WWE may have spoiled a big surprise for fans of 205 live. TMZ first reported that WWE filed legal documents in an effort to temporarily restrain bootleggers in New Orleans from selling merchandise during WrestleMania 34 weekend. There’s one item in the documents that was listed that has raised eyebrows. WWE submitted design and trademarks to the court in among other things appears to show a picture of 205 live tag team championship belts. Which have not been revealed yet.
View the images below.
WWE just announced that “Road Dogg” Brian James will be inducting Jeff Jarrett into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 34 Weekend in New Orleans.
Road Dogg was at ringside for some of Jeff Jarrett’s biggest triumphs inside the squared circle, so it’s only right that he be the person to induct Double J into the WWE Hall of Fame during the 2018 Induction Ceremony on Friday, April 6, during WrestleMania 34 Week.
Road Dogg arrived in WWE in 1994, then known as The Roadie, acting as Jarrett’s gofer as he tried to use WWE to springboard to country music superstardom. In addition to taking care of Double J’s musical endeavors, Road Dogg wasn’t afraid to meddle in Jarrett’s affairs in the ring, either. That led to the beginning of Road Dogg’s in-ring career with WWE, which saw him go on to become a six-time tag team champion and an Intercontinental Champion.
Of course, there’s also musical controversy between the two, as it was also revealed that Road Dogg provided the vocals for Jarrett’s debut single, “With My Baby Tonight.”
What will Road Dogg say when he introduces the six-time Intercontinental Champion and four-time WCW Champion for enshrinement into the WWE Hall of Fame? Find out during the 2018 Induction Ceremony, streaming live on WWE Network Friday, April 6, at 8 ET/5 PT!
Tickets for the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans are available now.
WWE Announced that Shane McMahon suffered an infection due to acute diverticulitis while on vacation with his family in Antigua.
Shane McMahon is currently recovering from acute diverticulitis and an umbilical hernia in a New York-area medical facility, WWE.com has learned.
Two weeks ago on SmackDown LIVE, McMahon announced he would be taking an indefinite leave of absence from his position as the blue brand’s Commissioner. Following that announcement, McMahon was brutally attacked by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. WWE medical staff initially diagnosed him with a laryngeal contusion and trapezius and rhomboid strains as a result of the beating.
Following the vicious assault, McMahon went to the Caribbean with his family to rest and recuperate. While there, Shane developed a massive infection due to acute diverticulitis and was hospitalized for several days in Antigua before being flown back to a New York-area hospital, where he is currently being treated with heavy doses of antibiotics. The doctors in New York have also discovered that Shane suffered an umbilical hernia during the attack, which will require surgery once the infection has been eradicated.
Stick with WWE.com for further updates on Shane McMahon’s status as they become available.
Shane posted the following update on Instagram:
Thank you everyone for the get well wishes. It truly helps. Im healing up, and I have the best medicine in the world with me.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live will take place from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA as the Road to WrestleMania 34 continues.
* Will Daniel Bryan make it to SmackDown LIVE?
* Roode & Orton join forces to take on Mahal and Singh
* The New Day return to battle The Bludgeon Brothers
* Shinsuke Nakamura clashes with Shelton Benjamin
* Charlotte Flair faces Natalya in a rematch from last Tuesday
Tonight’s WWE Mixed Match Challenge and WWE 205 Live will take place from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.
WWE Mixed Match Challenge:
* Sasha Banks & Finn Balor vs. Bobby Roode & Charlotte Flair – The winners will go on to face Asuka & The Miz in the finals.
WWE 205 Live:
* Can Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander continue to co-exist?
* Fatal 4 Way: Akira Tozawa vs. Buddy Murphy vs. TJP vs. Kalisto
WWE announced today that they are bringing back the Superstars For Hope campaign to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of America this year. The online auction is now live at CharityBuzz.com and will run through Tuesday, April 10th. Some of the opportunities include experiences at SummerSlam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 35. Celebrities such as Mark Cuban, Celine Dion and several sports teams have also donated packages.
