The second episode of Total Divas on E! this past Sunday did 1,526,000 viewers, up over 200,000 viewers from the first episode.
The fact that the show increased viewership must be great news for both WWE and E! and if such numbers continue it will be a no-brainer that the show gets a second season order.
WWE has announced that it will start selling the WrestleMania XXX travel packages on Monday, August 12, starting at 3PM EST.
There will be five different tiers to choose from with packages starting at $795 per person, although no information was given as to what the $795 package includes and if it’s for a single person or in a group of four. The travel packages will also include a $50 gift card to the Pat O’Brien’s restaurant in the French Quarter.
Last year, VIP packages for WrestleMania sold for nearly $8,000 each and included a visit to the WWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, something that will likely not happen this year since Connecticut is not as close to New Orleans like it was to New York.
The WrestleMania 29 World Television Premiere special on NBC this past Saturday pulled in only 1.92 million viewers, down from the 2.73 million that last year’s special did.
It’s the second worst rating for the show since NBC started airing the special in 2009 with WrestleMania 25. WrestleMania 26 holds the worst viewership with just 1.78 million however that night NBC pre-empted the show in most markets.
The WrestleMania 25 special still has the record with 3.97 million viewers followed by WrestleMania 27 with 3.64, and then WrestleMania 28 with 2.73 million.
The WrestleMania 29 special represents a 48% drop from the WrestleMania 25 number.
The main angle on tonight’s Monday Night RAW is the proposed corporate makeover of Daniel Bryan courtesy of the McMahon family.
A previous corporate makeover – that of Stone Cold Steve Austin – didn’t go fairly well for the Chairman and CEO so it will be interesting to see what happens tonight. Is the beard going away?
The RESCH Center website is also promoting an appearance by Brock Lesnar to continue his SummerSlam angle with CM Punk and Paul Heyman.
The non-televised main event is scheduled to be John Cena vs Alberto Del Rio.
WWE announced the appointment of Michele Martell as Vice President, Kids Entertainment. Martell, who will report to WWE Executive Vice President, Creative, Stephanie McMahon, will be responsible for overseeing the strategic development, execution, and promotion of WWE’s kids entertainment strategy.
Martell will focus on production, digital media, consumer products, marketing and fan engagement as well as identifying opportunities for external partnerships, acquisitions and community events, all on a global basis.
Prior to joining WWE, Martell held the position of Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for SD Entertainment, where she oversaw the acquisition strategy and execution for entertainment products with an emphasis on children’s brands.
Former TNA Superstar Matt Morgan supported Kurt Angle’s decision to go to rehab to tackle his alcohol problem in a message on Twitter.
Asking all dance to support and pray for Angle instead of mocking and judging him, Morgan wrote that Angle is heading for “one of the mentally toughest paths a human being can endure.”
Morgan said that he went that same road after he was addicted to pills and it’s been seven years since he got over the addiction, calling it his proudest achievement.
“But I did so from a strong supporting cast here,& ur fans support goes WAY FURTHER than u realize! Kick this thing’s ass Kurt,” wrote Morgan.
The World Heavyweight title match at SummerSlam was decided on yesterday’s Smackdown as Christian became the number one contender for Alberto Del Rio’s gold.
The former World, Intercontinental, and tag team champion earned his spot in one of the SummerSlam main events by defeating Rob Van Dam and Randy Orton in a three way match.
Captain Charisma is a two time World Heavyweight champion, winning the title by also defeating Alberto Del Rio at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view in 2011 only to lose it five days later to Randy Orton on Smackdown. He won the title again at the Money In The Bank pay-per-view after Orton was disqualified for kicking him in the groin but then lost it once again to Orton at SummerSlam a month later.
Tshepo Sekhabi, the 20 year old fan who attacked Randy Orton during the WWE stop in Cape Town, South Africa earlier this week, pleaded guilty in court.
