WWE Considering London As Host City For Wrestlemania

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Could a future WrestleMania be coming to London? The answer may not be as cut-and-dry as it once was.

According to The Independent, fans at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando were given a survey about which cities they would like to see host future iterations of the event, and London was on the list.

There’s no question that a WrestleMania show in London would sell out – the city is a hotbed for wrestling, both for WWE and the UK’s independent scene. Tens of thousands of fans travel from Europe to the U.S. for ‘Mania and the attendant festivities each and every year, and London would be a much easier trek for them than, say, Dallas.

WWE has long avoided hosting a worldwide Pay-Per-View event outside of the contiguous United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico simply because of the time zone issue. With WWE’s core audience located in the U.S., a show outside in London would either have to air early in the day, take place in the middle of the night, or air on a tape delay. In the case of SummerSlam 1992 – the last major event held in the U.K. – they chose tape delay, but even the young Internet of the day hosted spoilers before the show aired in the U.S.

Now that PPV has been replaced by the WWE Network as a revenue stream, though, things like timing and spoilers won’t hurt the financial performance of any individual show. With that in mind, putting on a show – even WrestleMania – that airs at noon ET is less of a concern.

Source: WhatCulture.com

WWE Money In The Bank (SmackDown) 6/18/17

Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: AJ Styles vs. United States Champion Kevin Owens vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin vs. Sami Zayn

WWE Championship: (C) Jinder Mahal vs. Randy Orton

SmackDown Women’s Championship: (C) Naomi vs. Lana

SmackDown Tag Team Championship: (C) The Usos vs. The New Day

Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Charlotte Flair vs. Natalya vs. Becky Lynch vs. Carmella vs. Tamina

(Kickoff) The Hype Bros vs. The Colons

Scott Steiner On Why He Left TNA, Never Going To WWE Hall Of Fame, Today’s ‘Cookie Cutter’ Promos

Scott Steiner spoke with Ring Rust Radio on a number of wrestling topics. Here are some of the highlights:

Why he initially left TNA:

“When I left nothing impressed me; that’s why I left. The change of management which was a problem because Dixie Carter is an idiot and then she brought in these other idiots like Hulk Hogan. I was just like damn; I got to get the hell out of here. I watched them from afar and their pockets kept getting run down and then thank God, someone else bought it, ran her out and now the right guy is back in charge being Jeff Jarrett. That’s basically who I started with before when Jeff started Impact Wrestling. I definitely wanted to come back and work for the organization again.”

Hall of Fame inductions:

“I am already in a couple Hall of Fames like the Michigan Hall of Fame and the Dan Gable Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame so my accolades speak for themselves. Let’s just say I’m not losing any sleep over any Hall of Fame induction. The one Hall of Fame that I refuse to go in is the WWE Hall of Fame because do you know where it’s at? Where is it? Do you have an address? It’s a bunch of bulls—. If they called me up, I wouldn’t go because there’s no address; you can’t go see it, so, where is it? What do you think they do with that Ric Flair statue, the one he was jumping up and down over? Where do you think that statue is at right now? If you had to guess right now where do you think it’s at? I say it’s in Triple H’s bedroom. Let me ask you this, do you think they made a statue of Macho Man? If they made a statue of Macho Man where did you think it would be? It would be in Stephanie’s bedroom. It’s a freaking joke. If you can have a Hall of Fame, at least have an address. That’s the only Hall of Fame I laugh at. Come on man, give me a break.”

How his generation cut promos compared to WWE’s approach today:

“I think why the fans could relate to me is because when I went out there, you could tell I was telling the truth. You could tell I wasn’t bulls—ting and I was putting it on the line and if people don’t like it, then do something about it. A lot of my frustrations were with management and a lot of my frustrations were with candy asses in wrestling like guys who weren’t tough, but try to come across as such. People could really tell how I came out and in the way, I spoke my mind, I was to the point, direct and really no bulls—. I think that’s why the people related to what I was saying. As far as nowadays, I feel sorry for guys, especially with what they do in the WWE. They are cookie cutters. You got 20 or 30 idiot writers with the two biggest idiots being Stephanie McMahon and Hunter McMahon. I say Hunter McMahon because I can’t tell which one is the bigger douche, her or him. I’ll give him her last name because he’s a man without a backbone. So, got those two and the 30 writers trying to write for all these guys and they all got the same mindset trying to make all these characters. When I came up, it was Macho Man and all these other guys and you had to come up with your own stuff. If you didn’t come up with your own stuff, you weren’t getting over. If you can’t relate to the crowd, can’t make people hate you, can’t make people like you, you didn’t have a job. Now it’s like do this, do this, do this, and everything is way too staged. It’s hard to watch, it really is. I feel bad for the fans because they are cheating the fans and that’s what happens when you don’t have competition. Look at the WWE, their ratings are just horrific. I don’t know what to say or what they will do. Go buy another company so you can bury some other guys? They are a bunch of a–holes. When you got competition, it makes people think outside the box. When the ratings are down you got to reach to a higher level and come up with different ideas. Nowadays you can put crap out there and if it doesn’t work, who cares? What else are they going to watch? That’s their mindset and it’s just disgusting.”