WWE launches global fundraiser to benefit Boys & Girls Club of America
WWE today announced the launch of this year’s Superstars for Hope, a global online auction on Charitybuzz.com, featuring unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Fans can now visit http://www.charitybuzz.com/wwe through Tuesday, April 10, to bid on exclusive WWE experiences with Mr. McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Ric and Charlotte Flair, backstage opportunities at SummerSlam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, WrestleMania 35 and more. Additional packages have been donated by Mark Cuban, Celine Dion, the New York Giants, the Los Angeles Lakers, the San Francisco 49ers and more as part of the campaign.
“WWE is dedicated to using the power of our brand and platforms to leave a lasting, positive impression on our youth,” said Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chief Brand Officer. “We are proud to once again partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of America during the Superstars for Hope campaign to continue their efforts to help put young people on the path to great futures.”
“We are so grateful to WWE and all those who have provided these exclusive experiences for the Superstars for Hope Fundraiser that benefits our Clubs,” says Jim Clark, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Club of America. “The strong partnership between WWE and Boys & Girls Clubs is helping every day to eradicate youth bullying in America.”
WWE and Charitybuzz have worked together for more than six years to raise nearly two million dollars for various nonprofits.
“WWE is not only a major name in entertainment, but they’re a genuinely philanthropic organization, mobilizing all of their channels to make a meaningful impact. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” said Ben Erwin, General Manager of Charitybuzz. “Charitybuzz is proud to provide the platform and support needed to complement WWE’s efforts and raise significant funds for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.”
The online auction highlights include:
Ultimate WrestleMania 35 Experience
* One Suite for 10 People at WrestleMania 35
* 10 Tickets to WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony
* 10 Tickets to WrestleMania Axxess
* Sneak peek of WrestleMania set before gates open
* Picture on ramp before WrestleManiaWWE Big 4 VIP Package
* Two tickets to SummerSlam 2018, Survivor Series 2018, Royal Rumble 2019 and WrestleMania 35
* Lunch with a WWE Superstar before Royal Rumble
* Meet Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, a backstage tour at SummerSlam and two tickets to the showA photo shoot with a WWE Superstar; available experiences include:
* Nia Jax
* Asuka
* Carmella
* Riott Squad
* AbsolutionAn opportunity to escort a WWE Superstar to the ring; available experiences include:
* Bobby Roode
* The New Day
* BayleyMore auction items include:
* One-hour pitch meeting with Mark Cuban
* Four tickets to “Live! With Kelly and Ryan”
* Miami Dolphins VIP Gameday Experience (4 tickets, field passes and parking)
* St. Louis Cardinals VIP Gameday Experience (4 tickets, battling practice and entrance into the museum)Fans can visit http://www.charitybuzz.com/wwethrough Tuesday, April 10, to see the full list of experiences and donate for their chance to win.
WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair and Sting will be replacing the injured Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania 34 Axxess in New Orleans next month.
It looks like Ambrose was pulled due to his injury and not some filming or other appearance as WrestleMania Week is all hands on deck. He was also pulled from several World of Wheels convention appearances this month, including this past weekend in Salt Lake City.
The RAW Superstar has been out of action since December after suffering a high-grade triceps tendon injury. Ambrose was expected to be out of action for 9 months, forcing him to miss WrestleMania. He reportedly met with doctors in Birmingham, Alabama a couple of weeks ago to get checked out.
Below is WWE’s announcement on Ambrose being pulled from Axxess:
Sting and Ric Flair to stand in for Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania Axxess Premium VIP Autograph SessionUnfortunately, Dean Ambrose will not be able to appear at the WrestleMania Axxess Premium VIP Autograph Session on Sunday, April 8, at 10 a.m. However, we are pleased to inform the WWE Universe that WWE Hall of Famers Sting and Ric Flair will appear at this Premium VIP Autograph Session. Your existing Dean Ambrose Premium VIP ticket will still grant you access to the Premium VIP Autograph Session on Sunday, April 8, at 10 a.m. with Sting and Flair.
We hope you enjoy WrestleMania Axxess. See you there!
Former WWE and WCW star Leon “Vader” White (Big Van Vader) underwent open heart surgery today in Dallas, Texas and according to his son Jesse, it was a success, but at the same time, worse than expected.
Jesse posted the update from Vader’s Twitter account.
Vader revealed last week that his heart rate “has slowed into the thirties.”
Vader spoke in-depth with Bill Apter about the surgery before it happened and called himself a “walking time bomb” due to having ten clogged blood vessels.