Sekhabi was charged and ordered to either pay a fine of 500 Rand or serve 30 days in jail for his actions. 500 Rand is approximately around $51. He was also given a 3 year suspended sentence and was banned from the remaining WWE events in South Africa.
When the incident happened Sekhabi was evicted from his hotel room and was given another 5 year ban from the Grand West Casino where the show was held.
TNA’s Kurt Angle was arrested for DWI again according to TMZ following the live Impact Wrestling television tapings in Decatur, Texas.
Angle was busted after police received a call about someone who was driving recklessly and after he was pulled over, the police officers noted the alcohol smell and arrested him. He was released on a $2,000 bond.
This is Angle’s fourth arrest in six years and they were all related to alcohol. If you are facing DWI Austin arrest or similar charges in other county or state, what you need to understand and realize is that you have got yourself into a very serious problem. DWI Austin arrest in a long wound legal procedure which costs time, money, energy, loss of face and sometimes job. It has life lasting effects. The DWI arrest invariably leaves the DWI Austin victim with a sour feeling that this was one drink that he could have so easily done without! How true but too late… now that you’re facing DWI charges, you rather deal with it. One thing about DWI Austin Arrest is that you cannot undo it. No matter what you do, if you are arrested by Law Enforcement Team or Patrolling Police under DWI Austin you have to face the consequences. You can get redirected here for the more detail about DWI. As far as DWI Austin Laws are concerned they are very strict and getting stricter by the day. Impaired driving has cost Austin many innocent lives. Vigorous patrolling during the peak hours is a norm. There are checkpoints now where the patrolling team stops all vehicles to check the status of driver’s mental and physical faculties. There is another side to this. If you think you are drunk beyond the permissible BAC limits, there is a facility of hiring a driver who will drive you home in your own car. You are free to choose this option if you need the car to drive to office the next day. The police that arrested you under DWI Austin charges can be challenged on many grounds by a competent DWI Austin attorney. so make sure you hire the right people. e.g. The police cannot follow you home secretly without informing you. If they’ve done it, you can tell this to your attorney and he will deal with it. Likewise these tests are not scientific and accurate – and the DWI Austin attorney is aware of all aspects of it to question the court during hearing. Did the police making arrest inform you about your rights as a citizen? Were the tests done in accordance with the Standardized NHTSA guidelines? Were the conditions proper? Were your physical disability (if any), age, psychological conditions, weight given due attention while DWI tests were performed on you. This is a common question and the fact is that many DWI cases can be dismissed or reduced. It is also true that DWI and DUI defense has become a very specialized area of practice. The lawyer that you hire can make a difference in your case. Click here to review just some of our Success Stories. Our DWI lawyers have helped to develop new DWI defense strategies in Minnesota. Moreover, across the nation, new defenses are constantly being developed. As a result, our Network of DWI lawyers allows us to discuss those new challenges with national colleagues and to apply them in your DWI defense. There are many challenges to a DWI. It is important to note that officers must follow a detailed set of procedures where even one omission can result in case dismissal. A DWI remains on your record indefinitely in Minnesota. That means forever. A DWI on your record may preclude you from traveling to other countries, including Canada. The fact is the decisions you make now, may affect the rest of your life. You will never get another chance to challenge your charge. Even a first time DWI – DUI offense may have serious consequences. It may preclude you from finding employment. It also may mean skyrocketing insurance rates (sometimes $350 per month or more), fines, alcohol assessments, license revocations, plate impoundments, vehicle forfeitures and treatment costs. After their arrest for a DWI, many people are angry, upset, scared, and confused. They are often embarrassed and would rather not deal with their situation. The great majority of the time, they are afraid to talk to their family or friends because they do not want to be judged. So often they end up doing nothing but waiting and hoping it will all go away. The truth is that the DWI can be a nightmare if it is not dealt with quickly and with action. Having a White Plains DWI lawyer offers many benefits for anyone who has been charged with a DUI offense. Your lawyer can help you fight the charges in criminal court and help you retain your freedom. Your lawyer can speak on your behalf before criminal sentencing takes place to create a chance for leniency during sentencing. Your lawyer can represent you during administrative hearings so your driving privileges can be saved. All of these are excellent reasons for hiring a White Plains DWI lawyer to represent you if you have been charged with DWI. If you want to defend yourself against DWI charges successfully, then consider hiring a White Plains DWI lawyer to represent you throughout your case.
Acknowledging his problem, the former TNA champion tweeted, “In light of recent events, I will be immediately entering a rehabilitation center. I realize that this is a pivotal time in my life and I ask for your understanding as well as your prayers and continued support. I am confident that in taking these steps I can begin to address necessary changes in my life.” He added that he is blessed that he has the support of his family, friends, and the company he works for.
You can see the mug shot below.
The Smack is being laid Down for us tonight in Houston Texas. Heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio is the first man to the ring. Alberto wants to thank us for NOTHING.
He claims we never supported him when he was champion before. Alberto does however, want to thank SmackDown GM Vickie Guererro. Vickie gave Alberto the same deal Brad Maddox on Raw; she let him choose his own opponent. Del Rio said his first choice was to face the beast, Brock Lesnar, but unfortunately Brock already has a match at SummerSlam.
Then Alberto was going to pick Houston’s own, Booker T! But then he remembered that Booker, like Houston, was always a disappointment. So Alberto decided to pick his personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez!
Vickie comes out and she’s not amused. Vickie feels Alberto has been disrespectful to her by not making a serious choice. Alberto says he meant no disrespect and says he wants to fight the Brooklyn Brawler instead. Vickie was prepared for Alberto to pull something like this, and has already decided that tonight’s main event will be a 3 way match to determine who will face Alberto for the World title at SummerSlam. The three participants for tonight’s main event will be RVD, Christian, and Randy Orton.
Commercial
Match #1: Jack Swagger versus Cody Rhodes.
Zeb Coulter grabs the mic and gets ready to berate the people of Houston when he and Swagger are attacked by Cody Rhodes. Cody lands several punches including one delivered up from the mat to Swagger’s chin.
Swagger takes Cody down with an overhead throw and follows up with a series of knees to the gut. Swagger knocks Cody down with a running clothesline and then wraps his arms up behind his back. Cody escapes with an elbow strike and then lands a punch.
Cody goes for the Beautiful Disaster kick but Swagger ducks under it and counters with a Swagger bomb. Swagger lands a couple punches and picks Cody up for a gutwrench powerbomb, but Cody slides out and rolls Swagger up for the win!
After the match Josh Matthews interviews Cody. Cody tells us that he understands why Damien betrayed him at Money in the Bank, and he even admits he probably would have done the same thing. But Cody says he had grown tired of Damien’s arrogance, and that’s why he threw his briefcase into the Gulf of Mexico. Just then, Damien blindsides Cody and slams his head repeatedly into the wall.
Match #2: Sin Cara versus Big E Langston.
Sin Cara lands a kick and a punch before being flattened by a Big E shoulder block. Sin Cara hits Big E with a dropkick and goes for a cover. Big E kicks out and backdrops Sin Cara. Big E puts Sin Cara in a headlock but Sin Cara escapes after landing a few knee strikes.
Big E knock Sin Cara down with a clothesline and then hits him with a pair of clubbing blows to the back of the head. Big E puts Sin Cara in an abdominal stretch. Sin Cara gets out and lands a couple kicks to the head. Sin Cara goes to the top rope and Big E catches him.
Sin Cara lands a couple kicks, but Big E catches him again and finishes him off with the Big Ending for the win.
Commercial
When we return, we see a long, creepy Wyatt family video. Bray Wyatt sometimes reminds me of the cult leader I always knew I could be.
Renee Young interviews Kaitlyn and her friends Layla. Kaitlyn has a match tonight for the Divas title with AJ. Layla butts in to say that Kaitlyn is the most dedicated Diva she has ever seen in all her years in this division and gives her a big hug.
