WWE is not waiting for the Survivor Series to have The Shield perform in their first match together since putting the band together and will instead pull the trigger tonight on Raw.
Today it was announced that The Shield will be taking on The Miz, Sheamus, and Cesaro in a six-man tag team match on the broadcast which is a variation of the original match that The Shield was supposed to participate in at TLC before Roman Reigns was pulled due to a viral infection rumored to be mumps.
It has been a month since Roman Reigns has been off WWE television, falling victim to the viral illness that struck the WWE locker room thanks to “patient zero” Bo Dallas. Kurt Angle was rushed to an in-ring return at TLC, taking place Reigns’ place with The Shield.
Tonight’s Raw will also see Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman deliver their final promo for AJ Styles just days before their Survivor Series dream match.
Jake Hager, the artist formerly known as Jack Swagger in the WWE, has signed a deal with Bellator MMA. The news was revealed by Hager himself live on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani today.
The former World Heavyweight champion will be fighting in Bellator’s heavyweight division and is the latest wrestler to crossover to the world of mixed martial arts.
Hager said that it’s still very surreal but very excited about the opportunity. This opportunity started in the Summer when his team reached out to Bellator to see if they can work a deal. That deal was eventually finalized this past weekend. Hager said that he’s very thankful for WWE but felt he needed to leave as he wasn’t allowed to compete even though he felt he could take down anyone in the locker room.
He was released from WWE in March of this year after he requested to be let go. Counting his time in developmental, he worked for WWE for 11 years, winning the United States title once, the ECW title once, and the World Heavyweight title once following his Money In The Bank win in 2010.
The 35-year-old has not fought professionally in MMA yet. He is training with Ybor City Jiu-Jitsu Club in Tampa, Florida where he lives. He has indicated that he will still wrestle on the independent circuit while he trains for his first MMA fight.
James Ellsworth had one hell of a week as every night on the second week of the WWE tour in Europe, he got beat up by the whole Smackdown women’s roster.
From Stunner parties to everyone hitting finishers of their favorite past WWE Superstar, Natalya, Tamina, Lana, Naomi, Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Carmella had one final finisher for him on the last leg of the tour: The Shield’s triple power bomb…or in this case a “septuplet power bomb”!
Coming down in a neck brace, arm sling, and head bandaged, Ellsworth was quickly overruled by the women, who after a few kicks, hoisted him up on Carmella, who delivered the power bomb along with the help of the others. The ladies then did The Shield fist bump to wrap up their segment.
The pre-sale for WrestleMania 34 kicks off on Wednesday at 11AM EST on Ticketmaster.com and fans can “skip the line” and purchase a ticket using codes WWEFAN or DOTCOM.
Several other codes will be available throughout the week which do not necessarily mean they will unlock different seating sections of the stadium.
Prices are $35, $50, $75, $100, $150, $175, $200, $250, $350, $450, $850, $1,000, and $2000. All prices do not include other taxes and fees. The seat map of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome follows the traditional stadium layout with a long entrance ramp and a large stage across the south side of the Superdome. Seats behind the stage will not be utilized.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Ticketmaster.com on November 17 at 11AM EST.
Wrestling-Online.com is offering accommodation at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans with rates at nearly 50% discount from the going rate at the hotel during WrestleMania weekend. For more information go to http://w-o.it/wm34hotel.
PWInsider.com is reporting that former Divas champion Paige will be returning on television tonight on Monday Night Raw and will take the final spot on Team Raw.
Paige has not wrestled or appeared on WWE television since August of last year following two consecutive failures of the WWE Wellness Program and then neck surgery that took months to recover from.
Paige was drafted to Raw in July of last year but never actually wrestled for the brand. It was originally thought that she would be going to Smackdown where the women’s division would use another talent, but PWInsider says that she will go back to Raw.
There is a match set for tonight which features Dana Brooke vs Bayley vs Mickie James with the winner joining the female Team Raw. It’s not clear if Paige will join to make it a fatal 4-way or another angle will be shot to have her join the team.
Team Raw currently has Alicia Fox, Nia Jax, Asuka, and Sasha Banks.
We all love watching our favorite wrestlers in the ring. WWE shows were my favorite shows while growing up. Every week was a new opportunity for me to see the likes of The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin! Nowadays, I’m quite a wrestling enthusiast, and in this post, I would like to talk to show you why sleep is essential in the life of a wrestler.
You may not realize this, but sleep goes hand in hand with muscle growth which is crucial for a wrestler. It also plays a massive part in relieving stress and giving the body the relaxation that it deserves. So, if you want to start wrestling, here’s all that you’ll need to know on the importance of getting a good night’s rest!
