Jim Ross Applies For New Trademark As His WWE Departure Nears

On March 7, 2019, WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross applied for a new trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Under Ross’s business entity, J.R.’s Blackhat Enterprises, LLC, which also owns the intellectual property behind Ross’s barbecue products, book, and stage shows, the professional wrestling veteran has applied to trademark ‘The Voice Of Wrestling’.

According to Ross’s application, the trademark is to be used for live and personal appearances, and podcasts, including video podcasts.

This news comes hot off the heels of Ross’s announcement that he will be parting ways with WWE at the end of March 2019. Moreover, in recent weeks, Ross has stated that he will likely begin a new podcasting project with pro wrestling superfan and entrepreneur Conrad Thompson, which will replace the current incarnation of Westwood One’s Jim Ross Report.

“It’s moving along well,” Ross said of the new venture on The Jim Ross Report recently. “It looks as if, unless something happens in the 11th hour, it’s going to be a go. If it goes like Conrad and I have strategized and gameplanned it, it will replace this format and I’ll keep you posted on that. It’ll replace this format and make it better, so I’m looking forward to that. Conrad has done a great job with Eric Bischoff and Tony Schiavone [on their respective podcasts].”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Dolph Ziggler Gives Update On Status With WWE

Earlier today, Dolph Ziggler spoke with 98.5’s Wrestling Inside the Ropes about his current status with WWE.

The last time fans saw Ziggler on WWE TV was in January where he entered the Royal Rumble match at number 28. Making it to the final four, Ziggler would eliminate his former tag partner, Drew McIntyre, and eventually be eliminated by Braun Strowman.

During his interview, Ziggler was asked if he was still under contract with WWE and while he technically is, it’s under more of a “handshake agreement” to allow him to have outside opportunities, like his stand-up comedy.

“Technically, I am, yes,” Ziggler said. “It’s weird because for the last two years I’ve had somewhat of a handshake agreement, kind of behind closed doors deal with WWE. I’ve been able to do a lot of things, on my own, not at WWE, just because of the relationship we’ve had for the last 14 years. I have a bit of a handshake agreement right now, but we’ll know some more details in the coming months.”

You can listen to Ziggler’s full interview at link below.

https://omny.fm/shows/wrestling-inside-the-ropes/wwe-superstar-and-comedian-dolph-ziggler/embed

Source: Wrestling Inc.

oVe’s Jake & Dave Crist Re-Sign With Impact Wrestling

Wrestling Inc. reports that oVe’s Dave and Jake Crist have re-signed multi-year contracts with IMPACT Wrestling. The terms of their deals are not disclosed.

The former IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champions, with Sami Callihan, have been feuding of late with Rich Swann, Willie Mack and Tommy Dreamer. oVe will take on all three in a six-man match that is scheduled for this Friday on IMPACT Wrestling.

Jake Crist spoke to Wrestling Inc. to discuss oVe’s relationship with Swann and why they decided to re-sign with IMPACT.

“IMPACT has always been home to us,” said Crist. “They always gave us a platform and were the first ones to give us a chance so why not stay loyal? I know this business isn’t a loyal business, but we’re loyal people.”

Jake and his brother undoubtedly had offers from other promotions, but Jake revealed that they didn’t talk with anyone else.

“We were always deadset on staying loyal to IMPACT,” stated Crist. “They took a chance on my brother and I, so why not keep rocking and rolling? We love the direction and we are literally taking over everything. Sami Callihan, us…you’ll see what’s coming down the pipe. Ultimate X… it’s an amazing time for me as a performer with IMPACT Wrestling.”

Jake made his Ultimate X debut at IMPACT Homecoming at The Asylum. He came up short to Rich Swann, but he talked about the experience.

“It was nerve-racking. I can speak for every single one of us,” Crist said of all of the match’s performers. “They tell you otherwise – I can look them straight in the face and tell them they’re a liar. I was nervous but it was a dream come true because that’s where everything started for Impact Wrestling.

“I had a broken thumb going into it so I was just trying to concentrate on my grip the whole time,” Crist said before adding that his thumb is better now.

Crist will be involved in another Ultimate X match at United We Stand but says things will be different this time around.

“With the second one, the nerves will not be there and I’ll know what to expect. When you’re standing on that turnbuckle and you jump and reach for those ropes, it’s very nerve-racking the first time. Very few times do you do it the first time so coming into the second match I’ll know what to expect,” stated Crist.

Jake and his brother have already claimed tag team gold in IMPACT, and Jake revealed if he’s eyeing X-Division gold before making a detour towards Rich Swann.