Kaitlyn is flattered and hugs her back. They seem so happy together, like best friends. It was really sweet, beautiful even. So now we all know Kaitlyn is getting betrayed and screwed over later tonight by Layla. Should be fun.
Alberto Del Rio enters Vickie’s office to complain about not being allowed to pick his opponent. Vickie and Alberto are interrupted by Raw GM and former junior partner of “Team Brickie” Brad Maddox. Vickie seems annoyed to see Brad, as does Alberto. Alberto asks why he’s here, and Brad tells him because he’s the Raw GM, and reminds Alberto that he will be under Brad’s authority on Monday. Alberto leaves chastened.
Match #3: Fandango versus CM Punk.
Alex Riley is on commentary tonight, and he didn’t even TRY to pronounce Fandango’s name correctly. He didn’t get caught up on the Ns like so many people do, but he was supposed to breathe IN the vowels and he did NOT. He was breathing them out and the accent was all wrong; it almost sounded hillbilly. I only hope Fandango doesn’t hear about this after the show, he’ll be devastated.
Punk starts the match off hot, landing a series of strikes, a bodyslam, and alternating punches and chops. Punk takes Fandango down and puts him in a headlock. Fandango reverses it and puts Punk in a headlock. Fandango knocks Punk down with a shoulder block.
Punk charges but Fandango leapfrogs him in flamboyant fashion. Punk lands a kick and an elbow, Fandango responds by tripping Punk into the ropes. Punk lands a couple punches and a heel kick. Fandango rolls to the floor.
Commercial
Summer Rae distracts Punk outside the ring, and Fandango whips Punk into the steel steps. Fandango rolls Punk into the ring and pummels him. Fandango whips Punk hard into the corner, takes his time and then whips him into another corner. Fandango lands a couple punches and an elbow to the face.
Fandango lands a clothesline and then hits Punk with a boot to the face. Fandango lands a clothesline; Punk retaliates with a series of elbows and forearm shots. Fandango lands a boot to the face. Fandango goes to the top rope and misses with a knee drop.
Punk hits Fandango with an elbow and a neckbreaker. Punk hits Fandango with a running high knee to the head and then climbs to the top rope. Fandango rolls to the floor to regroup. Fandango re-enters the ring and hits Punk with a Mitchinoku driver. Fandango climbs to the top rope but Punk cuts him off. Punk hits Fandango with a superplex, floats over and instead of going for a pin locks in the Anaconda vice. Fandango taps, CM Punk wins!
After the match, Renee Young interviews RVD. RVD predicts victory in his match tonight. Christian interrupts to predict victory for himself, and Randy Orton interrupts to say he’ll not only win, he may go on to become World Champ AND WWE champ. RVD interrupts Randy to remind us that this was supposed to be his interview, and predicts victory.
Commercial
Match #4: Kaitlyn with Layla versus AJ.
AJ starts off punching wildly, Kaitlyn catches her and slams her into the corner. Kaitlyn hits AJ with a couple shoulder blocks and a clothesline. AJ twists Kaitlyn’s arm and forces her to the mat. AJ applies a sleeper and takes Kaitlyn to the mat.
Kaitlyn down and then parades around the ring. AJ lands a kick and Kaitlyn responds with a dropkick. Kaitlyn hoists AJ up on her back and hits her with a knee to the gut. AJ rolls out to the floor and Kaitlyn pursues. Kaitlyn slams AJ into the security barrier but then gets cut off by her friend Layla.
Kaitlyn stands there shocked as Layla stares her down. AJ takes advantage of the distraction and slams into Kaitlyn, flattening her. AJ rolls Kaitlyn into the ring and applies the Black Widow submission hold. Kaitlyn taps, AJ retains her title. After the match, AJ and Layla skip around the ring holding hands, and then hug on the entrance ramp.
Commercial
Match #5: RVD versus Christian versus Randy Orton.