Repair Of Worn Out Tissues
One of the best ways of gaining mass as a wrestler is through regular workouts. However, I should also mention that during these sessions, your muscle tissues go through microscopic tears. These should be appropriately repaired to strengthen and improve the muscle tissue.
I discovered that as you sleep, your body enters into a high anabolic state. This means that it merely uses this time to rejuvenate and repair all tissues in the body. As a wrestler, this will help you in improving your nervous, immune and muscular systems.
Calms the Nerves and Relieves Muscle Tension
Wrestling matches often go on for a long time, and your body uses up a lot of energy in the process. Although most wrestlers like using ice to ease tense muscles, I found that this is hardly a long-term solution. Instead, the best thing to do is to slide into your bed and just rest! Of course, sleeping on the most suitable mattress plays a massive role in determining your level of sleep. Suitable mattress? Yes, you might be sleeping on the wrong one, at least for you! Check out trymattress.com for tips on how to choose the best mattress.
Relieving Stress
The life of a wrestler is harsh and even cruel. You’ll often have to travel from city to city throughout the week and you’re bound the have your bad days. The best way to recover from such a ‘bad day in the office’ is by only giving your body some time to unwind, relax and refresh.
I’ve sat down with a couple of wrestlers, and most of them told me that sleep helps them to re-strategize. They added that whenever things are not going according to plan, rest is the best meditation process.
It’s also worth mentioning that stress triggers the production of the cortisol hormone which is dangerous to muscle formation. If you’re a wrestler trying to add some muscle, it’s quite destructive to your body. First, it will break down all muscle tissues and eventually, it stops them from growing.
As you sleep, the body creates numerous amounts of growth hormones that increase your muscles. These make sure that your body is producing and regenerating cells properly, something you should be keen on as a wrestler. In simpler terms, if you don’t get enough rest, your body will have problems restoring the wear and tear done to the muscles especially during training.
So, it’s not always about hitting the gym. If you want to build your body to resemble that of John Cena or Triple H, always remember to give yourself enough resting time. You might just be the next breakout star!
WWE has opened two more sections at the Greensboro Coliseum for Starrcade as tickets for the live event special picked up over the course of the past few weeks.
Seats in sections 106 and 128, which are opposite each other to the side of the stage, are now being sold. These sections were previously blocked off. Only scattered seats are now available in the lower 100 Level while handful of seats are available on the floor. The 200 Level has a couple of rows available in each section.
The company was worried about lack of ticket sales when the event was announced since it’s on Thanksgiving weekend but then ramped up its effort by reviving the Starrcade concept and bringing in a couple of old timers for the show as well. Ric Flair is expected to appear at Starrcade, his first WWE appearance since his hospitalization a few months ago.
Starrcade will take place from the same arena that held the original Starrcade back in 1983 which had a main event of Ric Flair vs Harley Race in a steel cage match.
Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com. At this time, the show will not be broadcast on the WWE Network live.
British tabloid newspaper The Sun is claiming that Hulk Hogan has “restarted talks” with WWE for a potential return at the Raw 25th anniversary episode, which will simulcast live on the USA Network from the Barclays Center and the Manhattan Center.
Hogan has been pretty much erased from WWE after an audio tape of him making some harsh racist remarks leaked online. The former WWE champion was in the middle of his Tough Enough judging gig when it happened and WWE decided to immediately severe ties with him, firing him from the show and removing him even from the WWE Hall of Fame website. All his merchandise was gone from WWE Shop and he was deleted from all the WWE intros.
However over the past few months, it seems that the company has softened its stance on the Hulkster and his name has been popping up every now and then.
A couple of days ago, Hogan tweeted, “When it rains it pours. I will never say I’m bored again. Business is getting crazy off the chain. Better than ever, one more time around the block! Thank u God. I AM Grateful.”
The 25th anniversary episode of Monday Night Raw already has The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and Kevin Nash locked in to appear during the Manhattan Center portion of the show.
Tickets for the Manhattan Center Raw has sold out while only a few remain at the Barclays Center.
This episode begins right where the last episode left off. A landmark event in women’s wrestling in the WWE was about to begin: the first ever Money in the Bank ladder match.
Historically, these ladder matches in which wrestlers must climb to the top of a tall ladder and retrieve a briefcase containing a contract that gives the recipient a chance at a championship match at any time have been considered to be too dangerous for female Superstars to participate in. However, since the start of the new women’s movement in WWE female talent has received billing equal to, or greater than that of their male counterparts.
The historic Money in the Bank ladder match was won in a controversial way, however. Recently, WWE Women’s Superstar, Carmella, has been accompanied to the ring by her valet, James Ellsworth. Ellsworth has assisted Carmella in winning matches through devious means.