On November 14, 2016, Vader announced that he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure due to his football and wrestling careers. He visited two heart doctors and they told him he has only two years left to live.
Vader found out about the diagnosis after being involved in a roll-over car accident, which left him unconscious for 35 minutes. In December 2016, he explained to Hannibal TV:
“I was in the medical center and I was seeing my doctor, who is actually an MD, and heart specialists came into my room. They said ‘We’ve been looking at your heart’ and I said ‘Who are you?’ I didn’t recognize the guy. He said ‘You have two years to live. We’ve been looking at your heart, and that’s the deal.’
“It wasn’t much longer than that when he came back in the room — cause he left and obviously I had a bunch of questions and I’m in the process of answering those questions at this point. So for me to start talking would probably be premature at this point.
“I’ve been in the gym, I feel okay, I’ve been feeling pretty good actually. I don’t know exactly what he’s talking about or if something will show itself up in weeks to come, but right now I’m still trying to figure out exactly what’s going on.”
A few months later, Vader regretted tweeting that he only has two years left to live. He explained to Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling last March:
“I really kind of regret tweeting it out. In other words when I got diagnosed and was told, “Leon, you have a bad heart and you have congestive heart failure and we feel your time is limited and you have maybe a couple of years left… two years or less to live.
“I remember getting very angry and said this has gotta be bulls–t because I don’t feel bad and I remember getting extremely angry. Since that time and when I got the news I left the hospital and went right to the gym and rode the bike for a half hour. Hard. As hard as I could and when I got off the bike and got on the treadmill and walked for another 15 minutes pretty hard and I was exhausted but my heart felt fine so how can I do that if my heart is going to give out?
“The doctor in some of the ongoing appointments that I had with him explained to me that when you are tipping the scales at 400 and 420-25 pounds that a man that size and that heavy isn’t supposed to be able to push himself in a cardiovascular endeavor no matter what it is much past 2 or 3 minutes.”
Vader went on to say that he will continue to wrestle and that if the tests are proven to be true, he would like to die in the ring. However, in April, he passed out after a match in Japan due to a head injury. He apparently hasn’t wrestled since then.
Sources: WrestlingINC and Pro Wrestling sheet
Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH as the Road to WrestleMania 34 continues.
* John Cena takes on The Big Red Machine
* What’s “Woken” Matt Hardy’s next move?
* Braun Strowman needs a WrestleMania partner
* Are Stephanie McMahon & Triple H ready for Ronda Rousey & Kurt Angle?
* Will Roman Reigns be 100 percent for WrestleMania?
* Nia Jax’s pursuit of Alexa Bliss continues
* Does Finn Bálor owe Seth Rollins a rematch?
Three big matches have been announced for WWE’s Greatest Royal Rumble event – Triple H vs. John Cena, The Hardys vs. RAW Tag Team Champions The Bar and a Ladder Match with Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz.
Below is WWE’s full announcement on the matches:
John Cena takes on Triple H at the Greatest Royal Rumble; tickets available this Saturday, March 31RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA and STAMFORD, Conn. — For the first time since 2010, John Cena will go head-to-head with Triple H at the Greatest Royal Rumble event at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday, April 27, at 7 p.m. AST. Tickets for this historic event are available this Saturday, March 31, at 12 midnight AST via ticketingboxoffice.com. Tickets will also be available at 10 a.m. AST at Virgin stores throughout Saudi Arabia. Ticket prices start at 20 SAR.
Additionally, the Greatest Royal Rumble event will feature an Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Bálor vs. The Miz vs. Samoa Joe, and a Raw Tag Team Championship Match: The Hardy Boyz vs. Sheamus & Cesaro. A Ladder Match is when a championship title is suspended above the ring, and the first Superstar to climb to the top of a ladder and retrieve the title is the winner and champion.
General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia Chairman, His Excellency Turki Al Sheikh, WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia invite the world to celebrate this signature event, which includes the first-ever 50-Man Greatest Royal Rumble Match and seven championship matches.
Fans will also get to see WWE Superstars Roman Reigns, AJ Styles, Braun Strowman, The New Day, Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt and Shinsuke Nakamura, among others.
The inaugural Greatest Royal Rumble will deliver live family-friendly entertainment to passionate fans across the Middle East. It is the first event as part of a long-term partnership between WWE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Additional event details, including broadcast information, will be available in the coming weeks.
