Brandi Rhodes injured her collarbone wrestling in Japan.
Brandi tweeted:
According to Cody he injury, which is a broken clavicle, will require surgery to fix two separate fractures.
Cody tweeted:
John Morrison Is Reportedly In The Cast For “Survivor” Season 37
Survivor is about to get taken to Slamtown — as John Morrison (Johnny Impact/Johnny Mundo) is reportedly part of the cast in the upcoming season which recently wrapped filming.
According to Inside Survivor, Season 37 is scheduled to air this fall and the Impact Wrestling/Lucha Underground star is one of the new castaways who lived on Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands during filming.
Sources close to Morrison were coy about confirming the casting news, but none denied the report when The Sheet reached out to verify its authenticity.
The last wrestler to be featured on Survivor was Ashley Massaro in 2007.
Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet
Vader Hospitalized For A Third Time, Another Heart Surgery
Leon White, known to wrestling fans as Vader or Big Van Vader, had another heart surgery yesterday. His heart had shifted to an irregular heart beat, which would increase his chances of a heart attack and stroke. Here is Vader’s official Tweet:
Brief timeline of Vader’s recent health issue:
Less than two years ago, Vader revealed that he had congestive heart failure and said that he had two years to live. Vader is now 62 years.
On March 26 2018, Vader’s son, Jesse announced on Twitter that Vader had underwent open heart surgery and has a long road to recovery.
On April 13th, 2018, Vader announced that he was released from the hospital.
On April 19, Vader announced on Twitter hat he was hospitalized due to pneumonia. In the tweet, Vader mentioned that his pain is through the roof and cannot breath.
Source: WrestleView
Former WWE Wrestler Big Bully Busick Passed Away At Age 63
Nick “Big Bully” Busick has passed away at the age of 63-years-old.
Busick’s wife Lorie shared the sad news on Facebook and wrote:
“Big Bully Busick has past with his wife and children at his side. Thank you all so much for all your thoughts and prayers. Nick Busick was so humbled by all of your cards prayers visits.”
Busick, who has battled numerous health issues since 2005, diagnosed with spinal fluid cancer last year and earlier this month his wife had said Busick was able to come home on hospice care.
Big Bully wrestled in WWF from 1989-1991.
His son, Branko Busick, recently made his pro MMA debut for Bellator and currently has a record of 1-1.
WWE issued the following on Busick’s passing:
Nick “Big Bully” Busick passes
Former WWE Superstar Nick “Big Bully” Busick has passed away at the age of 63, WWE is saddened to learn.
A notorious in-ring villain known for his signature derby and mustache, Busick battled Superstars like Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Sid and The British Bulldog in the early ’90s.
WWE extends its condolences to Busick’s family, friends and fans.
Triple H Says The UK Will Eventually Get A WWE Pay-Per-View Event, Talks Issues With UK WrestleMania
Triple H recently spoke with Sky Sports and said the UK will get a WWE pay-per-view event down the road.
“It (the event in Saudi Arabia) was an open opportunity for all of the markets outside of the United States,” he said. “Obviously the time frame of when we run things in the US doesn’t work for a lot of markets and this gives us a chance to look at things in their time frames. That’s especially the case in the UK, where the desire is very high. We’ve attempted things there in the past and as technology improves and we can get things down to doing them in a reasonable manner and at a reasonable cost, is really what it’s all about.
“It’s definitely something we’re looking towards but when people say ‘just do it’ – we do 560 live events a year, we do an average of 9-10 live events a week and they’re planned out a year, sometimes longer, in advance. One change dramatically affects the entire puzzle so it’s a process we’re going through. But we will get there. For everybody that’s waiting it seems to be forever but we will get there, I promise.”
The Sun pointed to the biggest two issues with running a live pay-per-view from the UK – the time difference and NFL season, but Triple H said he’s confident those issues can be worked out.
“There are a lot of aspects to it,” Triple H said. “It’s about getting the right people in the right places to be able to put on a strong event with a good calibre and for it to be meaningful to the rest of the globe. To be able to do it in a cost-effective way in a business sense, having the infrastructure to do it internationally, these are all factors which come into consideration.
“There are a lot of balls in the air and it’s just a matter of organising them. You’re trying to do all of that while running pay-per-views, live television and everything else we do. It’s not a matter of if we can overcome those obstacles but when we can, and getting them all lined up.”
Triple H relayed the same message to fans that he told a live crowd at a WWE event in Wembley Arena last November – aim high.
“If you’re going to set an ambition, set it high,” he said. “As we always say, never say never. WrestleMania is a week-long series of events and the logistics of executing that week along with the week leading into it and the week after it are extraordinarily difficult in our own back yard. Doing them internationally with international crews and international support systems and everything else is a factor of difficulty way beyond what we have in the US.
“Can we get there? Sure, maybe over time. We would take steps in that direction and those steps are probably other pay-per-views. From my point of view I’d like to bring other meaningful events through WWE, whether that’s NXT or the United Kingdom championships, taking international brands and putting them on in those markets. As the world becomes smaller and more technologically advanced, it becomes easier to do these things live from different places. From my end, that’s what I’m working towards.”
