Author: John Bass

Hulk Hogan Reinstated To WWE HOF, Backstage At Extreme Rules, Has Not Signed New Deal

Image result for hulk hogan

WWE announced after a three-year suspension Hulk Hogan has been reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame. Below is WWE’s full announcement:

“After a three-year suspension, Hulk Hogan has been reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame. This second chance follows Hogan’s numerous public apologies and volunteering to work with young people, where he is helping them learn from his mistake. These efforts led to a recent induction into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Hall of Fame.”

According to PWInsider, Hogan was backstage at WWE Extreme Rules and made a formal apology to the WWE locker room for his comments in 2015. Sources who were present for the meeting noted Hogan apologized for embarrassing himself and the company, and told the wrestlers to be careful what the say as they could be recorded withing knowing it. He received a big reaction afterwards with a number of wrestlers shaking his hand and hugging him. Hogan was said to be very emotional during this meeting.

Hulk Hogan then made his first statement on Twitter, looking to acknowledge that same meeting.

https://twitter.com/HulkHogan/status/1018589061852917766

Before the meeting with the WWE locker room, Hogan met with a number of WWE officials and “the feeling backstage is he’s back on board with the company.” However, another report from PWInsider does note that he has not signed any kind of contract with WWE, despite showing up backstage.

The report also said he might be at this week’s TV tapings, but that’s not set in stone as of right now. Hogan hasn’t appeared for WWE since being fired by the company in 2015 shortly before a tape containing him making racist remarks was made public.

Update: Bryan Alvarez of F4Wonline.com noted on Twitter that Hogan’s meeting with the roster was filmed for an upcoming WWE Network special. Hogan reportedly said his goodbyes during Extreme Rules and was headed back home to Florida.

Regarding Hogan’s WWE future, Hogan will not be on this week’s TV shows and there’s no word yet on when he might be back. There was some speculation on Hogan being backstage for RAW and SmackDown but PWInsider reports that Hogan is not booked for this week’s episodes. It was also noted that Hogan has not signed a new contract of any kind, as of Sunday. The feeling at Extreme Rules was that Hogan is back with the company and Charly Caruso noted on the Extreme Rules Kickoff pre-show how everyone was excited for Hogan to be back with the WWE family.

Source: WrestlingINC

Update: According to a rep from WWE, Hogan’s meeting with the roster was not filmed by a camera crew. This was confirmed by WWE according to Pro Wrestling Sheet.

Mark Henry, who was present at the meeting, talked about it on Busted Open this week. “He [Hogan] made an announcement, he apologized, he’s done a lot of stuff with the Boys and Girls Club. But I didn’t want to lose track of the fact that there’s more work to be done,” Henry stated.

Mark also told TMZ Sports there’s currently a divide amongst the black wrestlers over the backstage apology, describing at as a 50-50 split … with some saying “to hell with him.”

WWE Extreme Rules Results 7/15/18

Image result for wwe extreme rules 2018 streaming live Sunday July 15 on WWE Network

(Kickoff) Tables Match: The New Day vs. SAnitY – Winners: SAnitY

RAW Tag Team Championship: (C) “Woken” Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt vs. The B-Team – Winners and new RAW Tag Team Champions: The B-Team

Charly Caruso backstage with RAW General Manager Kurt Angle, who has an announcement on WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. Angle says he recently opened up talks with Paul Heyman and Lesnar about the next title defense. Heyman stopped those talks and Lesnar isn’t interested in fighting anyone. Angle goes on about how Lesnar shows up at UFC without defending his title in WWE, saying Lesnar doesn’t care about WWE. Angle says he’s tired of it and the fans are tired of it. Angle says Heyman and Lesnar must come to RAW and agree on terms for the next match or Lesnar will be stripped.

Finn Balor vs. “Constable” Baron Corbin – Winner: Finn Balor

The Bludgeon Brothers attacked Team Hell No backstage.

SmackDown Women’s Championship (James Ellsworth in shark cage above the ring): (C) Carmella vs. Asuka – Winner: Carmella

United States Championship: (C) Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

– Nakamura hit Hardy with a low-blow before the bell and as soon as the bell rang, Nakamura hit Hardy with the Kinshasa for the quick win.

Winner and new United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura

After the match, Randy Orton came out and grabbed Hardy by the legs and nailed a low-blow stomp.

Steel Cage Match: Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens

– Strowman shoved Owens off the top of cage through the announce table, so Owens gets the win.