Source: WrestlingINC

You cam listen to the full interview below:

IWC Radio’s Exclusive Interview With WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne

IWC Radio’s Martyn Nolan was scheduled to attend the NXT live show in Manchester on the 6th June. Due to the recent tragic events which have unfolded in Manchester and London in the past few weeks, this event was understandably cancelled.
 
However, WWE were kind enough to offer all those who had purchased tickets for the Manchester show a complimentary ticket for the following night in Leeds. It’s there that IWC radio were fortunate enough to be invited to catch up with the newly crowned WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne for a few quick questions before the show later that evening.
 
Full Interview (YouTube): https://youtu.be/D8fdwluZCv0
 
TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW
 
Martyn Nolan: Where did the term Bruiserweight originate?
 
Pete Dunne: I was in China for 3 months, doing a tour and I was teaming with CJ Banks. We needed a name and it was around the time of the Cruiserweight Classic. We thought Bruiserweight’s was a pretty funny name. We put it on social media and never thought anymore of it. Then, Andy Quildan from Revolution Pro Wrestling contacted me and said that he wanted to bring me in and use this Bruiserweight stuff. Whilst there, I just added pieces to the puzzle and it’s become what it is today. That year, I was trying to stand out as much as possible and the term Bruiserweight really fit my character and people seem to like it.
 
Martyn Nolan: Obviously, everything has happened so fast for you with WWE. Is there a particular moment where you feel that you need someone to pinch you to make sure this is actually happening?
 
Pete Dunne: It’s always afterwards. This all moves so fast and it’s one thing to the next and they keep you working really hard. Ultimately, you’re focused on doing the best job that you can. It’s when you go back to independent shows and get the chance to speak to fans and even notice queues at your merchandise stands. It’s a massive difference and it makes you realise how much exposure the WWE Network can give you. Myself and Trent Seven are always talking to each other saying “How did this happen!?”. Again, I think it’s the speed of it all. Most people come in, they go to NXT, they build up, their stock rises, and by the time they get to the roster it’s a natural progression. Whereas with us, it feels like it’s all happened at once and I can’t thank WWE enough for that.
 
Martyn Nolan: This is the first time WWE have performed to a UK audience since the tragedies in Manchester and London, how does it feel for you and the other talent to be involved in NXT Leeds tonight?
 
Pete Dunne: I think it’ll be really special tonight. Obviously it was unfortunate that they had to cancel the Manchester show but I think it was the right thing to do in my opinion. They’ll be a lot of people from Manchester here tonight so hopefully it’ll be pretty special. I didn’t personally get to meet any of those affected in Manchester but I know a lot of the guys who did and they was telling me how special it was. That’s the power of WWE, getting the chance to experience something like that is really special.
 
Martyn Nolan: It’s common that British wrestling fans keep asking if there is the chance that WWE will hold a WrestleMania in the UK. Is this something that’s ever spoken about between the talent in the back?
 
Pete Dunne: It’s not something I’ve heard but it’s always something I try to talk about. Considering my  responsibility of being the UK Champion, if I can help that happen, then I will do my best. Whether it’s that, a different PPV or another WWE Network special, the more of that stuff then the better. The more British wrestling we can get then that’s got to be better. I hope that one day we can do that and that I can be a part of it.
 
Martyn Nolan: Obviously, here in the UK you’re part of the ‘British Strong Style’ faction with Tyler Bate and Trent Seven. If you could feud with any other faction, who would it be?
 
Pete Dunne: I would have to think about that one. In the UK brand, I would personally like to have a continued rivalry with Mark Andrews, he’s always my favourite opponent and if I could do that in different stages with WWE then I would be really happy. I’d also like to have a rematch with Tyler Bate.
Source: Martyn Nolan/IWC Radio

WWE Reveals First Four Competitors For Mae Young Classic

WWE has officially released the first four names to be included in this year’s 32-women Mae Young Classic.

International standout Toni Storm, NXT Superstars Lacey Evans and Sarah Logan, and lucha libre champion Princesa Sugehit are the first four competitors officially confirmed for WWE’s inaugural Mae Young Classic.

The announcement brings into focus the global scale of the 32-woman tournament, coming this summer to the award-winning WWE Network.

The tournament will be taped on July 13 and 14 at Full Sail University with a live finals on September 12.

Click in this link for more info on these four competitors.

Health Update On NJPW Stars, Tomoaki Honma And Katsuyori Shibata

After receiving a neck injury from a DDT off the second rope, Tomoaki Honma was moved to a rehabilitation hospital in Osaka where he received muscle training. Yesterday, Honma stopped by the NJPW offices to give fans a message:

“After about three and a half months of being in the hospital, I was finally discharged. I’m dying to get back out there, so I’m working hard on recovering! Thanks for your support!”

Yesterday, NJPW Referee, Red Shoes, took this photo of Honma working out:

 

Katsuyori Shibata was injured during his main event match with Kazuchika Okada at NJPW’s Sakura Genesis on April 9th. During the match, Shibata hit Okada with a stiff headbutt, which caused Shibata to start bleeding from the forehead. Shibata was taken to the hospital after the match and was diagnosed with subdural hematoma. While he underwent successful surgery, it still looks likely that is going to be his final match.