Source: WrestlingINC
SmackDown Live Preview 5/8/18
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live ill take place from the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland with fallout from Backlash and building toward Money In the Bank.
* How will Styles and Nakamura settle their heated rivalry?
* Jeff Hardy takes on The Miz in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
* Charlotte Flair to battle Peyton Royce in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
* Daniel Bryan and Rusev to lock horns in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
WWE 205 Live Preview 5/8/18
Tonight’s WWE 205 Live will take place from the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
* Can Kendrick & Gallagher put an end to The Lucha House Party?
* Does Buddy Murphy have what it takes to compete for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship?
Kevin Owens Reveals He’s Signed A New Five-Year Deal With WWE
Pat Laprade of TVA Sports is featuring an interview with WWE star Kevin Owens where he talks about his return to Montreal last week at the Monday Night RAW taping and reveals he’s signed a new deal to remain with WWE for the foreseeable future.
On his return to Montreal last Monday night during RAW:
“I feel like it’s my show. Attendance has been increasing since my first time at the Bell Centre. To see the crowd growing up to the point where they brought Raw and SmackDown to Montreal is special. It was really special. I had been waiting for a TV show at the Bell Centre for a long time. What was even more cool was that yes I had a fantastic reaction, and Sami too, but the crowd was fantastic for everyone. The Montreal crowd has really shown that we have the best fans in the world. I knew it already, I’m glad the WWE knows it now.”
Owens also revealed he’s agreed to a new five-year deal with WWE:
“Hopefully I do not see why I will not finish my career with WWE. I just recently signed a new five-year contract with them. I do not intend to go anywhere (else). If the WWE wants to continue, if I want to continue and my family is ready for me to continue, I do not see why it would not happen. If it ends tomorrow, I would be very satisfied with the career I had as a professional wrestler.”
Source: WrestleView
UFC Finalizes Multi-Year Deal With ESPN
The UFC and Disney’s new Direct-To-Consumer & International segment along with ESPN, have reached a multi-year media rights agreement for exclusive live UFC content on ESPN+, as well as across a variety of ESPN’s television, social and digital platforms, in English and Spanish, taking effect in January 2019.
“One of our goals for ESPN+ is to bring sports fans of all genres content they love and are passionate about, and this agreement with UFC is illustrative of exactly that, ” said Kevin Mayer, Chairman, Direct to Consumer and International, The Walt Disney Company. “We look forward to providing UFC’s enthusiastic, growing fan base with a wide array of live events and building a lasting relationship with the industry leader in mixed martial arts.”
“UFC is a premier global sports property with legions of incredibly avid fans,” added Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN President and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks. ” We are excited to be able to bring their world-class events and content to ESPN+ and the ESPN networks. This agreement shows the commitment we have to delivering fans the very best across our entire platform.”
While no deal with FOX has been announced, Variety reported in April that ESPN and FOX Sports were teaming up to bid for the UFC television package that would bring as many as 15+ fights to ESPN+. UFC’s current deal with FOX Sports expires in December. This deal provides for 15 live UFC events to stream exclusively on ESPN+ with a full card with 12 fights. The events will be branded “UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night” and will deliver a full card of 12 UFC bouts.
“I couldn’t be more excited to partner with The Walt Disney Company and ESPN on an agreement that will continue to grow our sport,” said UFC President Dana White. “UFC has always done deals with the right partners at the right time and this one is no exception. We will now have the ability to deliver fights to our young fan base wherever they are and whenever they want it. This deal is a home run for ESPN and UFC.”
Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) by downloading the ESPN App at ESPNPlus.com. In addition to the live UFC cards, other UFC content available to ESPN+ subscribers will include:
- Exclusive, all new-seasons of “Dana White’s Contender Series” beginning in June 2019
- A new original, all-access series produced by IMG Original Content
- Exclusive pre- and post-event shows for all 15 “UFC on ESPN+ Fight Nights”
- Non-exclusive access to UFC’s full archive of programming, including historic events, classic bouts, and original programming
- Additional UFC-branded content, including “UFC Countdown” shows, press conferences, weigh-ins, and pre-and post-shows
In addition to the live events and content included in the ESPN+ subscription, fight fans will be able to purchase and watch UFC Fight Pass and UFC PPV events via ESPN+, for a separate cost. ESPN will also bring fans a variety of UFC content across ESPN’s linear and digital platforms, including an exclusive, 30-minute special on ESPN’s linear networks previewing upcoming bouts and breaking down match ups leading up to each UFC PPV; hundreds of hours of UFC library programming on linear networks; and re-airs of current UFC PPV events.
Source: WrestlingINC
Pat McAfee Announces NXT TakeOver Pre-Show Return
NXT TakeOver: Chicago will feature Pat McAfee on the pre-show and the popular Barstool Sports personality couldn’t be more excited to return.
McAfee shared the news on Instagram with a picture of him signing the contract and a caption saying, “Living a bucket list life.. Enjoying the hell out of life.. June 16th, @wwenxt Takeover Chicago.. The #PreShowShaman returns.”
Pat was on the panel for TakeOver: New Orleans and received mixed reviews.
Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet
