Stardust asks to be released from WWE 

We have learned via Twitter that WWE superstar Cody Rohdes who currently wrestles under the name Stardust has asked for his release from the company as of today.

The tweet reads 

 The past ten years have been quite the trek, but as of earlier today I have asked for my release from @WWE I’ll speak further on the matter shortly. Thank you to all the pro-wrestling/sports entertainment fans worldwide. Thank you

No word at this time from our sources on what may have caused him to ask for his release, but the wrestler had recently been teasing that he may be dropping the Stardust gimmick.
His wife WWE announcer Eden Rhodes tweeted shortly after saying, “Could not be any prouder or more supportive.”

(GLOW) Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling Coming To Netflix

Source: WrestlingINC

GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) owner Ursula Hayden, also known as Babe The Farmer’s Daughter, announced on Facebook earlier this week that she signed a deal for a full new season of GLOW TV on Netflix. No other details were given but Diva-Dirt reports that Jenji Kohan, the creator of hit shows Orange Is The New Black and Weeds, is set to begin working on the series. It was also indicated that they are working on a pilot but the full season has not been confirmed yet.

GLOW will apparently tell the tale of a struggling actress in the 1980’s, who lands a role on a cult women’s wrestling show – GLOW. The Netflix series will focus on the actress struggling through the “many highs and lows of the (not so) glamorous world of wrestling.”

Kohan is executive producing while Carly Mensch (Nurse Jackie, Weeds) and Liz Flahive (Nurse Jackie, Homeland) will be writing the pilot.

Kohan got the idea for the new series after watching a GLOW documentary available on Netflix.

WWE Extreme Rules Card 5/22/16

WWE World Heavyweight Championship – Extreme Rules Match: (C) Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles

WWE Women’s Championship – Submission Match – Ric Flair Is Banned From Ringside: (C) Charlotte vs. Natalya

Asylum Match: Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho

Intercontinental Championship – Fatal 4-Way: (C) The Miz w/Maryse vs. Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn

United States championship: (C) Kalisto vs. Rusev w/Lana

WWE Tag Team championship: (C) New Day vs. The Vaudevillains

Tornado Tag Match: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. The Usos

(Kickoff) No DQ Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin

 

Aiden English On Coming Up With The Vaudevillains, Help From Vickie Guerrero, Fans Taking To Them

Source: WrestlingINC via TheWhig.com

Aiden English of The Vaudevillains recently spoke with The Kingston Whig-Standard to promote WWE Extreme Rules. The full interview is at this link. Below are highlights:

Coming up with The Vaudevillains in WWE NXT:

“I had been in NXT for probably about two years when this (idea) came up. We had just started at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando and at the time, I was doing my theatrical, artiste entrance to the ring and doing things on my own and Simon Gotch had just recently come to WWE. I think someone basically suggested, ‘Hey, Simon has this unique look, you have this whole entertainer, artiste thespian persona going on, is there anything there?’ To be fair, we did not know each other so this wasn’t something we originally threw together, but when somebody kind of tossed the idea out there, we got together and we’re like, ‘How can we turn this into something?'”

“All I remember was that somebody threw out the word vaudeville. Obviously, coming from a theatre background, I loved all that stuff. So I literally went home that night, sat on my bed and said, ‘Hmm, vaudeville … alright, we’re going to do a team … vaudeville … Vaudevillains.’ … It literally rolled off my tongue as I said it out loud. I went, ‘OK, let’s try that,’ and boom, literally the next day off we went, we started teaming, we started doing shows, then NXT and so on and so forth.”

Fans embracing the gimmick:

“I think, given the chance, I believe that they’ll take to it quite, quite keenly. As time goes on, and people see us every single week, they’ll grow to understand why we say the things we say, why we do the things we do and what makes us real men, as we put it, and I think this Sunday at Extreme Rules on the WWE Network, that’s going to be a really good opportunity for everybody to see what we can do.”

His mother-in-law Vickie Guerrero:

“Obviously, anytime you have family or friends or anybody who has been in the business you’re in or been down the path, it’s an invaluable asset, an invaluable centre for advice. My mother-in-law Vickie is an amazing person and has been nothing but helpful and supportive. She helps with the little things, dealing with being on the road and being away from home and how to keep up communication and little things like where the best hotels are, how to find a gym, little things on the road. She’s helped me deal with this transition from NXT where I was primarily just in Florida to now with WWE, where I’m on the road every single week, something she knows plenty about. She’s been nothing but helpful and supportive and very, very sweet and kind.”