However, this time Ellsworth took his deception in aiding Carmella to new heights. During the middle of the Money in the Bank ladder match while the other women performers were distracted, Ellsworth climbed to the top of the ladder, retrieved the briefcase, and tossed it into Carmella’s arms. This seemed like a cheap way of winning two most fans including myself. However, surprisingly, the rest of the women’s locker room didn’t seem to have a problem with the outcome. Maybe they were simply maintaining a front of professionalism though.
Retired women’s Superstar, Brie Bella, who was watching on the couch at home with her new baby, had a shocked expression on her face which showed her true feelings. It seemed as though Brie agreed with the rest of the WWE Universe, and felt that the women should have had a better opening ladder match.
This was not the only drama to take place on this episode of Total Divas.
There was some drama that took place between WWE Superstar, Maryse and fellow Superstar, Alexa Bliss. Alexa had struggled with an eating disorder prior to coming to WWE. Maryse suggested that Alexa should create a new look, more “red carpet ready” style because of her new champion status. When Alexa was clearly uncomfortable with the new look that Maryse was making her try on, Alexa’s friend, Nia Jax took Alexa outside to confront her about the potential problem.
Jax felt as though Maryse’s well meant makeover attempt would lead to Alexa feeling inadequate and a possible re-occurrence of her problems. Nia encouraged Alexa to stand up for herself and be true to her own personal style. I think that this makes Nia a good friend and wrestling partner. Alexa eventually stood up for herself and told Maryse that she appreciated her help, but didn’t want to change her style.
Meanwhile, Natalya and Trinity volunteered to babysit Brie Bella’s new baby, Birdie. Natalia confessed to not having much experience with babies. When Natalya and Trinity arrived at Brie’s, Brie began to show the girls how to best care for Birdie. Natalya seemed to get more and more nervous as the tutorial went on. When Brie left, Trinity immediately began to care for Birdie, but Natalya chose to go outside and play with the dogs instead.
Throughout the babysitting job Trinity continued to be the baby’s primary caregiver while Natalya remained focused on the dogs. However, at the end of the job Natalya volunteered to babysit again. When Trinity confronted Natalya about this, Natalya promised to do a better job of helping the next time that they babysit.
I can’t wait to see more adventures in babysitting on future episodes of Total Divas!
Karen Jarrett posted a photo with her husband Jeff at an undisclosed rehab facility, the first public photo of JJ since he was admitted at the facility after he showed up drunk at an independent wrestling event in Canada late last month.
Sitting outside and kissing him on the cheek, Karen wrote “I missed you so much, love you big sunshine” in the Instagram post. The photo was taken by Kyra Marie Angle, the daughter of Karen and Kurt Angle.
It was Karen who reached out to WWE to help her husband and the company through their Wellness Program sponsored Jeff’s rehab stay. WWE has a program where all past and current performers can check into a WWE-sponsored rehab facility with all expenses paid by the company. The relationship between Jarrett and WWE has been pretty much non-existent since Jarrett held WWE “hostage” for a large sum of money in 1999.
Jarrett has been fired from his Impact Wrestling duties and the agreement between Anthem and Global Force Wrestling was also dissolved.
The two-week WWE European tour comes to a close today with one final show in Florence, Italy.
The Raw brand departed for the United States last night following a show in Mannheim, Germany, and the Smackdown brand departs immediately after the show in Florence.
The European tour kicked off on November 1 and WWE Superstars and crew flew to 8 countries in 12 days performing a total of 22 shows. The next international tour is in December, a two-day tour in India.
This tour saw history as two WWE titles changed hand. Sheamus and Cesaro defeated Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose to win the Raw Tag Team titles and AJ Styles defeated Jinder Mahal to become the new WWE champion. This was the first time in WWE history that the WWE title changed hands outside North America. Both title changes happened in Manchester.
Jinder Mahal may not go to India as the WWE champion next month but he already has a big opponent lined up for December 9 in the form of Triple H.
Triple H uploaded a video on his Twitter saying that on his recent trip to Mumbai, he was asked multiple times if he would consider wrestling on the tour. “I’ve decided India, that if you want it bad enough, I will. Reply here, let me here your voice and if it’s loud enough, then I will return to New Delhi on December 9.”
He said he will step in not just against anybody, but it will be for “the biggest match in India’s history.” The Game then laid down the challenge for the Modern Day Maharaja versus The Cerebral Assassin.
TV ads are already plugging a new Survivor Series match that has not been made official yet: The Shield vs The New Day.
Last week on Raw, The New Day interfered in the Raw Tag Team titles match and cost Ambrose and Rollins their titles. Due to the title change, Sheamus and Cesaro will now be wrestling The Usos in the champions vs champions match, leaving Ambrose and Rollins without a match at the Survivor Series.
During the rest of the European tour this week, The New Day joined the Raw schedule and got beat up every single day by the Smackdown roster as payback. Now, Roman Reigns is cleared to return to the ring and will be appearing on Raw in two days for the first time since TLC, where he was taken off the show due to a viral disease.
