There are rivalries in the ring in professional wrestling, but some real rivalries happen backstage. Jim Cornette and Vince Russo share a rivalry that has been going on for nearly two decades and it does not seem like it’s going to stop any time soon.
Vince Russo filed a protection order in the State of Indiana against Jim Cornette, alleging that he has been the victim of stalking. “Golly, VOLDERMORT just filed a Emergency Protective Order on me. I can’t hang out with him anymore,” Cornette wrote on twitter, adding a scan of the order which was hand delivered by police officers at his home in Louisville. The order states that Cornette must stay away from Russo, his family, their home, and his place of work.
The history between the two is pretty brutal and both of them say pretty nasty things about each other on their respective podcasts. Fortunately for Cornette – and not that he needs it – he has more support behind him than Russo does as Russo is disliked by many in the industry. Russo also recently started feuding with Bruce Pritchard who currently works for Impact Wrestling.
Golly, VOLDERMORT just filed a Emergency Protective Order on me. I can't hang out with him anymore! pic.twitter.com/jSx9CEFj0F
WWE and Sony Pictures Networks India today announced the launch of a new weekly show in Hindi, WWE Sunday Dhamaal, featuring the best action from Raw and SmackDown beginning this Sunday, June 25 from 6PM to 8PM on Sony MAX, India’s number one movie channel.
WWE Sunday Dhamaal will be presented by well-known television personalities Salil Acharya and Madonna Tixeira and include exclusive features giving Indian fans a unique, localized WWE experience beyond Raw and SmackDown each week. Fans will also be able to engage with WWE Sunday Dhamaal through social media in a segment called Debate of the Week. Viewers can share their opinions on Facebook and Twitter, and the best posts will be displayed on-air. The weekly show will also include trivia contests with chances to win WWE merchandise. WWE fans from the world of sports and Bollywood will also appear as special guests.
“WWE fuels the most dedicated audience around the world and has a huge fan following,” said Mr. Neeraj Vyas, Senior EVP & Head, MAX cluster of channels and Channel SAB, SPN. “With Sony MAX’s mass appeal and wide reach, and with action entertainment gaining immense popularity among the audience, we made the decision to telecast WWE Sunday Dhamaal on the channel. WWE has had a long-standing connection with India, and we are sure the show will enjoy a good following.”
“We are excited to partner with Sony Pictures Networks India to bring our passionate fans new and localized content featuring all their favorite WWE Superstars,” said Mr. Sheetesh Srivastava, Vice President & General Manager, WWE India. “WWE Sunday Dhamaal gives our massive fan base in India a customized version of WWE’s blend of action-packed, family-friendly entertainment from Raw and SmackDown every week.”
The much anticipated Netflix series GLOW will hit the streaming service tomorrow, June 23 in all Netflix locations worldwide.
GLOW tells the fictional story of Ruth Wilder, an out-of-work, struggling actress in 1980s Los Angeles who finds one last chance for stardom when she’s thrust into the glitter and spandex world of women’s wrestling. In addition to working with 12 Hollywood misfits, Ruth also has to compete with Debbie Eagan, a former soap actress who left the business to have a baby, only to be sucked back into work when her picture perfect-life is not what it seems. And at the wheel is Sam Sylvia, a washed-up, B-movie director who now must lead this group of women on the journey to wrestling stardom.
The series features Alison Brie as Ruth Wilder, Betty Gilpin as Debbie Eagan, Marc Maron as Sam Sylvia, Britney Young as Carmen Wade, Sydelle Noel as Cherry Bang, Britt Baron as Justine, Kia Stevens as Tammé, Jackie Tohn as Melrose, Kimmy Gatewood as Stacey, Rebekka Johnson as Dawn, Kate Nash as Rhonda, Sunita Mani as Arthie, Gayle Rankin as Sheila the She Wolf, Ellen Wong as Jenny, Chris Lowell as Sebastian “Bash” Howard, and Alex Rich as Florian.
GLOW is created by Liz Flahive (Homeland, Nurse Jackie) and Carly Mensch (Nurse Jackie, Orange Is The New Black, Weeds). Orange Is the New Black creator Jenji Kohan and Tara Herrmann are executive producers alongside Flahive and Mensch who are serving as showrunners. Shauna Duggins serves as the stunt coordinator while Chavo Guerrero Jr is the fight coordinator.
All 10 episodes run for approximately 30-35 minutes each and will be available in Ultra HD 4K and HDR. You can read an in-depth spoiler-free look of the series at http://w-o.it/2suGmTd . A behind-the-scenes feature is available below.
Officially, there are only 9 members so far announced for the Mae Young Classic all-women tournament with 23 more to go.
Announced last week were Lacey Evans, Princesa Sugehit, Sarah Logan, and Toni Storm. Those four are joined by Abbey Laith, Kavita Devi, Taynara Conti, Jazzy Gabert, and Tessa Blanchard who made the official list after ESPN’s reveal.
Unofficially there are eight more who have been confirmed by PWInsider.com two weeks ago but not made public by WWE yet. These are Zhao Xia, Mary Kate, Bianca Blair, Danielle Kamela, Julia Ho, Kimberly Frankele, Victoria Gonzales, and Taynara Melo.
The majority of the Mae Young Classic 32-women tournament will be taped on July 13 and 14 at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
The post-Money In The Bank Smackdown Live broadcast did a total of 2,597,000 viewers, up 525,000 from last week’s show. This was the most-watched Smackdown since the April 11 edition. Smackdown was #1 on the top 50 cable chart among the 18-49 demographic. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Are you a big NXT fan and have $500 to spare? If you do and are making your way to Brooklyn in August, you might want to know about the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III VIP package.
WWE is selling this VIP package which includes VIP Suite seating Takeover, visits from NXT Superstars throughout the show, photo opportunities with NXT Superstars, group photo on entrance ramp via backstage entrance, VIP access to merchandise stand before doors open, and NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III collectible poster.
Only a limited amount of these VIP packages are available. You can purchase your tickets at NXTTickets.com.
Smackdown will feature its first ever Money In The Bank ladder match next week as the women of the blue brand will be once again participating in the gimmick match due to the questionable ending from last Sunday.
The announcement came from the returning Smackdown General Manager Daniel Bryan last night as he stripped Carmella of the briefcase. It was James Ellsworth who climbed the ladder on Sunday and took the briefcase, handing it over to Carmella to win the match.
The rematch will involve the same group of women – Carmella, Natalya, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Tamina – while Carmella’s sidekick James Ellsworth is banned from ringside.
