Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir On A Potential Showdown Between MMA & WWE Four Horsewomen

Image result for Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir on a potential showdown with WWE's "Faux" Horsewomen

As noted, WWE recently signed Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke, putting all four of MMA’s Horsewomen in the company as they already have Ronda Rousey and WWE NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler signed. Below is new backstage video of Cathy Kelley talking to Duke and Shafir. Shafir brought Troy along for the interview, who is her son with NXT Tag Team Champion Roderick Strong.

Shafir says it’s been brutal since signing with WWE but they are elite athletes and they get right back up. They hope to have similar success as Rousey and Baszler but as elite athletes this is just another place to conquer. Duke says the other Horsewomen have set good examples and they hope to accomplish similar things. Regarding the Mae Young Classic confrontation with WWE’s Horsewomen, Shafir hopes the training will lead to something between the two groups. Duke calls them the “Faux” Horsewomen and believes that something will happen in the future.

Source: WrestlingINC

WWE Is Expected To Announce A Tag Team MITB Ladder Match Soon

Image result for WWE Is Expected To Announce A Tag Team MITB Ladder Match

It looks like WWE may be adding a third Money In the Bank Ladder Match for the June 17th pay-per-view from Chicago.

There had been speculation on three MITB matches this year but RAW General Manager Kurt Angle only announced the men’s and the women’s matches at Monday’s RAW. Bryan Alvarez noted on Wrestling Observer Live that Angle was set to announce the third match for tag teams but plans were changed before RAW hit the air. Word is that officials figured they have 6 weeks until the pay-per-view and they didn’t have to announce all three matches right away.

The MITB Ladder Match for tag teams is expected to be announce soon. This match explains why WWE has had tag teams tweet videos about possibly qualifying or winning a briefcase and why there were three briefcases featured on the MITB promotional poster. No word yet on how many tag teams will be featured in the match.

Source: WrestlingINC

John Cena & Nikki Bella Still ‘Spending Nights’ Together

Image result for john cena & nikki bella

Us Weekly reports that Nikki may be living with Brie and Daniel Bryan but she is still “spending nights” with Cena at his apartment.

“Nikki hasn’t moved out of John’s apartment, even though she very much wanted to after the wedding was called off,” a source told the magazine, adding that Cena “doesn’t want her to have to deal with moving after everything they have been through as a couple.”

People close to Cena and Nikki have noted to Us Weekly that the two “could get back together in a year” and that Nikki is very supportive of Cena but starting a family and having kids is “at odds” with Cena’s attention to his career.

As noted, the breakup and the fallout will be covered on the upcoming Total Bellas & Total Divas seasons.

Source: WrestlingINC

WWE Hall Of Famer Lita Calls Greatest Royal Rumble A ‘Direct Conflict Of Interest’ (Audio)

lita wwe greatest royal rumble conflict of interest

Lita is the first female WWE Hall of Famer to criticize the company for putting on a show in Saudi Arabia where women weren’t allowed to wrestle … calling it a “direct conflict of interest.”

WrestleZone‘s Nick Hausman interviewed Lita, aka Amy Dumas, ahead of her upcoming UFO show debuting online tonight and when asked for her opinion on Greatest Royal Rumble said:

“I understand that they are a business, a global business, and always looking to expand their global presence. However, I do feel it’s a direct conflict of interest with them maintaining any integrity or truth to the fact that they say they would like to push forward women and their roles and their representation in the industry as anything remotely resembling an equal to a male.”

Lita added:

“Make the money, that’s fine, but don’t try to cover it up and be like, “No, we are doing this because we would like to in the future be able to help progress their culture forward!” No, you wanted the money and that’s fine. You’re a business and businesses make money. That’s okay. From your perspective over there, I don’t own your business, so that’s ok. But, from a PR perspective, don’t try to be like “We’re doing it because we want to help progress that culture forward.” No, it’s a direct conflict of interest, in my opinion.”

Listen to the interview below (GRR talk begins at 21:00).

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Charlotte Flair To Undergo Surgery After European Tour

Charlotte Flair

WWE star Charlotte Flair is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair a ruptured breast implant according to a new report by PWInsider.com this week.

The belief is that Flair will undergo surgery shortly after the WWE European tour concludes, which officially kicked off this week in England and Germany.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the implant was ruptured before WrestleMania 34 but Flair didn’t want to miss the match with Asuka. WWE officials wanted her to work with Carmella at Backlash and then she wanted to work the European tour that kicked off this week because of what the tour pays.

Flair is looking to undergo the operation after the two-week tour so she doesn’t miss SummerSlam. The Observer adds that she will be out of action for a few weeks after the surgery. Flair is currently scheduled to compete in the women’s Money In the Bank ladder match on June 18th but they could shoot an angle to remove her from the match.

Flair has tried to keep the accident hidden and even had photographers shoot around it during a photo shoot for ESPN’s “The Body” issue.

Flair will also be forced to miss a scheduled appearance at the AEG Comic Con in Seattle shortly after the European tour as a result of the surgery as well.

The comic convention announced Carmella as Charlotte’s replacement and later deleted the tweet announcing she was missing the event due to surgery.

It’s clear she won’t be missing the tour as she tweeted out dates of all her appearances.

The story was also picked up by The Daily Star in the UK this week.

Flair, along with Ember Moon, have now qualified for the women’s “Money in the Bank” ladder match taking place in six weeks from Chicago. The surgery isn’t expected to keep her out of the ring long, nor is she expected to miss the PPV at this point.

