feel the opposite. I feel there's a huge disconnect because we've made that name so bad. And believe me, us girls in the past, I remember when we brought out the butterfly championship and we were all kind of like, 'oh…' I mean, we weren't expecting it. It's totally cute, but it wasn't what the women were craving. They were craving what it is now."

There is also talk of adding Ronda Rousey to the cast, to try to arrest the steep decline in viewing figures.

McMahon confirms Hogan is coming back:

Shane McMahon addressed Hulk Hogan on a radio show this week...

"He's an icon, that's for sure. He'll be back, I mean I grew up with Hulk, he's iconic. I'm not going to press stuff but I would assume he'll come back one more time, but we could talk about Trump, something less controversial."

Alum talks leaving WWE:

Lilian Garcia has disputed the claims of a former WWE star, regarding her WWE departure...

"Something that very much upset me was… it's a certain book that was written by somebody that used to work for the company. I don't even want to mention their name. But they mentioned how they felt that I left after 10 years, so I could go and have my singing career and that I didn't care about the [pro wrestling] business as much as they cared about the business. Yeah. And I was like, 'man, and I helped this person so much,' by the way, that I was like, shocked. I love the business. I would not have stayed in the business for 15 years if I didn't love the business." Garcia added, "I love this business. For anybody to tell me otherwise, no way."

NXT Germany:

WWE are planning their next international expansion. WXW in Germany will soon host a 4 day tryout camp, led by Robbie Brookside from the PC. This is following the formula they used in Britain, and will have the same long term goal of launching an NXT expansion in the country.

New baby:

Santino Marella has welcomed a new son, Marko, into the world.

Brother Love talks creative low:

"This is a prime example of what happens when you don't start with the finish. What I mean by that is when you write a book, or you go to a movie, no matter what it is, if you are creating it with ending in mind you have to know that this is going to be the way to end it. Everything from the beginning, middle and end gets to the big finish. When they ran Steve Austin over they had no clue whether to get rid of Steve. They figured that we would figure it out when we got there. Along the way when we got to the point of getting hit with the car and who it was who ran him over with the car, everybody had an idea, which I don't even remember who came up with Rikishi, and Vince McMahon loved it and thought that no one was going to guess that. Well, of course nobody was going to guess that because it makes no sense for Rikishi to be the guy who ran over Steve Austin, so then we force fed the whole storyline. Not a bright spot during our creative tenure during this time."

Charlotte Flair reveals why she won't appear on TD:

"For me, my character has always come first and foremost and how far I want to take the women's division. I've worked so hard on this character and I'm not sure lifting the curtain is the right move right now. Especially when I first started and was a bad guy, people believed I really fired my dad! I just don't know how that would have helped with my storyline. I almost think there's a mystique to not knowing everything about me."

New title:

NWA have unveiled their new National Championship (Photo). It will be debuted at their 70th birthday show.

Ronda Rousey:

Ronda Rousey has received praise for her promo on Raw this week, which she wrote herself. It has also been revealed that Paul Heyman has been tasked with producing her angles, and that they work closely together.

New company?:

A story has been picking up steam in recent days regarding a new wrestling company. Jim Ross and Chris Jericho have reportedly been working on the project together for some time, but this week, were said to have landed a major financial backer and were about to announce a TV deal. The rumoured home for the new company, AXS,  have though ruled themselves out of having any interest, due to their existing partnership with NJPW.

Jericho, himself, took to Twitter to mock the story.

Evolution:

A number of legends have added their name to the Evolution Battle Royal.Michelle McCool, Alundra Blaze, Ivory, Molly Holly, Kelly Kelly, and Maria Kanellis. Who was announced with the rest of the ladies, even though she is on the active roster.

Ric Flair will also be at the event.

Reunion:

Billy Kidman got a nice surprise in Australia. He reunited with a lady he had first met as a child in 2002 during a WWE show. She was battling cancer and attended Global Warming, a live special in the country, as a fan. She was back in the crowd at Super Show Down, and  a reunion was arranged and filmed for the WWE Network.

WWE on TV:

Rusev and Lana have filmed an episode of 'Drop The Mic'.

You shouldn't wrestle if...:

Dolph Ziggler has shared his views on wrestling mentality...

"No matter what situation you are in, I have given this speech to several younger guys in the locker room on several occasions. Even with so many superstars, so many stories, so many things going on, even when you are in the middle of something huge, something awesome, or you become a monumental champion or you become a world champion, the second it is not all about you, the second you are not making these great gains because of things that are out of your control, the fans turn on you and that is really sad because your whole life is going to be filled with disappointment," he said. "This is show business and entertainment. You want to be the champion, then you want to be the best champion of all time, then you want to be the best talking, walking, living breathing specimen. You don't always get to do that and in 13 years, 12 years combined have been getting punched in the gut physically and verbally, and one of those 13 years it has been for the most part the most positive thing you can get, so even when things are going great you think that you should be deserving and wanting better and you always will otherwise you shouldn't be in this business."