Apart from this match, the Smackdown Women’s title match will also be on the line as Naomi granted Lana a rematch.
WWE will be represented in three different categories at this year’s Teen Choice Awards, including Choice Reality TV Show, Choice Male Athlete, and Choice Female Athlete.
Total Bellas has been nominated in the reality TV category while John Cena got the nod in the male athlete category. The Bella Twins and Sasha Banks are also nominated in the female athlete category.
Voting is open via TeenChoice.com and Twitter. Fans are allowed 10 votes per category, per day, per platform user ID, for their favorite nominees. More information for voting is available at teenchoice.com.
The show airs live on Sunday, August 13 at 8PM ET on FOX.
Tonight is the long-awaited return of General Manager Daniel Bryan. Unfortunately for him, it will not be a pleasant one as he has to deal with controversy coming out of the Money In The Bank pay-per-view surrounding the Women’s championship. How will Bryan rule regarding the winner of the women’s Money In The Bank ladder match?
As well, what lies ahead for all of the champions on Smackdown! Live as we get into summer? Read on to find out!
Tuesday Night Smackdown! Live Television Report for June 20th, 2017 – “Disputes Aplenty”
Introduction Segment: Backstage Promo
Tamina, Charlotte, Natalya, and Becky Lynch are standing outside General Manager Daniel Bryan’s locker room. They are discussing the ending to the Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match last Sunday. Bryan walks out and says he is going to winner Carmella and James Ellsworth first, and then hear what they have to say.
Arena Promo
James Ellsworth and Carmella strut out with the Women’s Money In The Bank briefcase. James introduces her, to the chagrin of the crowd, and wants everyone to show the first-ever “Ms. Money In The Bank” the proper respect. Carmella has a microphone and rips on the people for always talking about Charlotte, Natalya, or Becky Lynch, but throwing her aside. She gives a good speech about taking over and being the one that everyone should pay attention to.
Office Promo
GM Bryan is watching on a TV when Charlotte walks in. he tries to talk to her about her neck, but she doesn’t want to hear that. Charlotte wants to know what he’s going to do about the Money In The Bank Match situation. Daniel says that there were “technically no disqualifications.” The controversy continues…
Later tonight, Luke Harper will face WWE Champion Jinder Mahal, Shinsuke Nakamura is in a Backlash rematch with Dolph Ziggler, and up next, Big E. meets Tag Team champion Jimmy Uso!
Commercials.
Arena Promo
The New Day – Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E. – make their entrance and talk about the finish to their Tag Team championship match with Tag Team champions The Usos at Money In The Bank. They call Big E. “Deput-E.” as he is “The Warden” of “The Uso Penitentiary.”
Commercials.
Match #1: Single – Big E. (with New Day partners Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston) VS. Tag-Team Champion Jimmy Uso (with Tag Team champion partner Jey Uso)
Jimmy is in control as we return, but Big E. starts to govern after an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. He goes for his running-splash, but Jimmy avoids and counters with a Samoan Drop. E. catches Jimmy in a Big Ending position but Uso wiggles out and starts to leave with his brother; Kofi and Xavier prevent this, and, back in the ring, Big plants Jimmy to the canvas with his Big Ending and covers for the victory!
Winner via Pinfall: Big E. (with New Day partners Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston)
Office Promo
Daniel is on his cellular phone to Commissioner Shane McMahon when Natalya and Tamina interrupt. Natalya starts to kiss-up by wishing him a belated Happy Father’s Day, but Tamina gets to business about how he’s going to deal with Carmella.
Commercials.
Backstage Promo
Dasha is with Women’s Champion Naomi, inquiring her thoughts on the women’s Money In The Bank match. Naomi thinks “it is a shame,” but will still fight whoever is the official winner. Lana interrupts and wants to wrestle Naomi for the Women’s championship again. Naomi grants her request for next week!
Video Promo
The WWE Championship match between champion Jinder Mahal and challenger Randy Orton at Money In The Bank is recapped with still-pictures. We go to a pre-tape with Tom Phillips interviewing Randy. He vows to get revenge on Jinder and the Singh Brothers for tangling with his father, “Cowboy” Bob Orton, at Money In The Bank.
Dolph Ziggler makes his entrance for his bout with Shinsuke Nakamura after the break.
Commercials.
Match #2: Single – Dolph Ziggler VS. Shinsuke Nakamura
They start out measuring up each other and trading potential take-down holds. They both go for pin combos and Shinsuke tries an armbar, but Ziggler gets out of it and slides to the floor. they switch waistlocks and then Nakamura knees and kicks him. Shinsuke misses a run in the corner, and “The Show-Off” takes over.
Commercials.
Shinsuke is making a comeback with a spin-kick, and then some more kicks to the back-of-the-head and best. He places Ziggler on the top rope and runs at him with a knee-to-the-gut but only gets two! Nakamura continues to knee Dolph on the canvas, and then sets up for his Kinsasha running knee. Ziggler counters with his Fameasser! 1 – 2 – Shinsuke lifts his shoulder!
Dolph goes for his superkick, but Nakamura ducks. Ziggler rolls him up, but Shinsuke turns that into a Triangle Armbar! Dolph struggles and rips at Nakamura’s eyes to get out of it! Nakamura attempts a reverse-t-bone, but Dolph lands on his feet and brings Shinsuke to the mat with his Zig-Zag! 1 – 2 – Nakamura just kicks out! Ziggler immediately locks on a sleeper, but Shinsuke gets out of that too and kicks Dolph hard in the back of his head. Nakamura fires up and runs at Dolph with his Kinsasha to finally (in a good way!) finish this!
Winner via Pinfall: Shinsuke Nakamura
Backstage Promo
Bryan and Sami Zayn are discussing the men’s Money In The Bank ladder match, and Bryan tells Zayn that Zayn is wrestling Money In The Bank winner Baron Corbin on next week’s Smackdown! Live.
Becky Lynch walks up and complains about the women’s Money In The Bank ladder match, and Smackdown not being “the land of opportunity” after all. She says that whenever she comes near the top, someone else steps ahead of her.
Commercials.
Arena Promo
United States Champion Kevin Owens is out and offers a challenge to a “local resident” from Dayton, Ohio. A.J. Styles walks out, but Owens does not accept, as he is not from Dayton. Chad Gable of American Alpha then joins, and Kevin says he is also not from Dayton. However, Gable informs the U.S. Champ and A.J. that he has just moved to Dayton, as of this morning. He confirms with an address, and Styles confirms that. “The Phenomenal One” actually makes this match, and the referee signals for the bell to start it!