Check out the full interview with English at this link.

SmackDown Preview: 5/19/16

Source: WWE.com

Roman Reigns vs. Luke Gallows

Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens

What will happen when Jericho checks into the Asylum?

New Day & Big Cass vs. The Dudley Boyz & The Vaudevillains

Paige vs. Dana Brooke

John Cena To Host 2016 ESPY Awards

John Cena will be hosting the 2016 ESPY Awards for ESPN on Wednesday, July 13th.

ESPN issued the following:

WWE® Superstar John Cena to Host The 2016 ESPYS on ABC on July 13The 2016 ESPYS Presented by Capital One will be hosted by WWE Superstar, actor and television host John Cena, who is best known as a 15-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion and record-setting Make-A-Wish granter. The ESPYS will be broadcast live on ABC Wednesday, July 13, at 8 p.m. ET from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Cena—who is the host and executive producer of American Grit, a new military-inspired competition series on FOX and has appeared in hit comedies Trainwreck and Sisters—will be joined by top athletes and celebrities to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major achievements, reliving unforgettable moments, and saluting the leading performers and performances. The ESPYS raise more than $1 million annually for The V Foundation, the charity founded by ESPN and the late basketball coach Jim Valvano to promote cancer research.

“It is truly an honor to be named host of The 2016 ESPYS,” said Cena. “Not only will the biggest names in sports and entertainment come together to recognize some of the most spectacular athletic performances of the year, but we’ll also raise funds for The V Foundation to further much-needed cancer research.”

As a WWE Superstar, actor, TV host and philanthropist, Cena devotes much of his time working on behalf of numerous charitable causes. He is Make-A-Wish’s most requested wish granter of all time and the only celebrity to grant 500 wishes. Cena is also committed to Susan G. Komen and its support of breast cancer research and awareness, and is a longtime supporter of the U.S. military, recently recognized by USO Metro as the recipient of their 2016 Legacy of Achievement Award.

“John is not only a superstar athlete and entertainer, but also a motivational force who inspires fans across the globe,” said executive producer Maura Mandt. “John approaches all of his endeavors with energy, enthusiasm and passion so we expect him to bring a new level of excitement to the night’s celebration.”

In addition to his work in the community, Cena is a powerhouse on social media with more than 41 million Facebook fans, making him the most popular active U.S. athlete on Facebook. He has recently appeared on Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Ellen, The Tonight Show and CONAN, among others. He also frequently co-hosts the 9 a.m. hour of TODAY.

The celebration of the best moments from the year in sports kicks off with The ESPYS Countdown Show Presented by Capital One airing from 5-6 p.m. ET, SportsCenter at The ESPYS from 6-7 p.m. ET, then another hour of The ESPYS Countdown Presented by Capital One from 7-8 p.m. ET on ESPN prior to the start of the awards. The ESPYS are executive produced by Maura Mandt and MaggieVision Productions.

The application site for media credentials for The 2016 ESPYS will open on June 6. Tickets are available for public purchase at AXS.com. For additional ESPYS news and information, please follow the official Twitter handle: @ESPYS.

The ESPYS

The ESPYS gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 2016 ESPYS will recognize both sport-specific achievements, such as “Best MLB Player” and “Best WNBA Player,” and best-in-sport winners, such as “Best Team” or “Best Female Athlete” that pit nominees from different sports against each other. Inspiring human stories are showcased through three pillar awards – the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, the Jimmy V Perseverance Award and the Pat Tillman Award for Service. The ESPYS support ESPN’s ongoing commitment to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, launched by ESPN with the late Jim Valvano in 1993.

Emma Update After Undergoing Back Surgery

Emma underwent successful back surgery yesterday for a ruptured disc. WWE has not released an official update on when she may be back but she’s in good spirits and resting at home.

Emma tweeted the following:

Lucha Underground: The Gender bender of professional wrestling 

Lucha Underground is what we like to call the unconventional side of professional wrestling. It takes two elements (Horror movies & wrestling) throws them together and produces in our minds is the best promotion out there.

They don’t shy away from violence, and they always deliver bell to bell action. In a day and age where women’s wrestling is ever changing Lucha underground takes that to a whole other level.

