Jeff Jarrett shared a touching tribute to his late grandfather on Saturday evening by posting a photo of the pair in a match together. At the time of the photo, Jarrett was 19 and Marlin was 56.
Along with the photo, Jarrett wrote, “Today we laid to rest my grandfather, Eddie Marlin. Grandfathers n grandsons often work together; but, in professional wrestling, it’s rare to actually have a match where your partner is your grandfather. I was 19 and Pops was 56 when we tagged at the Fairgrounds! Love ya Pops!”
Below is the tribute:
Today we laid to rest my grandfather, Eddie Marlin. Grandfathers n grandsons often work together; but, in professional wrestling it’s rare to actually have a match where your partner is your grandfather. I was 19 and Pops was 56 when we tagged at the Fairgrounds! Love ya Pops! pic.twitter.com/Sin84LLAX9
The USA Network got much more involved in negotiations over the last several weeks and the feeling for some within WWE was it is a “done deal.”
Yesterday, the @WrestleVotes Twitter account said WWE would be making an official announcement on Monday about NXT – USA.
On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, it was also confirmed that would be the case, and it would happen during RAW. Dave Meltzer reported, Triple H was talking to people and dropping hints, while saying, “I want to tell you, but I can’t tell you. But watch TV on Monday.” Meltzer also said it would be the USA Network, and not FS1 as the new destination, which makes sense if the announcement comes during RAW (also on USA).
As noted previously, the plan still sounds like NXT wants to get a jump on the new competition before AEW goes live on TNT on October 2 with NXT episodes starting a few week prior.
In regards to Vince McMahon, Meltzer noted it’s likely he’ll still be very much involved since it’s on the USA Network and because this is a “war,” as opposed to just putting NXT on the station to give it more attention.
AAA officially announced that their “Invading NY” event on Sunday, September 15th will be held at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, and not at the Garden itself. The Hulu Theater has a capacity of about 5,600, while the Garden can seat up to 20,500 fans.
It was also announced that Tessa will defend her Reina de Reinas (Queen of the Queens) Championship against former champion, Taya, while AAA legends Blue Demon Jr. and Dr. Wagner Jr. will clash in a grudge match. Blue Demon Jr. will be putting his mask on the line against Dr. Wagner Jr.’s hair.
“We are thrilled to bring the most popular Lucha Libre legends to fans in the Hulu Theater at MSG,” said Dorian Roldán, Director General of Lucha Libre AAA.
Regarding the event being moved to the Hulu Theater, Roldán added, “We want to ensure the quality of the experience for our New York area fans and the Hulu Theater offers the kind of setting in keeping with many AAA extravaganzas. Every seat is up close to the action and less than 177 feet from the ring, so our fans will have the kind of exciting, personal experience they expect from AAA.”
Current ticket holders will be guaranteed a new seat assignment of equal or greater value than the seat they already purchased.
Following Invading NY, AAA will run the Forum in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 13th.
Tickets are now on sale for both the New York and the Los Angeles events and may be purchased at the box offices or online in Spanish or English at luchalibreaaausa.com, ticketmaster.com or MSG.com. Both events will be available on pay-per-view live worldwide on FITE, or from all cable and satellite TV providers on pay-per-view.
Wrestling veteran and current AAA Director of Talent Vampiro took to Facebook to speak about the difficulties he’s been going through since his recent diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease. In the four and a half minute video, Vampiro noted how he feels lost and doesn’t know where he is most of the time. In the video, he is supposed to be going to a therapy session, but does not know why he’s there. It causes him to have a panic attack, which chips away at his emotional state and his ability to stay uplifted during the difficult time.
“I’m lost,” Vampiro said tearfully. “I don’t know where I am. I gotta stay strong, right? I’m having a major panic attack. This Alzheimer’s thing, some of the affects are I forget why I’m supposed to be where I’m at. I’ve been sitting in my car for about 40 minutes and I don’t know what to do. It comes and goes and it’s really hard.”
In addition, he also mentions how he is tired of taking his medications because they make him feel like a “zombie.” He says towards the end of the video that he will do whatever it takes to fight this, in terms of staying positive for the sake of his health.
“I’m trying so hard,” Vampiro states. “I’m going to come back and I’m going to be ok. But I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to take those drugs anymore. I don’t want to take that medicine. It makes me a f**king zombie. But when I don’t take it, I don’t know what’s going on.”
If there was one thing that Vampiro says that he wants fans to take away from his video, is the importance of having patience with those who are affected with mental illness, because it is not something that can just go away overnight.