Match #3: Single for the United States Championship – Kevin Owens (Champion) VS. Chad Gable (Challenger)
(Note: A.J. Styles goes to commentary.)
Chad grabs Kevin from behind and waistlock-slams him a couple of times, and then tries to clamp on an Ankle Lock; Owens gets to the ropes and crawls out to the floor.
Commercials.
Gable is on the middle turnbuckle, but Kevin pulls him off. Chad turns a run into a victory roll for two, and then moonsaults off of the top turnbuckle for a near-fall! Owens recovers and suddenly drives Gable with his Pop-Up Powerbomb to retain!
Winner via Pinfall and STILL United States Champion: Kevin Owens
Office Promo
The #1 Contender’s Battle Royal from an episode of Smackdown! Live last year is on GM Bryan’s TV screen, showing The Hype Bros winning but not getting their title match because of Zack Ryder getting injured. In Daniel’s office, Zack and Mojo Rawley are making their case to be #1 Contenders again, so Bryan says they can have a chance next week if they defeat Tag Team champions The Usos in a non-title match.
Commercials.
Arena Promo
GM Daniel Bryan returns to the fans in the arena for the first time in a long while. Both sides are happy to see each other, and then Bryan talks about the Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match. He asks all the participants to join him. Daniel sees both sides with the rules, and after James Ellsworth insults Bryan’s fatherhood, Daniel decides that the Women’s Money In The Bank Match will happen again, next week on Smackdown! Live! He grabs the briefcase, and then the women brawl. Charlotte and Becky are left in the ring surrounding Carmella. Charlotte plants her with Natural Selection, and Becky locks on her Dis-Arm-Her!
Commercials.
Match #4: Single – WWE Champion Jinder Mahal (with The Singh Brothers) VS. Luke Harper
Luke begins dominantly and quickly dumps Mahal to the outside.
Commercials.
Harper runs through the ropes onto one of the Singh Brothers, as Jinder moved. The WWE Champion governs, working Luke slowly. Harper soon regains momentum with a suplex and running clotheslines. He hits a couple of forearms from the apron, and then slingshots with a senton back into the ring. he hits a boot-to-the-face for two! He goes to the top, but Mahal stops him and super-plexes him off!
Baron Corbin – who won the Money In The Bank Briefcase – walks out, distracting Mahal. He does not cash in, but just makes a point that he can. Corbin goes to the back and Luke rolls Jinder up for a near-fall! One of the Sings hop the apron, allowing Jinder to boot Luke and then slam him down with the Cobra-Clutch Full-Nelson Slam! He coves for the victory!
Winner via Pinfall: WWE Champion Jinder Mahal (with The Singh Brothers)
Post-match, Randy Orton marches out and goes after all three; he DDTs Mahal from the corner of the barricade, and sets him up for an RKO in the ring, but the Singh Brothers attack. Orton RKO’s them, but Jinder has escaped to the crowd with his WWE Championship. Randy stands on the middle turnbuckle as Mahal yells from the fans to close the show.
Monday Night Raw drew 3,101,000 viewers this week up 559,000 viewers from last week’s record low of just 2.5 million.
Hour one drew 3,075,000 viewers, followed by 3,201,000 viewers in the second hour, and then 3,029,000 in the third and final hour. This is the first Raw that all three hours did over 3 million viewers since mid-April and it’s the best number since the April 17 edition.
Raw was #2, #3, and #4 in the top 50 cable chart among the 18-49 demographic. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Impact Wrestling today announced that Mexican wrestling legend Dos Caras will be making his debut at Slammiversary and will be in the corner of his son, Alberto El Patron, for the GFW/Impact world title unification match against Bobby Lashley.
“It’s an honor to welcome Dos Caras to Impact Wrestling for Slammiversary,” said Jeff Jarrett, Impact’s Chief Creative Officer. “I’m sure Dos Caras won’t be afraid to intervene on Alberto’s behalf, if need be, and he still carries a mighty punch.”
Dos Caras is considered one of Mexico’s biggest luchadores in history and is the brother of another Mexican wrestling icon, Mil Mascaras.
Speaking on Sky Sports News in the United Kingdom, Triple H put on his WWE corporate hat and invited both Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather to Monday Night Raw to promote their mega fight which will take place on August 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“They really wanna showcase what they can do? I invite both guys to come to Monday Night Raw because there’s no bigger platform they can have to show the world and tell the world why they are the man,” Triple H said.
The former WWE champion asked if a world class boxer, probably the best ever, can stand in the ring with an MMA guy and can that MMA guy bring his striking skills to the level of Floyd Mayweather. “The one thing it will be beyond any shadow of a doubt is entertaining. One thing Floyd Mayweather is, is entertaining. One thing Conor McGregor is, is entertaining,” The Game added.
Mayweather is not new to WWE television as he appeared multiple times in the past including at WrestleMania where he wrestled The Big Show at WrestleMania 24 in Orlando.
On the other hand, McGregor is not new to creating controversy with WWE stars as he ripped on them in the past saying he could beat any one of them any day of the week and calling them “pussies.”
One of the main events of SummerSlam is half-way done as last night on Raw, Roman Reigns announced that he is the number one contender for the WWE Universal title and will take on either Brock Lesnar or Samoa Joe at the pay-per-view.
The announcement did not go down well with Samoa Joe, who came out to proclaim himself as the real number one contender. The two exchanged blows and later in the night, Joe put Reigns to sleep with the Coquina Clutch after Braun Strowman returned to distract Reigns.
A Reigns vs Lesnar match is the likely scenario at this point and it will be a rematch of their WrestleMania 31 match, a match which ended in a triple threat when Seth Rollins cashed in his Money In The Bank briefcase and then pinned Reigns to win his first WWE title.
Glu Mobile Inc., a leading global developer and publisher of free-to-play mobile games, today announced it has entered into a multi-year agreement with WWE to develop a mobile game featuring WWE Superstars, logos and marks.
Currently being developed by the same studio as Glu’s largest sports franchise, Tap Sports Baseball, Glu’s WWE title will include simple, one-touch gameplay mechanics with deep meta game features. The project will utilize the names and likenesses of many of the organization’s most popular legends including The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and Triple H, as well as current roster of fan favorites such as John Cena, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.
“As a leader in sports entertainment, WWE features an enormous universe of WWE Superstars and ever-evolving storylines,” said Chris Akhavan, Glu’s Chief Revenue Officer. “We can’t wait to translate the emotional connection WWE has with its audience into a mobile game that fans are going to love.”