Winner: Kevin Owens

Owens was taken out on a stretcher

SmackDown Tag Team Championship: (C) The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Team Hell No –

Daniel Bryan had to start the match all by himself, Kane later came out wearing a walking boot on his injured foot from the backstage attack earlier in the night.

Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers

Roman Reigns vs. Bobby Lashley – Winner: Bobby Lashley

RAW Women’s Championship – Extreme Rules Match (Ronda Rousey will be sitting at ringside): (C) Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax – Winner: Alexa Bliss

WWE Championship: (C) AJ Styles vs. Rusev – Winner: AJ Styles

Intercontinental Championship – 30-Minute Iron Man Match: (C) Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins – Draw 4-4

Kurt Angle came out and announced sudden death overtime

McIntyre appeared out of nowhere distracting Rollins at the ropes. Ziggler took advantage and immediately hit the Zig-Zag for the pin.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

WWE Extreme Rules 7/15/18

Image result for wwe extreme rules 2018 streaming live Sunday July 15 on WWE Network

WWE Championship: (C) AJ Styles vs. Rusev

Roman Reigns vs. Bobby Lashley

RAW Women’s Championship – Extreme Rules Match (Ronda Rousey will be sitting at ringside): (C) Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax

Steel Cage Match: Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens

SmackDown Tag Team Championship: (C) The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Team Hell No

Intercontinental Championship – 30-Minute Iron Man Match: (C) Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins

United States Championship: (C) Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

SmackDown Women’s Championship (James Ellsworth in shark cage above the ring): (C) Carmella vs. Asuka

RAW Tag Team Championship: (C) “Woken” Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt vs. The B-Team

Finn Balor vs. “Constable” Baron Corbin

(Kickoff) Tables Match: The New Day vs. SAnitY

MLW: Fusion Preview 7/13/18

Kick off your weekend with Major League Wrestling: FUSION tonight on beIN SPORTS at 8pm ET / 5pm PT. Learn more how you can watch FUSION here.

“Filthy” Tom Lawlor rumbles with Colonel Parker’s Jake Hager in the main event! Things between Team Filthy and the Stud Stable continue to escalate and now the captains for each squad collide as things get very real on beIN SPORTS.

THE BAD BOY VS. THE TRUST FUND KID
In a culture clash, cult favorite “Bad Boy” Joey Janela along with Aria Blake have been waiting to get MJF in the ring ever since he was attacked by the preppy pro wrestler. Now he has his chance and Aria Blake can’t wait!

UNDEFEATED BARRINGTON HUGHES IN ACTION
The 469 pound Caramel Colossus is signed to compete as the big man looks to keep crushing the competition as he sends a message to Sami Callihan’s Death Machines.

BATTLE RIOT CONTROL CENTER WITH EXCLUSIVE NEW MATCHES ADDED!
It’s the final Battle Riot control center! Who makes the cut for the 40-manBattle Riot? Find out tonight! [Buy tickets to see it live]

Join Tony Schiavone and Rich Bocchini as they call the action for an action packed 60 minute shot of Major League Wrestling: FUSION!

Rey Mysterio Returning For NJPW Match, G1 Climax Press Conference

Image result for Rey Mysterio at G1 Climax 28

Below is the G1 Climax Press Conference from earlier today featuring all 20 entrants in this year’s tournament.

– The G1 Climax gets started tomorrow at 5:30am ET on NJPW World, every show will be live and feature English commentary. The tournament runs from July 14 until August 12 with the winner receiving an opportunity to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 13. For details on all the participants, blocks, and key matches click here. Tomorrow’s A Block match-ups are:

* Togi Makabe vs. YOSHI-HASHI
* Hangman Page vs. Bad Luck Fale
* Michael Elgin vs. EVIL
* Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki
* Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White

Among all the talk of Rey Mysterio potentially headed to WWE, it looks like he’ll be returning to NJPW for a match at the G1 Climax final show on August 12 against an unnamed opponent. Mysterio made his debut with the promotion in June at Dominion where Marty Scurll, Hangman Page, and Cody defeated Rey Mysterio, Jushin Thunder Liger, and Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Source: WrestlingINC

Brock Lesnar Confirmed For WWE SummerSlam

Brock Lesnar has been confirmed for next month’s SummerSlam pay-per-view, according to Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer. His opponent for the show has not been confirmed.

It will be Lesnar’s first match since defending his WWE Universal Championship against Roman Reigns at The Greatest Royal Rumble event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this past April. It will reportedly be the final match of Lesnar’s current WWE contract and he is expected to face UFC Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier next year. Lesnar set up the future fight by shoving Cormier after his UFC Heavyweight Championship victory at UFC 226 this past Saturday. He had put himself back in the USADA drug-testing pool last Tuesday, making him eligible to fight again for the UFC after January 8, 2019.

WWE SummerSlam will take place on Sunday, August 19 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Source: WrestlingINC

ROH And NJPW Announce Madison Square Garden Event

ring of honor madison square garden new japan njpw

Madison Square Garden has famously been WWE‘s home territory for decades, but now that’s changing — as ROH and NJPW have announced an event at MSG in 2019.

Ring of Honor’s website states, “ROH and NJPW are proud to announce that on April 6th, 2019, the companies will join forces to present the ultimate wrestling event, “G1 Supercard,” to fans from around the world, LIVE from Madison Square Garden in New York City!”

As you may recall, a Sinclair higher-up revealed the show was in the works last month. ROH COO Joe Koff, however, told PWInsider that the date was pulled after MSG execs spoke with WWE officials.

Koff is quoted in today’s release saying: “This is destined to join a long list of historical wrestling moments and where better to hold it than at Madison Square Garden. I am extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve as a company and am very appreciative of how great our relationship with New Japan Pro-Wrestling has become. However, none of this would be possible without our fans, who are truly the best in the world. Madison Square Garden would not be possible without them and for that I am most grateful.”

Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tetsuya Naitoare already confirmed for the event, with more to be announced as the show nears.

Tickets go on sale August 8 for Honor Club members and August 10 for everyone else.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Jim Ross Gives Injury Update On Latest Podcast, Says Situation Was ‘Inept’ And ‘Dangerous’

jim ross njpw injury injured g1 special inept dangerous update

Jim Ross spoke on his latest podcast about the injury he suffered at NJPW‘s G1 Special in San Francisco … calling the situation inept, dangerous and unnecessary.

The legendary announcer kicked off this week’s Jim Ross Report by thanking everyone who sent him well wishes. He then explained doctors say he has bruised ribs and a bruised lung on the left side … plus, his sternum is “out of whack.”

Doctors are also worried about Ross catching pneumonia because of the lung issues.

Due to the injuries, JR says he had to miss a Headlock on Hunger event and a Glenn Jacobsrally.

Juice Robinson talked about the unfortunate incident on the latest episode of X-Pac 1-2-360 and said the ring crew told he and Jay White that the guardrails would be interlocked during the show. That clearly didn’t happen, however, and the chaotic incident led to JR getting hurt.

While discussing the ring crew doing this, Ross said: “All I know is that the situation was inept, it was dangerous, and it was unnecessary.”

Josh Barnett joined Jim later in the episode to talk about the G1 Special and the incident was discussed in further detail. The two announcers talk about White/Robinson apologizing after the event and Josh says he lectured them during the exchange.

Barnett also explains why he stepped up to Jay White, which can be heard in the full episode at the link below.

https://omny.fm/shows/the-ross-report/josh-barnett-looks-back-at-g1-special-future-of-br/embed?style=artwork

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Impact Wrestling Preview 7/12/18

* DeAngelo Williams returns to Impact

* Rich Swann, Pentagon Jr. & Fenix vs. Sami Callihan & oVe

* Allie in singles action

* The World Champion Austin Aries, speaks the truth

WWE Comes Up Short In Emmy Nominations

Despite the recent “For Your Consideration” party held in Los Angeles, WWE came up short today as the nominations for the 2018 Emmy Awards were announced. It is worth noting that this is the first year that WWE was able to get their programming on the preliminary ballot.

WWE had the “Empowered” WWE 24 special and the documentary on WWE Hall of Famer Andre the Giant on the preliminary ballot for Best Documentary or Non-Fiction Special. Other spots on the preliminary ballots were RAW and Mixed Match Challenge for Outstanding Structured Reality Program, Total Bellas and Total Divas for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program and WrestleMania 34 for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).

Netflix’s GLOW was nominated for Best Comedy Series while Betty Gilpin, who portrays Debbie on the series, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress In a Comedy. GLOW was also nominated for a half-dozen technical awards. The Rock’s Ballers on HBO was nominated for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series.

Source: WrestlingINC