“Absolutely. But the thing is, we want Rich Swann to come ‘home’ to Ohio, so the focus for me hasn’t been on the Ultimate X Championship. On April 4 my focus is Ultimate X,” said Crist. “Rich Swann is one of our brothers. We’ve got a long, long history with Rich Swann. Rich Swann just needs to come home.”

Crist then talked about the history between oVe and Swann and how Callihan took Swann from the gutters and gave him a place to live. Jake travelled the road with Swann and considers him one of his very close friends.

“With that being said, with the history we have….he just needs to come home to Ohio. Come on Swann. Come on Swann,” pleaded Crist.

When asked if oVe should use a different approach to bringing Swann “home,” Crist said, “Sometimes you just gotta go up to your friends and slap them in the face until they get some sense.”

Jake and Dave Crist lost the IMPACT tag titles earlier this year to LAX, and Jake was asked if one of his and Dave’s goals is to re-capture those belts.

“Absolutely. We’re gonna bring the tag team championships back to oVe and if Rich Swann doesn’t join oVe and the X-Division Championship isn’t a part of us, I’ll go out and get that as well,” said Crist. “My brother and I will always be a team. It’s us versus them. We’ve always had that mentality. That’s why it’s ‘For Ohio, By Ohio.'”

Jake Crist will be competing in an Ultimate X match at IMPACT Wrestling’s United We Stand. It goes down on April 4th at 11 pm EST and will be streamed live via Twitch.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 3/13/19

NXT, tonight at 8 ET on WWE Network.

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semi-Finals

* Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. #DIY

* Moustache Mountain vs. The Forgotten Sons

* Io Shirai and Bianca Belair vie for NXT Women’s Title opportunity

WWE NXT UK Preview 3/13/19 Special Start Time This Week

NXT UK, today at a special start time of 4 ET/8 GMT on WWE Network.

* WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne will join forces with WALTER to take on the dominant Joe & Mark Coffey.

* Kay Lee Ray makes her NXT UK debut against Candy Floss

* Flash Morgan Webster goes head-to-head with Gallus’ Wolfgang

Tenille Dashwood’s ROH Contract Expiring Soon

Pro Wrestling Sheet reports that Tenille Dashwood could soon become a free agent as her Ring of Honor contract expires at the end of the month.

Sources close to the situation say Tenille is currently in negotiations with Ring of Honor to potentially ink a new contract, but as of this week nothing has been signed. That means her upcoming appearances in Las Vegas could be her last with the company.

Dashwood signed on to join the Women of Honor in February 2018.

Tenille — formerly known as Emma in WWE — started in-ring training recently to prepare for her return after undergoing shoulder surgery months back. If she re-signs with ROH, we’re told Dashwood’s in-ring return could take place at G1 Supercard.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

SmackDown Live In-Ring Promo – Randy Orton Disses Indies, AJ Styles Defends Them

During a segment last night on SmackDown Live, Randy Orton wonders how this could be The House that AJ Styles Built. Orton says in 2002, he was making his WWE debut while AJ was wrestling for $10 per night in a local gym with 12 people in the crowd. In 2004, AJ was working bingo halls while Orton was becoming the youngest WWE Champion. In 2005, AJ was in Florida getting a tan with Dixie Carter while Orton was going up against The Undertaker. He did not name TNA or Impact Wrestling, just the Dixie name-drop. And every year after that, Orton was here in WWE at the top, winning titles. Orton says this is not the house that AJ built, it was built long before AJ stepped foot in it. Orton goes on until the music interrupts and out comes AJ to a pop.

AJ says for someone who looks down on the indies, Orton sure did follow his career closely. AJ says he’s proud he came from the indies. AJ says he’s heard guys like Orton look down on AJ’s world but that’s fine because Orton would not have made it in his world. AJ points to Orton’s signature pose and says he has a knock-off Diamond Cutter. Orton points to how AJ and The Bullet Club, his pals, ripped off the “Too Sweet” gesture. AJ goes on about how Orton had help his whole career, especially on as Triple H, Batista and WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair made sure he wouldn’t fail. Orton defends his accomplishments and goes over some highlights from his career. Orton says no one has ever had to help him get… AJ interrupts and reminds Orton of Evolution, Legacy, Rated RKO, The Wyatt Family. AJ says it sounds like Orton had a lot of babysitters over the years.