“WWE fans are digitally-savvy and always looking for new content featuring their favorite Superstars,” said Casey Collins, WWE Executive Vice President, Consumer Products. “Glu’s previous successes in the casual sports genre make them the perfect developer to bring this project to life.”
The game is currently slated for global release in 2018.
Impact Wrestling has fired Shane Helms, Al Snow, and Pat Kenney from their roles of producers as more cost-cutting measures are implemented following the takeover of Anthem Sports and Entertainment.
All three have been flooded with messages of appreciation from their now former co-workers. Helms had been working with Impact since 2015 while Snow was there since 2008 and Kenney since 2003.
“The kindness & gratitude for whatever small contribution I’ve made has touched my heart & all I can say is thank you very very much,” Al Snow wrote. Kenney added, “The outpouring of gratitude for my contribution to @IMPACTWRESTLING has been humbling. It’s nice to know I’ve helped so many.”
Meanwhile, Helms first saw the funny side of the story. “I’d like to wish @IMPACTWRESTLING all the best in their future endeavors. I’ve never been an ass-kisser and I damn sure wasn’t gonna start with an owl,” he wrote, before transitioning to a more serious message. “It was a good little run. The worst thing in wrestling is and always will be the politics. But there’s a lot of talent still there and I really enjoyed my time there. Big thanks to all the guys and gals I worked with.”
Matt Hardy, who had his own fight with Impact and who is a big friend of Helms also chimed in. “Definitely their loss. You have the most creative, on-the-pulse wrestling mind of any producer right now. You are a VESSEL of knowledge,” Hardy wrote.
It’s been a while since we have seen Alex Riley on television. But the man born as Kevin Kiley will be back on your screens starting on June 23 in the role of Steel Horse, the big babyface in the new Netflix series GLOW.
Apart from his televised appearances as a professional wrestler, GLOW is his first “real” acting gig. Kiley said that acting has always been a dream of his and a talent manager in Los Angeles told him that he had a good chance of making it as an actor after he saw a reel that he put together.
“He came across extremely straight forward (not sparing my feelings) which was refreshing. And more than anyone else he seemed to care how I developed as an actor, almost like a coach. I was set up right away with one of the best acting studios in Hollywood – Stan Kirsch Studios,” Kiley explained.
Then October 2016 came about and while still living in Florida, he got the call about the GLOW audition. There was only a short time to send in the tape to GLOW casting director Liz Barnes, but the timing did not effect his chances. “Not long after I submitted the tape, I got the phone call from my manager saying ‘You got the job and you need to be in LA in 5 days.’” And just like that, Kiley jumped in his GMC Yukon along with his dog Slash and drove to California.
This GLOW series is inspired by the 80s television show of the same name and Kiley thought that the original show was fantastic. “I have tremendous respect for the women that were a part of the original GLOW and for the ones that took on this project. I have a lot of respect for any women who even attempts pro wrestling at any level,” he said.
GLOW showcases actresses and female professional wrestlers as exactly what they are: strong, beautiful, talented, and fearless people. “Just being on set with Britney Young, Jackie Tohn, Allison Brie, and Betty Gilpin, I can tell you they hit turn buckles just as hard as any guy I’ve ever seen.”
Kiley recalled how many women from the original cast of GLOW told him how they had fallen in love with professional wrestling after being part of the show. “Like the 1980’s GLOW, I believe the 2017 GLOW will expand the boundaries of the sport of women’s wrestling and will re-affirm women as just as strong, just as tough, and just fearless as anyone in any sport.”
In this series, Kiley plays the character of Steel Horse. It was only for one episode and as you might have guessed, he is also in a wrestling ring doing what he knows best: wrestling.
The character of Steel Horse came with a detailed breakdown of what the creators of the show Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch wanted out of the character. “He is the ultimate baby faced hero. With a clean-shaven, clean-cut look, he is the most popular and well known male character in the first season of GLOW,” Kiley said.
The scenes he was involved in took the whole day to film and was split in two. The first part was spent filming the in-ring scenes, redoing the same moves from every angle possible until it was perfect. “It was an amazing experience. I loved the process. I worked very closely with Emmy Award winning director Phil Abraham,” Kiley said.
Working with him in the ring was Joey Ryan, another professional wrestler who has a role in GLOW. Ryan plays the heel and Kiley said that Ryan was incredible to work with. “When I met him in person I knew right away the day was going to go smoothly. His movements seemed effortless. You want a guy that’s a pro at not only kicking your ass but also getting hit, and will do both with zero ego,” he explained.
Kiley described Joey Ryan as someone who reminded him of WWE Intercontinental champion The Miz as The Miz would always try his best to make his opponent’s moves look as good as possible. “Anyone that is a fan of pro wrestling knows that sometimes that’s not the case but believing the man you are sharing the ring with is there for the show and is tough as nails, makes all the difference in the world.”
Ryan did end up drawing the short end of the stick though as by the time they were done with every camera angle, he was on the receiving end of around 50 spinebusters in total. “I remember his back turning purple and starting to swell up. He hit everyone with the same effort and intensity. That is a pro wrestler! A dude that’s tough as hell and can give as well as take!”
Kiley also had good things to say about the people behind the show for signing Chavo Guerrero to be the fight coordinator to honor the Guerrero family. His uncle Mando was the fight coordinator for the original GLOW series back in the 80s. “I have always been close with Chavo, in fact, he was one of my first matches in WWE and I always thought he was honest and trustworthy guy as well as being one of the best pro wrestlers who ever lived. It was pleasure to work with him again in Los Angeles. Between the three of us and Phil Abraham, we settled on choreography that I think a loyal wrestling audience will enjoy and respect.”
After filming his wrestling scenes, it was a small break for lunch and then back on set for the second part of the day.
“As soon as we wrapped for lunch the Assistant Director pointed at me, giving me the ‘get over here’ finger. When I walked over he said alright you know your stuff? I said, yes. “And he immediately responded with let’s hear it!’”
Apart from his in-ring work, Kiley had some lines he had to deliver unlike the majority of other well-known professional wrestlers who appear in the series. Kiley said he was prepared for it and knew every vowel and syllable of that text inside and out, front to back.
“I had even worked out what Steel Horse would be doing or thinking before he got into the scene and were he might go after the scene ended or in season 2. I knew Steel Horse very well by time I got to the set.” He was so prepared and completely immersed in the particular scene that sometimes he forgot it wasn’t real. ”It was an amazing way to begin my transition into acting and an experience I will never forget.”
The backstage scene also had a close encounter with Betty Gilpin, one of the stars of the show who plays the character of Debbie. Debbie is the beautiful blond who is presented as the all-American face of the series.