The former WWE champion is now set to join the rest of The Shield members for revenge on The New Day. The trio have not wrestled together since reforming the faction.
El Rey Network has given the green light for a fourth season of Lucha Underground. The teaser trailer has Johnny Mundo explain what he did in seasons one to three and what to expect in season four.
Lucha Underground is produced by Mark Burnett, Robert Rodriguez, Eric van Wagenen, Anthony Jensen, and Chris DeJoseph. Burnett is the brains behind Survivor, The Voice, Shark Tank, and other popular reality TV series.
The fate of the series was in doubt as the company had not announced anything for a long time. Season three was taped immediately following the end of season two in 2016.
Lucha Underground will resume tapings soon and will start airing in 2018.
The stars of the show all have contracts that does not allow them to appear on other television shows so it will be interesting to see what happens with individuals like Johnny Mundo, who is currently wrestling as Johnny Impact on Impact Wrestling.
Impact last night on POP did a total of 250,000 viewers for the post-Bound For Glory show from Ottawa. That is down 25,000 viewers from last week. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
The Trentonian newspaper in New Jersey interviewed Smackdown General Manager Daniel Bryan leading up to his appearance at the inaugural WWE Night by the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.
In the interview, Bryan talks about a potential return to the ring under the WWE banner and with his contract wrapping up next year, Bryan has made it clear that he would be leaving to wrestle somewhere else if WWE does not clear him.
“I’m trying to get cleared as we speak. All my tests have come back fantastic, better than people who have never had any concussion-type stuff,” Bryan said.
However, he noted that the company is in a weird situation politically with the climate around concussions and while WWE would love to have him back in the ring, there might be repercussions. “If I was to come back, and they let me back, would they get a lot of flak for it? They have a ton of stockholders that they’re responsible for. It’s more than just, ‘Is he healthy to do it?’”
The former WWE champion said that all the concussion doctors he saw think that he’s healthy enough to return to the ring and that he should be able to do it.
“That’s the unfortunate situation with giant corporations and big business in the United States,” Bryan said.
The next WWE 24 special on the WWE Network will air this coming Monday, November 13, immediately following Monday Night Raw.
WWE 24: Goldberg will take a look at the former WCW, World, and Universal champion’s return to the company after a 12-year absence from the wrestling industry.
Goldberg returned to WWE in October and then defeated Brock Lesnar at the Survivor Series. Following an appearance at the Royal Rumble, he defeated Kevin Owens at Fastlane to become the new WWE Universal champion. He lost the title to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania.
The former champ has not shut down the door on another return in the future.
Episode two of season seven of Total Divas titled Dressed Like A Champ drew a total of 500,000 viewers, down 56,000 viewers from last week’s show. That is the lowest number since episode two of season six which drew 461,000 viewers. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Cowboy James Storm announced at the last Impact tapings in Ottawa that he is departing Impact Wrestling and that was his final time in a TNA ring.
Talking to the fans in the ring who chanted “Thank you Storm,” the Cowboy thanked his fans, family and three individuals who were instrumental in his career. “I wanna say to Jeff Jarrett, to Dixie Carter, and to Bob Ryder…thank you,” he said.
Storm had a 15-year career with Impact Wrestling apart from the few weeks he wrestled in NXT two years ago. He’s one of the TNA Originals, joining the company in June 2002 and wrestling as part of a tag team – America’s Most Wanted – along with Chris Harris. After a stint as a solo wrestler, Storm joined the former NXT champion Bobby Roode to form Beer Money, Inc.
His long career in TNA/Impact came with a lot of titles, winning the NWA Tag Team titles seven times, the TNA Tag Team titles seven times, the TNA World title once, and the TNA King of the Mountain title once.
In 2005, Storm made a surprise appearance during the NXT television tapings in October. He participated in two tapings but then opted not to sign with NXT and returned to TNA. Storm said at the time that his WWE door remained open if he ever wanted to go back.
Ryan Satin of ProWrestlingSheet.com reports that Storm is free to negotiate with any company immediately.
The fans you will see at the Impact tapings over the course of the next few weeks were not all paying fans, actually, they were paid to be there in attendance.
W-O received a casting call advert that the company Smyth Casting put out looking for individuals to attend the week-long tapings at the Aberdeen Pavilion, noting that you had to be an Ottawa local and not part of a union. The pay rate was $12.50 an hour for four hours of work every day which amounts to $50 per taping.
The casting call advert called for all ages, any ethnicity, and to bring friends and family. “You may be given signs to hold, you are encouraged to look at wrestlers on the website impactwrestling.com and make your own signs. That would be very helpful and you will get more face time on TV,” the advert says.