Sources: WrestleView, WrestlingINC and Pro Wrestling Sheet

NXT Preview 5/9/18

Tonight on WWE NXT.

* Can Kassius Ohno avenge Johnny Gargano by punishing Tommaso Ciampa?

* Will The War Raiders leave Heavy Machinery in a heap?

* EC3 looks to build momentum against Raul Mendoza

WWE Files Lawsuit Against Foreign TV Distributor

Pro Wrestling Sheet reports that WWE has filed suit against a foreign television distributor who is allegedly withholding money from the company.

According to the docs filed in court today … WWE entered into an agreement with Transworld Television in which TWT had the right to solicit TV license agreements for WWE within certain geographical areas, but required the company to collect the money and pay a portion to WWE.

Transworld then made an agreement like this in 2014 with a company licensing WWE programming for television in Africa and the Middle East, but TWT failed to pay WWE any of the money following three payments received in 2017 for the content.

The wrestling company claims they sent multiple invoices and emails attempting to recoup the money — which totals $337,142.98 — but they’ve yet to hear back or receive payment.

WWE is now asking a judge to help them get the money back, plus interest, as well as legal fees.

Vader Hospitalized For A Third Time, Another Heart Surgery

Related image

Leon White, known to wrestling fans as Vader or Big Van Vader, had another heart surgery yesterday. His heart had shifted to an irregular heart beat, which would increase his chances of a heart attack and stroke. Here is Vader’s official Tweet:

Brief timeline of Vader’s recent health issue:

Less than two years ago, Vader revealed that he had congestive heart failure and said that he had two years to live. Vader is now 62 years.

On March 26 2018, Vader’s son, Jesse announced on Twitter that Vader had underwent open heart surgery and has a long road to recovery.

On April 13th, 2018, Vader announced that he was released from the hospital.

On April 19, Vader announced on Twitter hat he was hospitalized due to pneumonia. In the tweet, Vader mentioned that his pain is through the roof and cannot breath.

Source: WrestleView

Former WWE Wrestler Big Bully Busick Passed Away At Age 63

big bully busick dead dies death passed away passes

Nick “Big Bully” Busick has passed away at the age of 63-years-old.

Busick’s wife Lorie shared the sad news on Facebook and wrote:

“Big Bully Busick has past with his wife and children at his side. Thank you all so much for all your thoughts and prayers. Nick Busick was so humbled by all of your cards prayers visits.”

Busick, who has battled numerous health issues since 2005, diagnosed with spinal fluid cancer last year and earlier this month his wife had said Busick was able to come home on hospice care.

Big Bully wrestled in WWF from 1989-1991.

His son, Branko Busick, recently made his pro MMA debut for Bellator and currently has a record of 1-1.

WWE issued the following on Busick’s passing:

Nick “Big Bully” Busick passes

Former WWE Superstar Nick “Big Bully” Busick has passed away at the age of 63, WWE is saddened to learn.

A notorious in-ring villain known for his signature derby and mustache, Busick battled Superstars like Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Sid and The British Bulldog in the early ’90s.

WWE extends its condolences to Busick’s family, friends and fans.

Triple H Says The UK Will Eventually Get A WWE Pay-Per-View Event, Talks Issues With UK WrestleMania

Image result for Triple H Says The UK Will Eventually Get A WWE Pay-Per-View Event,

Triple H recently spoke with Sky Sports and said the UK will get a WWE pay-per-view event down the road.

“It (the event in Saudi Arabia) was an open opportunity for all of the markets outside of the United States,” he said. “Obviously the time frame of when we run things in the US doesn’t work for a lot of markets and this gives us a chance to look at things in their time frames. That’s especially the case in the UK, where the desire is very high. We’ve attempted things there in the past and as technology improves and we can get things down to doing them in a reasonable manner and at a reasonable cost, is really what it’s all about.

“It’s definitely something we’re looking towards but when people say ‘just do it’ – we do 560 live events a year, we do an average of 9-10 live events a week and they’re planned out a year, sometimes longer, in advance. One change dramatically affects the entire puzzle so it’s a process we’re going through. But we will get there. For everybody that’s waiting it seems to be forever but we will get there, I promise.”

The Sun pointed to the biggest two issues with running a live pay-per-view from the UK – the time difference and NFL season, but Triple H said he’s confident those issues can be worked out.

“There are a lot of aspects to it,” Triple H said. “It’s about getting the right people in the right places to be able to put on a strong event with a good calibre and for it to be meaningful to the rest of the globe. To be able to do it in a cost-effective way in a business sense, having the infrastructure to do it internationally, these are all factors which come into consideration.

“There are a lot of balls in the air and it’s just a matter of organising them. You’re trying to do all of that while running pay-per-views, live television and everything else we do. It’s not a matter of if we can overcome those obstacles but when we can, and getting them all lined up.”

Triple H relayed the same message to fans that he told a live crowd at a WWE event in Wembley Arena last November – aim high.

“If you’re going to set an ambition, set it high,” he said. “As we always say, never say never. WrestleMania is a week-long series of events and the logistics of executing that week along with the week leading into it and the week after it are extraordinarily difficult in our own back yard. Doing them internationally with international crews and international support systems and everything else is a factor of difficulty way beyond what we have in the US.

“Can we get there? Sure, maybe over time. We would take steps in that direction and those steps are probably other pay-per-views. From my point of view I’d like to bring other meaningful events through WWE, whether that’s NXT or the United Kingdom championships, taking international brands and putting them on in those markets. As the world becomes smaller and more technologically advanced, it becomes easier to do these things live from different places. From my end, that’s what I’m working towards.”

Source: WrestlingINC