“Betty was amazing. The scene concludes with some ‘extra drama’ and something I was unfamiliar with as an actor,” Kiley said. “She was very nice and understanding of how personal the scene would become and was extremely professional. You could tell she had enormous respect for the situation. She kept saying ‘relax darling you’re killing it.’ For some reason I’ll never forget ‘darling!’”
Kiley said that overall he was extremely fortunate to work with Gilpin as well as Britney Young and Jackie Thon who were all part of the scene.
In the backstage scene with Debbie, Steel Horse gives her a lecture on how you don’t have to be friends with one another to work with each other, a theme that pretty much dominated the whole GLOW series. But how very true is that in real life in the wrestling business?
Kiley said that he had experiences of that while working as a professional wrestler, with stories similar to that of any office in any business. “Most times when two people truly don’t like each other, it brings out the best in their work on a competitive level. It’s certainly true with pro wrestling. I’ll leave it at that!”
With his role in GLOW all wrapped up, Kiley also recently played a fight commentator in the indie feature ‘Glass Jaw’ although there’s no release date yet. Needless to say, he’s looking for a career in Hollywood now.
Kiley said that he feels very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to compete in Hollywood against the best the business has to offer. “I have made some great friends already in the industry and love the process of acting. I love reading scripts and the high you get from being on a movie set. This has always been a dream of mine.”
The man formerly known as Alex Riley added the he owes a lot of thanks, including thanks to his parents and brother as well as WWE.
“Being a part of that company for 10 years taught me things that I couldn’t have learned anywhere else. The WWE will test you to the very core of who you are. They will challenge you in militaristic ways both mentally and physically. I owe thanks to anyone that ever-supported Kevin Kiley, Alex Riley and who ever will now be tuning in on the 23rd to watch GLOW on Netflix. Because of all of these people I am allowed to continue living a dream and for Steel Horse, the ride continues…”
The Mirror newspaper website in the United Kingdom is highlighting a story of Triple H who visited an unsuspecting off-duty police officer who was seriously injured in the London Bridge terror attack and presented him with a WWE title replica.
The 25-year-old PC Charlie Guenigault was stabbed in the head, leg, back, and stomach when he ran towards the attackers to try and protect others around him. Charging at his attackers, Guenigault was wearing a t-shirt of his favorite WWE Superstar, Sami Zayn.
He was transported to a London hotel in a limo for a surprise meeting with Triple H who is currently in the United Kingdom. “The highest recognition a WWE Superstar can get is winning the WWE Championship. But this honor is also reserved for those in real life who go above and beyond. To run in the direction of a scary situation that can’t even be described in words, to help others, for that to be your instinct to help others – that is a hero,” Triple H said. “People say a lot of times that they watch WWE because these guys are like real-life superheroes. Well, Charlie is a real hero.” Triple H also wrote a personal message on the belt, saying: “To Charlie. Thank you to a true hero.”
Sami Zayn also sent a video message which was delivered by Triple H. “You put yourself in the line of danger at a time when you really had no obligation to do so. I can’t tell you how much respect I have for you. The fact you were wearing my shirt at the time really puts it into perspective for me,” Zayn said in the video. “Sami Zayn has always been the guy known to stand up to the bad guys, but you did it in the most horrific of circumstances. Man, I’m just blown away, I really am.”
Guenigault said that it was an absolute pleasure to meet Triple H, who he described as one one of the greatest Superstars ever. “My comments when he first walked in the room are probably not suitable for a PG audience,” he added.
Hello, it’s @TheMagnumDA with another installment of the Raw Report! We are less than 3 weeks away from Great Balls of Fire on PPV and the WWE Network, where Brock Lesnar will defend the WWE Universal Championship against Samoa Joe. A couple of thoughts on last night’s Money in the Bank PPV, if I may.
• As a fan, ask yourself this: What was there to celebrate last night? A New Day count-out victory? A tease for a Cash-In? A brief cameo by Shinsuke Nakamura? To be fair, the Smackdown roster worked hard and there were some great individual performances last night, but the booking decisions sucked the life out of the show. I understand that you can’t have all the good guys win, but you certainly shouldn’t have a PPV where they almost all lose! Look at this show…outside of Naomi and the Fashion Police, not one hero was truly victorious. The New Day won their title match by a cheap count-out, so they don’t win the belts. Meanwhile, Baron Corbin and Carmella are your MITB briefcase winners, and Jinder Mahal is still the WWE Champion after Randy Orton came up short in his hometown. Come on, Vince. Give these fans something to look forward to. If anything, have John Cena come back on THIS show instead of the July 4th Smackdown.
• My point to all of this: Go back and watch Money in the Bank 2011. Even though that show is all about CM Punk, look at the fans’ reaction when Daniel Bryan finally broke through as a main eventer. They were elated! The fans in St. Louis were clamoring to cheer for a new hero, and Vince gave them nothing. If Orton’s not going over, then one of the two MITB winners should have been someone the fans could cheer for.
Couple of other quick rants:
• To the new backstage interviewer, Dasha Fuente: Learn the product. Your interview with Lana last night was hideous. Makes me furious that WWE would rather hire a pretty face than someone who actually knows their shows well enough to understand what’s going on. For the record, Dasha…Champions aren’t “…heavily, heavily ranked #1”, their contenders are. Also, don’t interrupt the talent. Good Lord.
• Why was Lana booked as a rookie (and not a credible threat) to Naomi? I mean, Lana ended up taking 75% of the offense last night! WWE had a dynamic in mind by surprising fans with a strong Lana performance, but the opposite effect took course: Naomi looked weak, barely getting by a woman who had never wrestled before in a Singles match. That’s why nobody reacted to this match until the “Cash-In” tease took place. Speaking of which…
• They freaking booked a man to retrieve the Women’s MITB Briefcase. Come on, dude. I knew Ellsworth was going to get involved, but you don’t “create confusion” with this match…you piss people off with it. Now we’ll forever remember that the first lady to win MITB sat on her duff while doing it. Great job.
• Going back to my point about the Nakamura cameo…imagine being a die-hard Nakamura fan that paid $500 for a ringside seat. You know Nakamura is in the MITB match, but he only shows up for the last few minutes of the match. What a f*cking letdown, right? Is Shinsuke injured? Are they already giving up on him? I enjoyed the AJ tease, but where is all of this going?
Anyways, on with the show! We are LIVE from Evansville, Indiana.
