Eric Young On Why He Left TNA & What Lies Ahead For Him

Source: WrestlingINC

Former TNA Wrestler Eric Young, called into Busted Open with Doug Mortman and Dave LaGreca to discuss why he left TNA and what lies ahead for him. Here are the highlights:

Eric Young on his reasons for leaving:

“For me, it’s twelve years and, sometimes, it’s time to move on. I’m not saying it’s because I wasn’t fulfilled with what I was doing there or the people I was working with. It just became time. I’m not a ‘dirt’ guy or ‘drag people through the mud’. TNA’s been my home for twelve years. They allowed me to make a pretty good living in professional wrestling for twelve years and I wish them all the luck. Things don’t end because they’re good. People don’t get divorced because they’re having an amazing love life and still love each other and things are great. Things end because they’re not the way they’re supposed to be. Things weren’t the way they’re supposed to be for me in my opinion, so it was time for me to step away and do something else. What that’s going to be, I don’t have any idea. It’s terrifying and exciting and there’s lots of stuff up in the air with wrestling. There’s some big stuff kind of in the works for television stuff for me right now that I can’t talk about contractually. It’s terrifying – I’m 36 years old and I’m unemployed for the first time in my life. It’s pretty crazy.”

Bobby Roode saying the TNA brand had become “stale”:

“I think what he was trying to say, I don’t know exactly, but what he’s trying to say is he’s a guy that’s done all of it… He’s done everything and is feeling stale himself. I don’t think he meant the brand. If it maybe came across that way, you’d have to ask him himself… For me, I was excited with what I was doing. I liked doing the heel thing. That was completely new to me. It has nothing to do with feeling stale for me. It was just time, professionally, to move on. It had nothing to do with in-ring. Often, the problems of the wrestling business get in the way of wrestling. That’s what it comes down to. The wrestling business got in the way of me being happy and things being right so it’s time for me to go do something else.”

What’s next for him:

“For me, going through in the future, I don’t know. It’s terrifying – I said that already once – terrifying and exciting to be unemployed… But there’s a lot of options and for me, I may not have the shiniest tool chest or maybe the newest tool chest or the fastest tool chest, but one thing I know for sure is I’ve got the f***ing biggest tool chest. And I’ve proven it. There’s not a single thing in wrestling that I can’t do and I’ve proven it. That’s not words. I’m not saying that because I haven’t done it. I’ve seen the card from every single angle. I’ve done tag, I can work X Division or cruiserweight or whatever you want to say, I’ve been world heavyweight champion and did well at that. I can make you laugh, I can make you hate me, I can make you cry, I can make you do a pile of things with wrestling. I’m terrible at life. I’m terrible at most things, but pro wrestling I can do and I’ve proven it. I’m not worried. Something’s going to happen and I can’t wait to see what that’s going to be.”

Whether NXT/WWE may be his future home:

“Obviously, it’s a definite possibility. From the second that something was put up, of course, the parallels are being drawn and it’s something that’s definitely an option for me. The book is wide open and never in my career have I had that. I’ve always been a TNA guy… It’s exciting to say that I’m going to open another chapter. I’ve got a good foothold in pro wrestling and it’s cool to kind of be able to choose and have that ability because not everyone gets the choice. It’s a very cool thing, very flattering.”

IC Title Ladder Match Added To WrestleMania 32, Stipulation Added To Shane VS Undertaker HIAC Match

Last night on RAW, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz and Sami Zayn all wanted a shot at Kevin Owens’ Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania. Owens says he will talk to Stephanie McMahon to set up a Triple Threat Match and the winner will face him at Mania. Stephanie agreed to allow Owens to set up the match.

When it came time for the match, Owens told Lillian that he’s got this and did the ring introductions. He brought out Stardust, Sin Cara and Zack Ryder for the #1 contender’s match. During the match, Zayn, Miz & Ziggler came out argued with Owens, and then all heck broke loose. The match ended and was apparently ruled a no contest.

Owens went to see Stephanie again, and She announced that Owens will defend his Title against all six of them in a Ladder Match at WrestleMania.