According to @STRIGGA of Purolove.com, Shibata has updated his blog about where his health is currently at:

Source: WrestlingINC

Impact Wrestling Announces Slammiversary XV Commentary Team

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Impact Wrestling announced the following:

IMPACT Wrestling Taps MLB/NHL Announcer Robert Flores For SlammiversaryDon West Comes Back For Color Commentary Duties

NASHVILLE (June 13, 2017) — IMPACT Wrestling is dipping into the high-profile sports world for a little broadcasting help at Slammiversary 15, a pay-per-view extravaganza on July 2 in Orlando, Florida.

IMPACT has signed Robert Flores to be the lead announcer for Slammiversary, to work alongside longtime IMPACT color commentator Don West, who is making a one-night return behind the microphone.

IMPACT faced an announcing dilemma for Slammiversary as broadcasters Josh Mathews and Jeremy Borash are wrestling in a tag-team match as the animosity between the two has boiled over in recent weeks. Borash and Joseph Park will team up against Mathews and “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner, one of the most powerful and feared wrestlers of all time.

Flores is a studio host appearing across MLB Network’s programming, including MLB Network’s Emmy Award-winning daily studio show, MLB Tonight. In addition to MLB Network, Flores is a studio host for NHL Network and contributes across MLB Advanced Media’s digital properties, including MLB.com and Sports On Earth.

Flores joined MLB Network and NHL Network in 2016 from ESPN, where he most recently anchored SportsCenter, ABC’s college football studio updates and ESPN2’s Fantasy Football Now. Flores joined ESPN in 2005 as an ESPNews anchor and later contributed to a variety of studio shows, including Baseball Tonight, NBA Fastbreak and Friday Night Fights.

Flores is a lifelong pro wrestling fan.

“I’m excited to have a part in this year’s Slammiversary and grateful to Jeff Jarrett for this unique opportunity,” Flores said.

Flores said the match that he’s most excited to announce is for the X-Division Championship. “I’m a fan of high-flyers,” Flores said.

A Texas native, Flores earned his bachelor’s degree in radio and television from the University of Houston in 1992. Flores attended J. Frank Dobie High School in Houston and is a member of their JFD Hall of Fame. His wrestling roots are engrained in his Houston childhood.

“To play a role in Slammiversary alongside Don West is really cool,” Flores said. “Slammiversary is an event 15-years in the making, and the best always separate themselves on the biggest stages – be it the in the wrestling ring or the World Series.

“I can’t wait to see what the IMPACT Wrestling stars do on July 2nd at Slammiversary.”

Don West broke onto the broadcasting scene in the 1990s on the Shop At Home Network. He was the popular, loud, energetic, abrasive salesman, pitching countless products on late-night television – and he even was in a parody video (portrayed by actor Will Ferrell) during a segment of Saturday Night Live.

West spent about 10 years as a color commentator for IMPACT Wrestling, dating back to the company’s first-ever event on June 19, 2002.

“I am so excited to be a part of IMPACT again and to be a part of the great Slammiversary weekend,” West said. “As an avid sports and baseball fan, it will be a great honor to work next to Robert Flores as I have admired his professionalism for years. When Jeff Jarrett asked me to do this, I had only one response, ‘YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!'”

“It will be great to see and hear Don West back on an IMPACT Wrestling broadcast; no one brings more energy and excitement to a broadcast than Don,” said Jeff Jarrett, the Chief Creative Officer for IMPACT Wrestling. “Having a broadcaster on Slammiversary at the level that Robert Flores has achieved is unbelievable. We are so excited to have RoFlo in the IMPACT family – and broadcast booth.”

Impact Wrestling Preview 6/15/17

* X-Division Championship: (C) Low Ki vs. Sonjay Dutt

* Sony SIX invitational 10-Man Gauntlet Match

* Josh Mathews public sparring session

WWE Clears Up “Free Agent” Confusion Regarding John Cena Return

WWE.com is featuring an article regarding John Cena returning to Smackdown Live in a few weeks on July 4 and the confusion regarding his “free agent” status.

If you recall, WWE released a video promo earlier this week promoting Cena’s return on July 4 and listed him as a “free agent” at the end of the clip.

According to the WWE article, Cena became a free agent following the Superstar Shake Up that took place after WrestleMania 33. Cena has been off television since proposing to Nikki Bella t at WrestleMania this past April in Orlando.

The article does tease the possibility of Cena either staying with Smackdown Live or possibly making the jump to RAW going forward. Either way, it would be appear to clear up a lot of confusion regarding the promotion by WWE in the last week.

Source: WrestleView.com

More On Braun Strowman’s WWE Return

After having minor elbow surgery, reports have gone back and forth on if Braun Strowman is cleared for action by the WWE.

No matter the case, it looks like he will be scheduled to work the Great Balls of Fire PPV on July 9. It’s expected to be against Roman Reigns, since that was the original plan before Strowman would go on to face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.

Strowman and Lesnar’s SummerSlam match was – as of last week – planned to be the show’s main event.

Source: WrestlingINC