“If you have anybody in your life that are going through these issues, like mental health, please understand it’s an every day, all day thing. It never goes away.”
The former Lucha Underground color commentator announced his diagnosis back in April of this year on his Facebook, stating that he was scared about this diagnosis and if it could lead to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. He did mention in his post back then and in his video published on Tuesday that he will stand tall and fight through this.
A GoFundMe page was created for Vampiro with a $22,000 goal so that he can receive stem cell replacement therapy.
“I can beat this but I need help. I have not had an income In a year so I am stuck,” Vampiro’s GoFundMe reads. “Once I am better I will give a portion of all my earnings to people who need help, support and financial aid . It’s so hard , but , I can beat this . I have the desire , I have the heart, but I am hurting bad . Critical pain from the injuries and well, this alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and the chronic arthritis in my whole body, well to me it’s just bulls–t and I can beat this.
“I am asking for help so I can get stem cell replacement therapy in Columbia at the end of the year, once I have that, I will dedicate my life to helping others even more than I already do.
“Stem Cell Replacement therapy I believe will save many many lives … right now I need it to save mine.”
Currently, the page has raised over $2000. For those interested in donating to his cause, please click here.
Below is the video he posted on his Facebook this week.
Matt Hardy wants to know what the fans think! The WWE star posted tonight a poll on Twitter asking what fans thought of The Ultimate Deletion and his Broken/Woken gimmick. The choices are simple, “YES, it was wonderful” and “NO, it was not wonderful.” The poll so far has over 1,000 votes and 96% picked Yes.
Hardy explained why he wants input from fans, because in the coming months he has some tough decisions to make. He also explained that he wants to spend his last years in the wrestling industry being as creative and productive as possible.
At the moment, Hardy’s gimmick is “you don’t understand how hard it is to be Matt Hardy.”
Matt Hardy’s full quote, “I wish to spend my last few years in the wrestling industry being as creative & productive as possible. I have some hard decisions in the coming months & the wrestling fan’s opinions matter to me. What did you think of The Ultimate Deletion?”
Below is the poll:
I wish to spend my last few years in the wrestling industry being as creative & productive as possible. I have some hard decisions in the coming months & the wrestling fan’s opinions matter to me. What did you think of The Ultimate Deletion? HERE IT IS- https://t.co/vzoWDewN3M
Former multi-time world champion and WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg was a guest on Booker T’s The Hall Of Fame podcast. During his discussion with Booker, Goldberg wasn’t shy about looking back at the match he had against The Undertaker at WWE Super Showdown 2019.
“I’m not going to make excuses, that’s for sure. I’m just going to answer questions and give facts,” Bill stated. “Facts are the reason why I had that match [with The Undertaker] and took that opportunity, was because it was an opportunity of a lifetime whether I was 22, 52 or 102, you know? Not that it was in Saudi Arabia but because it was against The Undertaker. He was the one guy that I never crossed paths with, and the heat – I knew going in it was going to be hot. In Georgia playing for The Falcons, or The Georgia Bulldogs, or the L.A Rams down in Los Angeles, it’s hotter than hell and you know it’s going to be hot. It’s one of those things you accept.”
Goldberg mentioned how with each new match he books, the preparation leading up to it varies. Bill ultimately regrets his attention to trimming down and getting in shape as opposed to weight training and getting bigger for Super Showdown.
“I had the perfect storm of crappiness because, for me, people don’t know all the things that go into everything,” Goldberg said. “At 52, going against The Undertaker and being Bill Goldberg in the short period of time that I had, I can either do one or two things – I can get in really good shape or I can try to get as big as humanly possible so I don’t look like an old Bill Goldberg against The Undertaker. So, it’s a compromise; it’s always a compromise. This last time, though I didn’t need the cardio, man, I didn’t concentrate on getting big at all for the 4 weeks that I had. I just tried to get in shape. I didn’t try to add a pound. I tried to lose weight this time. Every situation is different. It’s like trapping for a different team. I liken everything to football because I’m a meathead and was born into a football helmet.”
Goldberg also explained that his stiff connection with the ring post was something he and many others were expecting to happen. He apparently goes out of his way to try and make the spots he is a part of look as realistic they possibly can.