Intercontinental Championship – Ladder Match: (C) Kevin Owens VS Sami Zayn VS The Miz VS Dolph Ziggler VS Stardust VS Sin Cara VS Zack Ryder

 

Also last night on RAW, Vince McMahon announced that if the Undertaker doesn’t defeat Shane McMahon in their Hell in a Cell Match at WrestleMania then it will be his last. It has already been announced that if Shane wins he gets control of RAW.

 

Plus, AJ Styles issued a challenge to Chris Jericho for WrestleMania.

Chris Jericho responds to AJ Styles challenge in this RAW Fallout Video:

Here is the updated WrestleMania 32 card:

Hell in a Cell Match: Shane McMahon VS The Undertaker: If Shane wins he gets control of RAW. If Undertaker loses it will be his last WrestleMania Match.

WWE World Heavyweight Championship: (C) Triple H VS Roman Reigns

No Holds Barred Street Fight: Dean Ambrose VS Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman

Divas Championship – Triple Threat Match: (C) Charlotte w/Ric Flair VS Sasha Banks VS Becky Lynch

4 on 3 Handicap Match: The New Day VS The League of Nations

Intercontinental Championship – Ladder Match: (C) Kevin Owens VS Sami Zayn VS The Miz VS Dolph Ziggler VS Stardust VS Sin Cara VS Zack Ryder

United States Championship: (C) Kalisto VS Ryback

The Dudley Boyz VS The Usos

The 3rd Annual Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal

RAW Preview: 3/21/16

Source: WWE.com

Will Dolph Ziggler instigate himself into another all-or-nothing match?

Expect the Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch rivalry to kick into gear in a big way on RAW.

How will Lana and Team BAD make their presence known?

Who will enter in the third annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal?

Will Triple H & Stephanie McMahon settle their Roman Reigns problem in the ring or with a mountain of litigation?

Bobby Roode On Why He Left TNA, His Contract Status

Source: WrestlingINC

Bobby Roode spoke to the Peterborough Examiner about his decision to leave TNA. You can see highlights below.

Why he left TNA:

“It felt like it was the right time. After almost 13 years in a wrestling company I felt like there was nothing really left for me to do there. I wanted to mutually part ways. I have nothing negative to say about TNA Wrestling. They treated me very, very well. It was just a matter of me being in a part of my life where I’m not sure TNA was the right fit for me anymore. The brand has been stale for the last little while and the growth wasn’t there as it was in the early years.”

His contract status:

“”I’m a free agent so I can do anything I want as far as wrestling goes.”

Two TNA Veterans Done With The Company

Source: WrestlingINC

Bobby Roode and Eric Young finished up with TNA at Saturday’s Impact Wrestling tapings in Orlando.

The former TNA World Heavyweight Champions both requested their releases, according to PWInsider. Young had been negotiating a new deal but made the decision to ask for his release.

Both wrestlers are now free agents.

TNA Issued the following:

Impact Wrestling has come to terms on the release of veteran wrestlers Bobby Roode and Eric Young (Jeremy Fritz). Bobby and Eric have been valuable members of The Impact Roster since 2004 and we wish them nothing but the best in their careers going forward.

Bobby had this to say earlier today, “To the guys and girls I got to work with for the past 12 years, Impact Wrestling, the office and everyone associated with me getting to live this dream, I say thank you. It is time for me to move on to the next chapter in my life. This has been amazing.”

Eric Young had this to say. “Thank you. Thank you to everyone who watched me for the past 12 years. Thank you to Impact Wrestling. I wish everyone here nothing but the best going forward.”

Executive Vice President of Creative and Television, John Gaburick added, “Bobby and Eric are true professionals. We salute them for the 12 years they gave TNA.

With a Superstar roster including EC3, James Storm, Drew Galloway, Jeff and Matt Hardy, “The Destroyer” Bobby Lashley, Gail Kim, The Wolves, Maria Kanellis-Bennett and “The Miracle” Mike Bennett we couldn’t be more excited about showcasing the finest wrestling in the world for the Impact fans.”

In the coming weeks be sure to see the final matches of both Bobby Roode and Eric Young on Impact Wrestling at 9PM EST on Pop TV.