AJ says don’t get him wrong, Orton is who he says he is – he’s a viper who uses everyone around him and then tosses them to the curb when he’s done. AJ says that’s why he got the jump on Orton with the attack at Fastlane, because he won’t be Orton’s next victim. Orton says AJ has no choice as long as he wants to rent a room where Orton is the landlord. Orton says rent is due, b—h, and AJ can make the check out to three letters… RKO. Orton drops the mic and goes to leave but AJ says if Orton wants his rent, he can come and take it. AJ points up at the WrestleMania 35 sign as he says this. They stare each other down and Orton looks up at the WrestleMania sign. Graves wonders if Orton will accept the challenge. Orton exits the ring and stares AJ down as AJ’s music hits.

Transcript from Wrestling Inc.

WWE Signs Robbie E, Stokely Hathaway And Cal Bloom

WWE has signed three new recruits to the WWE Performance Center – former Impact Wrestling star Robbie E, former ROH star Stokely Hathaway and second generation wrestler Cal Bloom, son of former WWE Superstar Wayne Bloom (Beau Beverly).

All three talents have reported too the WWE Performance Center in Orlando and should be making their WWE NXT debuts soon.

Below is WWE’s full announcement on the signings along with a photo of them at the Performance Center:

Stokely Hathaway, Cal Bloom and Robert Strauss join the WWE Performance CenterWorld-traveled ring veteran Robert Strauss, renowned manager Stokely Hathaway and second-generation wrestler Cal Bloom are the newest recruits to join the WWE Performance Center this week in Orlando, Fla.

Strauss has been a fixture of the independent scene since making his debut in 2001, while still a teenager. Competing under aliases like “Robbie E” and “Rob Eckos,” he has won more than two dozen championships throughout his career, as well as wrestled in 46 states and more than 20 countries. In addition to his exploits in sports-entertainment, the New Jersey native has appeared on reality shows, making it to the finals on the 25th season of CBS’ “Amazing Race” and participating in the trials on “The Titan Games,” the competition series created by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Strauss also starred in Muscle & Fitness’ “Dad Bod Destroyer” video series.

Hathaway comes to the Performance Center after a successful tenure as a manager and a wrestler on the indies. Although trained for the ring, Hathaway gained a reputation in recent years for wheeling and dealing on behalf of other wrestlers. The notoriously outspoken Hathaway has represented clients in several promotions throughout the U.S., from EVOLVE Wrestling to the New England-based Beyond Wrestling. He hails from New York City.

Bloom, meanwhile, brings a sports-entertainment pedigree to the Performance Center. The 6-foot-5, 255-pounder is the son of former WWE Superstar Wayne Bloom, who wrestled as “Beau Beverly” in the early 1990s. The younger Bloom played tight end at the University of Central Florida, making four Bowl Game appearances (including UCF’s Fiesta Bowl win against Baylor University). He also received the team’s Iron Knight Award for strongest player after bench-pressing 500 pounds, a record for UCF tight ends. Although he hasn’t yet had a match, the 25-year-old Bloom has received training from his father Wayne, WWE alumnus Ken Kennedy and famed wrestling coach Brad Rheingans.

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1105216625110933506

John Cena Teases Big WrestleMania 35 Match?

John Cena took to Instagram today and posted a rare throwback photo of WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, fueling speculation on a Cena vs. Angle match at WrestleMania 35.

Cena has used his Instagram account to tease feuds in the past. He posted several photos of The Undertaker, also with no captions, leading up to their match at WrestleMania 34.

Cena would be a good fit for Angle’s last opponent because of the history that they have. Cena debuted on WWE SmackDown back on June 27, 2002 by answering an open challenge from Angle. Cena lost that match but it began his historic WWE run.

As noted, Angle announced on last night’s RAW that he will have his farewell match at WrestleMania 35 next month. For those who missed it, Angle mentioned in a post-RAW interview that names discussed for his last match included Cena, AJ Styles, WWE United States Champion Samoa Joe, Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin and WWE Intercontinental Champion Bobby Lashley.

There has been speculation on a Cena vs. Joe title match for WrestleMania 35, but Dave Meltzer recently noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that Cena vs. Joe was not the plan for WrestleMania 35, at least as of a week ago.

You can see Cena’s Instagram post below:

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown Live Preview 3/12/19

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live will take place from the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio with fallout from WWE Fastlane.

* Shane McMahon to address his brutal attack of The Miz at WWE Fastlane

* R-Truth to challenge Samoa Joe for the United States Championship

* Hardys, Black & Ricochet join forces to face The Bar, Rusev & Nakamura

* Mr. McMahon addresses Kofi Kingston