In regards to WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor coming to the main roster, he could be called up by the end of the year but there are still short-term plans for him to be the face of NXT, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Live today.
There is still talk of having Samoa Joe defeat Balor for the NXT Title at NXT Takeover: Dallas, but that is not a lock.
We noted before that there has been talk of bringing Joe to the main roster, possibly as soon as the post-WrestleMania RAW, but a title win would extend the Balor vs. Joe feud and keep Joe in NXT for a little while longer.
Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella appeared on Good Morning America.
Daniel Bryan opens up to GMA about the physicality of WWE, safety, retiring and more. Wife Brie Bella also opens up about retiring soon from the sport as well.
It was evident that things were pretty bad for Ronda Rousey following her UFC 193 loss to Holly Holm. She was reclusive, didn’t speak to anyone, wasn’t training and wasn’t making public appearances. Things were much worse than she actually let on.
While appearing on Ellen today, Rousey mentioned that she thought about killing herself following the big title loss.
“Honestly, my thought I was like, in the medical room and I was down in the corner. I was sitting in the corner like, What am I anymore if I’m not this? And I was literally sitting there and thinking about killing myself and that exact second. I’m like I’m nothing, what do I do anymore and no one gives a sh*t about me anymore without this,” she said.
Rousey said that seeing her boyfriend, UFC fighter Travis Browne, helped change her mind and gave her a much more optimistic outlook.
“To be honest I looked up and I saw my man (Browne) was standing up there and I looked up at him and I was like, I need to have his babies I need to stay alive. Really that was it,” she said.
Rousey said that the public had never seen her moments of vulnerability, and now thinks that maybe it was meant to happen. She also explained the mindset of being undefeated and said that even though she lost in the cage, she didn’t want to be personally defeated.
“Everyone has their moment of picking themselves up off the floor, and I’ve had to before, but nobody’s ever seen me go through that before. Maybe that’s what I’m meant for. I believe I’m still undefeated, because being defeated is a choice. Everyone has losses in their life, but I choose to be undefeated,” an emotional Rousey said.
It’s been well documented that Rousey also lost her father to suicide. You can see Rousey’s comments on Ellen below.
WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler said Sunday that he is looking to open a wrestling-themed bar and grill on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.
Plans are in the works, he said, declining to provide additional details.
Lawler is signed to WWE, where he serves as the color commentator on the “Main Event” and “SmackDown” broadcasts.
A lifelong Memphian, the Lawler spends a lot of time in Memphis, appearing at festivals and other events around town.
MMA Legends Ken Shamrock & Royce Gracie will face each other again on Friday February 19, 2016 at Bellator 149 at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX live on Spike TV.
Also there will be a Bellator Fan Feast at Dave & Buster’s Thursday, Feb 18 at 8 p.m. CT, with Kurt Angle, Wanderlai Silva, Tito Ortiz, Liam McGeary & Phil Davis.
Fans of all ages are invited to Dave and Buster’s in Houston, TX to meet and receive autographs from some of the greatest and most popular combat sports fighters of all time. Fans will also have the opportunity to win tickets and great prizes, as well as snap a photograph with the Bellator ring girls. Fan Fest is exclusively for Bellator Nation Members only, becoming an official Bellator Nation Member is simple and FREE. Click here to register and RSVP to Fan Fest. If you are already a member of Bellator Nation you will receive an email invitation to RSVP.
Kurt Angle may have finished up his pro wrestling dates with TNA, but he’s not retiring, as he’s said many times. As it turns out, he’ll be in the ring rather soon, and against an old foe in Rey Mysterio.
A promotion called UR Fight is putting on a pro wrestling/boxing/grappling/ MMA card that features several former WWE names. Ken Shamrock is advertised to take on Dan Severn in an MMA fight, while Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen are set to grapple. Roy Jones Jr will also box on the show…against a fan.
The show takes place March 20 from the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. The show will be broadcast on IPPV.
WWE Superstar John Cena Named Honorary Pace Car Driver for the 58th Annual DAYTONA 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2016) – WWE Superstar and actor John Cena will serve as the Honorary Pace Car Driver for the 58th annual DAYTONA 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. at Daytona International Speedway (TV – FOX, FOX Deportes; Radio – MRN Radio, SiriusXM). Cena will pace the 43-car field to the green flag in a Toyota Camry.
Cena, a 15-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, has been at the forefront of WWE’s programming for more than a decade, and most recently starred on the big screen in the Golden Globe-nominated “Trainwreck” as well as “Sisters” with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. He next will host FOX’s upcoming reality competition series AMERICAN GRIT, in which contestants work together to complete a variety of military-grade and survival-themed challenges. The series premieres Thursday, April 14 (9:00 -10:00 pm ET/PT) on FOX.
“John Cena is one of the most iconic WWE Superstars in history, a great actor and philanthropist,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “We welcome him back to the ‘World Center of Racing’ and our new motorsports stadium, this time to pace the field for ‘The Great American Race.’ ”
In addition to his celebrity accolades, Cena is a wish ambassador for Make-A-Wish having granted more than 500 wishes – more than any other celebrity or athlete in the history of the organization. Make-A-Wish has recognized Cena’s unwavering dedication to children with life-threatening medical conditions with their highest honor, the Chris Greicius Award.
There was a scary moment at Thursday night’s WWE NXT live event in Jacksonville, FL. Wrestling Inc. correspondent Travis Akers noted that during a 6-man tag match between Dawson, Dash & Riddick Moss vs Sami Zayn, Enzo & Cass, Riddick was injured during a 6-man suplex. Riddick immediately went unconscious and the ref gave the “X”, as seen in the video below.
In a very scary moment, he did not respond for over a minute. Paramedics arrived and assisted Riddick out of the ring and to the back after he regained consciousness.
Akers asked Cass about Riddick after the show, who said Riddick hit hard and it was bad. As seen in the photo below, officials helped take Riddick out of the building.
There are major cash flow and pay issues with many AAA luchadores in Mexico, with the highest profile talent being Rey Mysterio. Mysterio is apparently done with AAA due to the late pay and corporate disorganization. He last appeared for the promotion last December.
Mysterio isn’t the only talent to be frustrated with the company, as there is a lot of disenchantment in AAA right now and several talent have complained about late pay. Many luchadores and office staff have contacted CMLL and ELITE about jumping, and some have reached out to WWE intermediaries. Chris Master also recently took to Twitter and posted a message about not receiving “a cent of help” from AAA after suffering an injury while wrestling for them, but deleted the tweet.
According to sources, the only way Mysterio would return to AAA is if they paid up and offered him guaranteed creative control.