Sting Says He Isn’t Officially Retired

Source: WrestlingINC

Reports surfaced last week that soon-to-be WWE Hall of Famer Sting had decided to retire. However, according to the man himself, he hasn’t officially retired.

“My neck is okay. I’m not officially retired. There’s a lot of rumors out there, but I’m not officially retired,” said Sting to a TMZ reporter.

WWE Announces Stan Hansen To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame’s Class Of 2016

WWE announced the following:

Stan Hansen to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016

Stan Hansen, Borger, Texas’ nastiest resident, will take his place in sports-entertainment history on the eve of WrestleMania 32, when he is inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016. The news was reported by Tokyo Sports in Japan, the country where Hansen spent most of his storied career. They got exclusive comments from the man known as “The Lariat.”

Stan Hansen

Hansen’s journey to the ring began in an unusual place: On the gridiron at West Texas State University, a factory for future wrestlers. When his football days came to an end, Hansen stepped into the squared circle and quickly earned a reputation as one of the most vicious competitors in the sport. Hansen’s style of wrestling wasn’t technically proficient or beautiful by any stretch of the imagination. It was dirty, gritty and ferocious. And it worked.

With an ever-present scowl on his face and his bull rope in hand, The Bad Man from Borger made his way to WWE in 1976. Hansen immediately set his sights on then-WWE Champion Bruno Sammartino. The double-tough Texan stunned fans when he broke The Living Legend’s neck with a devastating clothesline that would become known as the Lariat.

After a rematch with Sammartino at Shea Stadium, Hansen traversed across the Pacific Ocean to Japan, where he became a legend. One of the most feared foreigners in Japanese wrestling history, Hansen was the first gaijin to earn victories over the country’s most revered grapplers, Giant Baba and WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki. While in Japan, Hansen also formed one of the most devastating tag teams in wrestling history with an old college friend, the unhinged Bruiser Brody. The cowboy and the fur-clad wildman had Japanese fans running from them as they entered the ring, and their opponents begging for mercy.

In between trips to Japan, Hansen returned to the U.S. to unleash his brand of brutality on American soil. The Bad Man from Borger won the AWA World Championship by defeating Rick Martel in 1985. He never lost the title, choosing to vacate it by running it over with his truck. In 1990, he ended Lex Luger’s record-setting reign as United States Champion. By 1991, he exclusively competed in Japan for the next 10 years, retiring in 2001 as a decorated champion and a legend in The Land of the Rising Sun.

Now, the surly outlaw will receive sports-entertainment’s highest honor, when he takes his place in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Cesaro Returning Soon?

WWE announced that Cesaro will be in action next month during the WrestleMania Revenge tour in Europe. They posted the following on Twitter, announcing that Cesaro would be in action at the April 15th live event in Amsterdam, Netherlands at the Ziggo Dome, which would mean that he will most likely be wrestling at the other shows on the tour. Cesaro has been claiming in interviews that he will not be able to make WrestleMania this year.

Mick Foley & Jeff Hardy To Donate Their Brains For CTE Research

Source: WrestlingINC

We mentioned a couple of weeks ago that WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE and WCW Champion Kevin Nash was going to donate his brain to help CTE research after his death and Rob Van Dam will also donate his brain. Now, Mick Foley and Jeff Hardy have also joined in on the cause.

In an interview that WrestlingINC.com  published earlier, former WWE and TNA world champion Jeff Hardy said that he’s only aware of about two or three concussions that he’s had, but still wants to donate his brain to the research cause.

In addition, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley mentioned on Twitter that he’s also donating his brain, and that former WWE Superstar Chris Nowinski talked him into doing it. Nowinski had his career ended due to concussions over ten years ago.

Sting To Announce His Retirement?

Source: WrestlingINC

TMZ reports that 2016 WWE Hall of Famer Sting has decided to retire from in-ring action.

Sting was reportedly evaluated by several doctors that agree it’s too risky for him to get back into the ring after suffering the neck injury against Seth Rollins at WWE Night of Champions last September.

Sting was reportedly diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis, which affects the nerves and can result in extreme pain and discomfort.

TMZ adds that Sting may make the official announcement at the Hall of Fame ceremony on April 2nd. Sting is said to be open to a non-physical role with the company but no offer had been made at last word.