We start the program with Roman Reigns, who comes out for his SummerSlam announcement. Our ringside cameraman was obviously not ready for the producer’s cue. That was funny. Roman says that he cannot be beaten one-on-one, and he runs down the list of men he has defeated. He says he wants the Universal Champion at SummerSlam, whether it’s Brock Lesnar or “…that guy named Joe.” Oof. Talk about a Samoan swat. Joe comes out and says that he couldn’t help but notice Roman’s disrespectful slight. Joe reminds Roman that he is the true #1 Contender, and that Roman has never defeated him. Roman says, “To me, you’ll always be…just Joe.” Samoa Joe loses it, headbutting Roman hard enough that he flies outside the ring! Joe destroys Roman outside the ring, and throws him back in to set up for the Coquina Clutch. Reigns fights out, and drills Joe with the Superman Punch! They will square off later tonight on Raw.
Match #1 – The Hardy Boyz vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
Karl gets a headlock on Matt, but Matt counters with an armbar and tags in Jeff. Axehandle from the ropes, followed by an armbar and a shoulder charge by Jeff. Matt goes back in, and the brothers hit a team suplex on Anderson for two. Anderson gets a blind charge and a tag to Gallows. Jeff tags in after Matt gets to the corner, and they hit a Poetry in Motion for two. Funny moment, as Cesaro and Sheamus are shown in their locker room. Cesaro is holding a drink in his hand. Cole puts them over as “The Bar”, prompting Booker to say, “It looks like the bar is open!” Cole stammers over himself and corrects Booker, calling it “Gatorade”. I love Booker. He’s so old school. Plus he makes Michael squirm. Anyways, Gallows throws Jeff in the corner and tags in Anderson. European uppercuts and fists by Anderson as the “Hardy!” chants break out. Anderson throws Jeff in his team’s corner, but Jeff fights out. He climbs up, and Karl throws Jeff out from under his legs, crotching him on the top rope as we go to break.
During the commercial, an ad comes up saying that TLC 2017 will take place a few miles from my place! Right here in Minneapolis at the Target Center! Tickets on sale this Friday at 10 AM.
After the break, Anderson tags in and drops a few knees onto a prone Jeff Hardy. Anderson tries another cover, but Jeff fights out at two. The fans get behind the Hardys as Jeff tries to make his way towards the tag. Anderson misses a charge in the corner, and a dropkick reversal allows Jeff to get close enough to tag in his brother. That’s interrupted by Anderson! Gallows tags in and Jeff fights off both men! Jeff hits both men with a top rope dropkick and THE BROKEN ONE IS IN! Matt’s a house of FIYAH! Forearms in the corner, followed by Anderson going facefirst into every turnbuckle. Matt tries the bulldog, but it’s reversed by Anderson. Matt comes back with a kick, followed by a Side Effect! Gallows comes in to interfere, and Anderson rolls up Matt! One, two, NO! They fight in the corner and Gallows grabs Matt’s boot. Anderson interferes, setting up the Boot of Doom! One, two, NO! Matt falls back into the corner, with Jeff making a blind tag! Matt hits the Twist of Fate, and then Jeff hits the Swanton Bomb! One, two, three! Fine opener.
Winners: The Hardy Boyz (**)
Goldust with another promo from his Director’s Chair. He says he’s ready for his close-up. The pieces that were once broken are now put back together. Goldust says that next week, he’ll present “The Shattered Truth.” He wants R-Truth to see it first-hand. The Golden Age is back. This is ironic considering that Dustin Rhodes will probably be wrestling well into his golden years.
Elias Samson is out for a song. He goes for the cheap heat by burying Evansville. He starts going full Tenacious D on this crowd, demanding everyone be quiet while his guitar is tuned. I can’t wait until a string snaps live on TV. What a sight that will be. Anyways, Finn Balor shows up to end the misery. Samson walks out without protest, sowing the seeds for a meeting down the road, I’m sure. Poor Finn. He deserves better.
Match #2 – Finn Balor vs. Bo Dallas
Dallas attacks Balor and lays him out before he can take off his jacket. Oh! I know this match formula. They tried this with Jinder Mahal before he became WWE Champion. I guess that means…oh no. I’m not even going to THINK about Bo Dallas as WWE Champion. Anyways, back to reality. Dallas, looking like the main villain in The Revenant, drapes Balor over the bottom rope and drops a knee down on the throat. Dallas takes Balor outside and throws him in the corner. Dallas follows with a running knee into the face of Balor! Back inside, Dallas gets a two count. Balor quickly fights out and hits a weak kick in the corner, followed by an overhead kick. Balor catches his wind back, and drills Dallas with a combination, followed by some serious stomps to Bo’s chest. Dallas is nailed with the wicked kick from the apron, and then he is thrown into the barricade! Back inside, Balor hits the Sling Blade and the dropkick in the corner. Balor climbs up and hits the COUP DE GRACE! One, two, three! While I don’t think Bo Dallas will be WWE Champion anytime soon, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a push.
Winner: Finn Balor (**)
The announcers lose Corey once again during the broadcast, so Cole and Booker advertise WWE 2K18, which comes out in October. The theme is “BE LIKE NO ONE” and the cover art features Seth Rollins. Ironic, considering the number of wrestlers who use the Sling Blade, the Uranage Slam, the Suicide Dive, and the Overhead Kick as Signature Moves. Just saying.
Raw GM Kurt Angle is backstage with Corey Graves, who looks more like the Son of Elvira every day. Enzo and Cass interrupt their conversation. In a suspicious move, Cass informs Angle about last week, and Colin’s 100% sure that the Big Show is the one behind all the backstage attacks. Angle promises to find out by the end of the night.
Seth Rollins comes out to promote the new WWE video game, and says that he’s proud to be on the cover of WWE 2K18. He says this is for the fans, and they cheer him on! Bray Wyatt interrupts and warns Rollins that he is conforming to the life that he despises. Rollins says that Wyatt is a God, but only in his own mind. Deep down, Seth feels that Bray is nothing more than a coward. Bray warns Rollins that it’s time to make a sacrifice. Bray arrives to the ring! As Wyatt makes it to ringside, Rollins flies off the top rope and nails Wyatt with a top rope splash! That was a very simple, but effective segment. This makes me want to see their match at Great Balls of Fire.
The announcers recap Raw as Corey Graves returns to his position. Booker and Cole stare Corey down, expecting Corey to comment. Instead, Corey kisses Kurt Angle’s ass. What is going ON here? After this, Charly is backstage with Balor. Balor talks about getting back on track to win the Universal Championship, when suddenly THE DRIFTER attacks! Balor is laid out, as Samson tells him, “Don’t EVER upstage me again.” Well, there’s your next dance partner, Finn. Good luck with that.