“But the ring post thing, hey man, that’s a spot that a couple of the bookers came up to me and said, well, we called it,” Goldberg said. “We knew you were going to do that because 50% of the time I have done that spot I have not had good results. Because here’s the deal, I don’t profess to be an entertainer on the level of Ric Flair that can go out and make people laugh. I mean, I can, but it’s not my way of doing things. My way of making people’s jaws drop is blurring the line of reality and fiction so everything I do has to be – it’s like the kick I took from Dolph Ziggler.
“The first kick that I took felt really good because I had to react to it because it was planted on me. It was perfect,” Bill continued. “That is the way I work, man, I am a reactionary guy. If I am going to be a Defensive Lineman that was an All-American, if I’m going to be a guy who played a couple of years in the NFL, if I am going to be a guy that was known to be a thrasher, I’m not going to run into a turnbuckle and miss it and act like it killed me. I can’t do that, so I have to make it look as close as killing me as possible, and sometimes, unfortunately, the circumstances are such that I go a little overboard. And when you accelerate at an age, your body can’t take that overboard as it used to.
Along with an intense heatwave, Goldberg noted how the timing between he and The Undertaker caused additional issues to take place during their match at Super Showdown.
“I can’t bounce back from it like I used to, and then the perfect storm of the heat, and the perfect storm of The Undertaker not having the timing and not going at the same time at one point or something. Hey, at the end of the day, there’s never been a freaking dude in the middle of the ring that I couldn’t pick up, period. It was an unfortunate deal that I shouldn’t have gone as hard as I went. And then there were a couple of people saying that he referee should have called it. Well guess what? The referee asked me 15 times how I felt and you know what I told him? Fifteen different answers. I felt different every single time that he asked me.”
Goldberg followed up the poor performance against The Undertaker was a crowd-pleasing victory over Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam this past Sunday. When the subject of his storied career reaching it’s final chapter was brought up, Goldberg seemed conflicted on where his future is going.
“No, [I’m not finished],” Goldberg said. “I mean, I’d be content if I never stepped foot in the ring again. But I don’t know, it’s not something I aspire to do but it is something I aspire to do. I don’t know. I have no idea; I just don’t.”
WWE Co-President Michelle Wilson sold 158,134 shares of her WWE stock last week. The shares, which amounted to 79% of her stake in the company, were sold at $69.30 worth $10,958,686.20.
Wilson now owns 41,508 shares worth around $2.7 million. According to Bloomberg, WWE is stating that she sold the shares for personal reasons. It was noted that she still has enough equity to meet the requirements for an officer at the company.
As previously reported, Wilson had also sold shares in late July, along with fellow WWE Co-President George Barrios, WWE CEO Vince McMahon, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Stephanie McMahon, Kevin Dunn and Mark Kowal. Wilson had sold around $4.5 million of company stock during that transaction.
WWE stock is currently trading at $69.47, down 30% from its peak of $99 this past April.
Former WWE RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey has joined the cast of 9-1-1 on Fox.
Deadline reports Rousey has been cast as a firefighter named Lena Bosko on the upcoming third season of the show. The character is described as “a stoic and fearless member of the Los Angeles Fire Department Station 136 who leaps into action to save lives when a disaster hits.”
For those unfamiliar, 9-1-1 is about the “lives and careers of emergency response providers who put their lives at risk to save others” and stars Angela Bassett, Peter Krause and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
The recently released trailer for the upcoming season centers on a tsunami engulfing Santa Monica. The announcement does not say when Rousey’s character will first appear on the series.
Season three of 9-1-1 premieres September 23 at 8pm.
Memphis wrestling legend and promoter Eddie Marlin passed away yesterday morning at the age of 89.
Former Memphis wrestling personality Randy Hales, who helped take care of him, posted on Twitter about the news. Hales wrote, “I’m said to say Eddie Marlin passed away at 5 am this morning. I waited to all the family were told until I made this post. I will do a FB Live Tonight 8:30 Central.”
I’m said to say Eddie Marlin passed away at 5am this morning.
I waited to all the family were told until I made this post.
Marlin is the grandfather of WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett.
Eddie Marlin started wresting in the 60s and he was a big part of Memphis Wrestling. Marlin wrestled in NWA Mid-America, where he teamed with Tommy Gilbert. He later joined his son-in-law Jerry Jarrett’s promotion, Continental Wrestling Association, where he was the on-screen General Manager throughout the 1980s. During his career, he won the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship, NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, and NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship.
Below is a Facebook post from Memphis Wrestling News on Marlins passing:
Two days before his passing, Jerry Jarrett posted, “Eddie is being moved to hospice.” Days before that on August 8, Jarrett updated that all of his father-in-law’s organs had failed.