In the past we’ve seen Evalise battle for the Lucha Underground heavyweight title, we’ve seen Catrina being barried alive, we’ve seen sexy star vs Prntingon (a man triple her size) and let’s not forget the suicide dive from Taya off a steel cage

Lucha Underground has created a trend for breaking gender norms and that carried over to the May 4th episode. It was a match between Sexy Star and Mariposa. It wasn’t just any match though, it was a no más match (I quit match) and an Aztec medallion was up for grabs.

This match was an all out war (that you can view here http://youtu.be/V9MLmHnmIr0)

These two put their bodies on the line in ways we have never seen. At one point in the match Mariposa took a chair shot to the groin (yep you read that right). During the match sexy star was bleeding like a stuck pig. They even battled from the top of the rafters leaving everyone on the edge of their seats.

There was of course run ins from Marty the moth and Mac. While watching the match it seemed that Mariposa was closing in on a victory. Sexy star wouldn’t quit though. She even shouted explcits at Mariposa, creating an epic television moment. Ultimately sexy star got Mariposa to utter the words “No más” earning her not only a victory but an Aztec medallion for her troubles.

If you haven’t watched the match you need to do so. The match has already made headlines not just in the world of professional wrestling but in the world of business as well. Forbes.Com did a piece on this match praising sexy star of her accomplishments inside the ring.

Forbes went on to say

As arguably the strongest female character in the wrestling business today, Sexy Star is a marketing goldmine for Lucha Underground. With a recognizable mask which could become a stable of her character just as it has for Mysterio, a catchy name that stays true to her lucha background and a genuine appeal to men, women and children, Sexy Star has the potential to be a top merchandise seller and one of the few wrestlers outside WWE who can transcend wrestling into mainstream media.

Sexy Star had this to say about the groundbreaking match.

“My match against Mariposa has been one of the best things that have ever happened to me because it allowed me to make it clear to everyone what true women wrestling is. It’s not scratching each other followed by glamorous poses,We are not two beautiful women pulling each other’s hair. A real female match is a match between to gladiators, two warriors who are ready for anything and who are willing to leave their blood splattered in the ring if it’s necessary. In a true female match, participants defend their dignity with their moves, high flying action, hits, chairs and whatever else might be need, because when two women truly want to win, they are willing to risk it all, including their lives.”

“For decades, due to poor representation, female wrestlers have been expected to step into the ring to show off their bodies and model. It feels great to know that the public is clear that my fight with Mariposa was not that, That fight demonstrated that the public has been living in a fog. Thanks to Lucha Underground and their belief in women and their power, we have been allowed the platform we deserve and we the women have made sure to defend our space and value within the company at all costs, even blood. That match was only a little sample of the type of fight women who truly love lucha and defend their dignity with much more than a nice body and pretty face are capable of.

Forbes continued to praise Sexy Star by saying

While it would be easy for Sexy Star to rest on her laurels now that she has become one of the elite talents in Lucha Underground, her match against Mariposa proved she is one of the most gifted performers in the company. Sexy Star is a proficient wrestler, but it is her ability to tell a convincing story in the ring and get the fans emotionally invested that separates her from other performers.

With every great star, there will be doubters, though. Wrestling pundits have been critical at times of intergender matches in Lucha Underground, but Sexy Star has truly embodied what it means to be a powerful and strong woman by throwing gender norms out the window. There is a fundamental change in the world with women finally getting the respect and recognition they deserve, and Sexy Star is the perfect representation of that movement in wrestling.
Sexy Star’s character and storylines are also prime examples of Lucha Underground not trying to be WWE or anything else we’ve ever seen in wrestling. Interngender matches and violent battles between two female athletes—and the stories that justify them—are just some of the reasons the brand has built such a hardcore and devoted following.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Don’t sleep on Lucha underground. They have proven time and time again that they are one of if not the best promotion out there. If you call yourself a professional wrestling fan then you need to be watching Lucha, and they way they respect women’s wrestling is only the beginning.

NXT Preview: 5/18/16

The following was taped for tonight’s NXT on the WWE Network:

Austin Aries and a partner of his choosing vs. Blake and Murphy

Carmella vs. Peyton Royce

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa vs. Danny Birch and Rob Ryzin

Nia Jax vs. Bayley

 

 

Charlotte Breaking WWE Record

Source: WrestlingINC

Charlotte will be hitting a milestone and breaking a WWE record this Sunday at Extreme Rules as she’ll be featured in her 11th consecutive WWE PPV. First uncovered by a user on Reddit, this is the longest streak of pay-per-views involving a single woman in WWE history.