Match #3 – Akira Tozawa vs. TJP
Great moment to start, as Titus O’Neil comes in to give Akira the Titus™ Ring Announcement. TJP gets total shade, as Tozawa is praised as “the next Cruiserweight Champion.” Uh oh. That’s going to piss off Neville, I’m afraid. Akira gets a lockup into a headlock, which is reversed by TJP. TJP dances out of a sweet counter sequence, which leads to a rollup by Tozawa for two. Deep armdrag by Akira is reversed into a headscissors by TJP. They fight up and TJP takes Akira to the corner. Perkins lands a fist in the corner, but a whip is reversed by Tozawa into a headscissors. TJP rolls to the apron, and catches Akira with some forearms. Akira reverses an attack from the top rope into a kick in the face! One, two, no! Neville has arrived on commentary! He is here “to see the next Cruiserweight Champion, Akira Tozawa!” Told you he’d be mad.
After the break, TJP stomps on Akira’s wrist as Neville looks on. TJ hits the senton from the apron for two. Titus cheers Tozawa on, and Akira fights out of the necklock. Tozawa tries to build momentum, but Perkins hits the reverse springboard onto Tozawa for two. TJ puts him back in the chinlock, and Tozawa fights out again. Tozawa hits a SICK punt kick, followed by a suicide dive after TJ rolls outside. Back in the ring, Akira does his “HA!” taunt, rallying the fans. TJ hits a modified gutbuster for two! Akira with a gutwrench suplex, and an AWESOME floating Swanton Bomb for the one, two, three!
Winner: Akira Tozawa (**1/2)
Afterwards, Neville gets on the announcer’s table and calls Titus a “peasant.” I laughed at that. Titus says that Neville is not a proud King…rather, a scared little boy. Titus then presents the POWAH OF TOZAWA! HA! Hey, it’s catchy. Akira will probably be the guy that finally dethrones Neville’s long run. We get an R-Truth video response to Goldust, saying he’ll be there next week in LA. After this, Miz invites Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas to join his entourage. Finally, Charly is with Samoa Joe, who says that he will teach Roman Reigns to put respect on his name. I guess respect is now a condiment! Joe makes it sounds like you put it on a name like you’d put Cheeze Whiz on a cracker. Whoops. Sorry to steal your gimmick, Rhyno.
Match #4 – Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe
They lock up and it’s a stalemate to start. They lock up again and Roman gets a headlock on Joe. Joe shoulder tackles Roman, but it’s another stalemate. A THIRD stalemate after another shoulder tackle by Joe. Joe piefaces Roman, and Roman returns with some fists. Joe volleys with some forearms and knees, but Reigns hits a hard shoulder tackle. Joe rolls outside and composes himself. He returns in the ring and they almost get a knucklelock going, until Joe hits some snap jabs that send Roman into the corner. They trade forearms, and a whip is reversed into an overhead kick by Joe. Samoa Joe tries the Clutch, but Roman rolls outside and takes a count for himself. Roman charges back in and they start brawling in the ring! Joe takes advantage and tells Reigns to put some respect on his name as he stomps and headbutts Reigns to the ground. Roman finally gets up and nails Joe with a Samoan Drop. Reigns goes for the Drive-By, but Joe rolls to the other side. Joe PLANTS Reigns into the corner post, and then hits a sick running senton as we go to break.
After the break, Joe hits a snapmare, a chop, a kick, and an elbow for two! Great combo. Joe continues to kick Reigns into the dirt, and then PUMMELS him with fists. Reigns fights out of a chinlock, but Joe returns with a headbutt. Reigns moves away from another senton attempt, as Cole says it’s time for Reigns to “rally”. Damn, now we’re getting pacing cues? Joe gets tossed in the corner, as Roman hits him with a clothesline! The Superman Punch misses, but Roman still nails him with a clothesline for a two! Clotheslines in the corner by Reigns into Joe’s chest! Reigns with a jumping Warrior clothesline, but Joe retreats out of the ring. Roman runs into the ring and hits the Drive-By! Reigns misses another attempt to finish Joe, but this time Joe counters with an inverted atomic drop, a boot in the mouth, and a senton for two! A great counter sequence follows, and Reigns FINALLY hits the Superman Punch! One, two, NO! Wow. Joe recovers and hits a Uranage Slam on Roman for the one, two, NO! Joe tries to get the Coquina Clutch on Reigns, but Roman fights out and counters into the SPEAR! One, two, NO! Joe’s foot is on the rope! Joe crawls outside to gain his composure, but he almost gets counted out!
Reigns looks to finish off Joe, but an Ambulance backs up on the Titantron! Out of the Ambulance, IT’S BRAUN STROWMAN! That is seriously the biggest pop I’ve heard on Raw all year. HOLY SHIT. Meanwhile, back in the ring, JOE LOCKS IN THE CLUTCH! The Big Dog goes to sleep!!
Winner: Samoa Joe (***3/4)
Braun Strowman charges into the ring after Reigns! He climbs in the ring with a microphone. Strowman slams Roman to the mat and says, “I’M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!” That’s going to be the eternal battle cry for this feud. The fans absolutely love this guy, as they chant “One more time!” Okay, maybe they don’t love him, but they love when he destroys Reigns. Strowman challenges Reigns to an Ambulance Match at Great Balls of Fire! Oh, no…please don’t tell me an Ambulance is going to explode on this show. That WOULD be Great Balls of Fire.
The WWE Intercontinental Champion, The Miz, is here for MizTV featuring…his own wife Maryse! He admits that she deserves an apology, and gives her a grand entrance. Oh no. There are TWO bears in the ring this time, with signs that say “I’m Sorry” and “Please Forgive Me”. Miz gives Maryse champagne and then he goes for a kiss, but she totally denies him. He pours his heart out, and asks her to open a gift that is placed in the middle of the ring. He shows her that he put together the Grandfather Clock that was destroyed two weeks ago. Miz says some very touching things about his wife, and just as they’re about to kiss and make up…Dean Ambrose’s music hits! Ambrose simply lunges at Miz, and Miz puts Maryse in the way one time too many. While this trick has worked before, it doesn’t work when she is holding a drink. The champagne lands right in her face! In reality, if that got in her eyes, she’s going to feel the burn. She is FURIOUS and walks away, as Miz pleads his case. Dean tries to hit the Dirty Deeds on Miz once more, but the bears attack Ambrose! It’s Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel in the costumes! They are now part of The Miz’s entourage…but what about Maryse?
Match #5 – WWE Tag Team Champions Sheamus & Cesaro vs. Titus O’Neil & Apollo Crews
Crews and Cesaro lock up, and Cesaro hits an early shoulder tackle. Crews returns with a big time drop kick. Cesaro hits a European Uppercut and tags in Sheamus. Sheamus hits the rolling senton for two on Crews. Sheamus blasts Apollo with forearms to the chest, followed by a wristlock. Cesaro tags and continues the beatdown on Crews. Booker says that the champs are on “Crews Control”. Okay, I’ll give him that one. Apollo fights out of a sleeperhold, but not before Sheamus trades tags with Cesaro. Apollo catches the Enziguiri and makes a not-so-hot tag to Titus. Wow. Literally no reaction. Poor guy. Titus gets some offense, followed by a tag to Apollo as they hit the powerslam/moonsault combo for two on Sheamus! Cesaro with a cheap shot on Crews, leading to the White Noise in Stereo! One, two, three!
Winners: Sheamus & Cesaro (*)
Promo for Samoa Joe vs. Brock Lesnar at Great Balls of Fire. Can’t wait.
Match #6 – Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax
Alexa Bliss is on commentary. Match is joined in progress, where Jax has Banks down in the corner. Banks kicks her way out of said corner, and climbs up to hit the double knees on Jax! Meanwhile, back at the announcer’s table, Emma chases Bliss into the ring. When they get inside, Nia Jax is accidentally nailed by Emma for the DQ!
Winner by DQ: Nia Jax (1/2*)
After this, Emma and Alexa turn their attack on Sasha Banks! Mickie James and Dana Brooke come down and even the odds. Nia Jax takes over and destroys her opponents from last week. Finally, Bayley returns! She gets a warm reception and HOLY SCHMOLY Bayley left her training bra back in California. Looks like somebody is trying to get a breast of fresh air tonight! I mean…hrm. Excuse me. Sorry about that. But wow, my goodness, Miss Martinez. She wipes out the competition to the delight of the crowd. Bayley stands tall in the ring as the fans cheer her on.
Main Event Angle: The Raw GM and the Son of Elvira Crack the Case of Enzo and Cass!
This is a main event angle ANYWHERE in the country, folks. WWE GM Kurt Angle comes back out to discuss the recent turn of events involving Enzo and Cass backstage. I was CONVINCED they were going to have another incident where someone got laid out behind the curtain. But…sure enough, Enzo and Cass make their entrance and enter the ring. Little did we know that this would be the last time they’d cut the tandem SAWFT promo.
Angle then brings out The Revival (Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson), who were originally suspected weeks ago due to their inconspicuous cameos on Raw. Finally, Angle brings out the Big Show. Show cuts a promo defending himself, and then he suddenly quits Raw after expressing his disappointment for Angle’s accusation. Uh oh. If Big Show moves to Smackdown, he’s going to get a push. Please don’t give me Mahal vs. Big Show at Summerslam. After Show’s exit, Angle surprisingly absolves The Revival as well, as their alibi held up! Finally, Corey shares the secret that’s been on the minds of many for months…by revealing last week’s footage of Cass staging his own beatdown to throw Enzo off the scent. I guess Corey knew about the original beatdown, too. It also explains why Graves pressed Cass at the beginning of this whole storyline.
Watching Cass stage everything is pretty twisted, but it’s nothing compared to what follows. Cass cuts a promo that is pure vitriol, driving Enzo to tears. Cass tells Enzo that he was a complete embarrassment, and that he only teamed up with Enzo because he felt sorry for him. This sad tale ends with Cass saying, “We are TRU”, which is New York for “through.” Cass then lands a MASSIVE boot to Enzo’s temple, knocking him out immediately. The show ends with Angle looking after Enzo, as Cass walks up the rampway.
Final Thoughts: This was a much-improved version of Raw, in many ways. I thought it was considerably better than last week. I saw some real effort here, even if there were only six matches. Most of the silliness made sense, plus a few guys were elevated. There was also a great promo video for Lesnar/Joe, and we had the returns of Braun Strowman and Bayley. Of course, this was all capped off by the betrayal of Enzo by Colin Cassidy, followed by the dissolution of Cass and Enzo. I think this “Great Balls of Fire” show has a chance to be very entertaining, no matter how old the song is or how silly the title sounds.
The Nottingham Post website is reporting that a small business owner in Colwick, a suburb in the east of Greater Nottingham in England, is being pursued by WWE to stop using the logo of his Raw Motors car and van hire company because it’s a replica of the old WWE Raw logo.
Alistair Rowarth, the owner, said that it’s a “coincidence” that the logos look the same and was not ready to back down. “I will fight them for it – they can send anyone they like. I would need some steps to get into the ring as I’ve not been in the gym for about two years,” he said.
His reply to WWE attorneys did not go down well. “This kind of flippant response as set out is extremely disappointing and not constructive. You and your client should understand the importance of intellectual property rights but making an offer such as this appears to demonstrate otherwise and suggests a lack of respect in contrast to that which our client has accorded to yours,” WWE’s legal team replied to his lawyers.
Rowarth has now been given two months to change the logo and replace all the decals on his 60 vans. “We are not changing the name. Never. We are just changing the design,” he said. A manager at his business said that when the e-mail from WWE came in, she thought it was a joke. It will be an expensive re-branding as apart from the vans, they also have to scrap 20,000 printed flyers and the sign across its doors. The company said it had spent thousands on branding.
“They are hitting a small business. We are only in our first year of business and were hoping to make a profit but this is going to put a dent in that. I think we could win the legal battle but we can’t afford to see it through so we thought we had nothing to lose but to challenge them to a fight,” said manager Annamarie Garmston.
There will be three different editions of the upcoming WWE 2K18 video game – Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, and Collector’s Edition – with Seth Rollins on the cover of the first two editions.
“Featuring Cover Superstar Seth Rollins, WWE 2K18 promises to bring you closer to the ring than ever before with hard-hitting action, stunning graphics, drama, excitement, new game modes, additional match types, deep creation capabilities, and everything you’ve come to love from WWE 2K. Be Like No One,” reads the promotional material for the game.
The Standard Edition will feature the game plus access to the pre-order bonus digital content. The Deluxe Edition will come in deluxe packaging, access to season pass content, access to pre-order bonus digital content, and additional digital content. The Collector’s Edition will include special packaging, exclusive physical collectibles, access to season pass content, access to pre-order bonus digital content, and additional digital content. Both the Deluxe and Collector’s editions will be released on October 13, four days earlier than the Standard Edition.
The game will be exclusively for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and it’s already available for pre-order at https://wwe.2k.com/preorder.