Alberto Del Rio joins us on commentary. He’s still upset he isn’t going to be allowed to defend his title against his ring announcer Ricardo, who Alberto insists could beat RVD, Christian or Orton. The match starts off with all three men exchanging strikes.
Christian throws Orton to the floor but then gets hit with an elbow and a kick from Van Dam. Orton trips RVD and pulls him to the floor. RVD slams Orton gut first onto the security barrier and then climbs up to the ring apron. RVD hits Orton with a spinning kick from the edge of the ring. Christian spears RVD outside the ring.
Commercial
Christian hits RVD with a couple strikes and then plants him with a tornado DDT. Orton reenters the ring and hits Christian with a pair of European uppercuts. Christian jumps to the floor and misses with a punch. Orton hits RVD with a Thesz press and then Christian goes to the top rope. Orton and Christian exchange punches and Orton hits Christian with a headbutt.
Orton takes Christian down with a superplex from the top rope and gets a two count. Both men appear hurt. RVD hits Christian and Orton with clotheslines, then hits each of them with a spin kick. RVD hits Orton with a split legged moonsault for 2. RVD hits Orton with a couple shoulder blocks in the corner.
RVD charges at Orton in the corner again but Orton gets his legs up and knocks RVD down; RVD rolls to the floor. Orton tries to hit Christian with a rope hung DDT, but Christian backdrops Orton to the floor instead. Christian hits RVD with a baseball slide dropkick, and then bodyslams Orton.
RVD bodyslams Christian and then enters the ring. RVD flies out of the ring over the top rope and takes out Christian and Orton at the same time.
Commercial
When we return, Christian and Orton are exchanging strikes and pin attempts. Christian hits Orton with a reverse DDT and then knocks RVD off the edge of the ring apron. Christian tries to spear Orton but Orton leapfrogs out of the way.
Christian climbs to the second rope and hits Orton with a back elbow. Christian tries to hit Orton with the Kill Switch but Van Dam hits a flying kick from the top rope that misses Christian but hits Orton. RVD hits Christian with a pair of kicks and then hits him with the 5 star frog splash from the top rope! RVD goes for a cover but it’s broken up by Orton.
Orton lands punches to RVD and then hits him with a clothesline. RVD hits Orton with a kick and attempts Rolling Thunder, but Orton counters it with a scoop slam. Orton tries to hit RVD with a rope hung DDT, but RVD blocks it. Orton hits Van Dam with a dropkick that sends him out to the floor.
Orton hits Christian with a rope hung DDT and then sets up for the RKO. RVD reenters the ring and Orton RKO’s him instead of Christian. Christian takes Orton down with a back slide and pins him for the win! Christian is now the #1 contender and has earned One More Match for the World title.
After the match, a disappointed Randy Orton extends his hand to Christian in congratulations and they shake hands in a show or mutual respect. Josh Matthews enters the ring to interview Christian, Christian is glad to have 1 more match, but he’s kind of hurting now.
Just then, Alberto Del Rio blindsides Christian and knocks him down. Alberto knocks Christian out with a superkick to the face and then stands triumphantly over his unconscious body as SmackDown goes off the air.
The August 1 Warning mystery was revealed yesterday night on Impact Wrestling and it ended up being former UFC champion Tito Ortiz.
Just 24 hours before, Ortiz made a surprise appearance at the Bellator show on Spike TV where it was announced that he would be facing another TNA part-timer – Rampage Jackson – in November on pay-per-view. His appearance on the show sort of spoiled the week-long videos that TNA published hyping up the arrival of the mystery man.
Ortiz arrived while the Main Event Mafia and Aces & Eights were involved in a segment and the two groups ended up in a big brawl. The music hit and Ortiz came out and observed the situation as all members of both groups looked confused and surprised.
Tito Ortiz became the third MMA fighter to join TNA on part-time basis following King Mo and Rampage Jackson.
You can see Ortiz’ arrival in TNA below.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson said that he is not shutting the door on his professional wrestling career but admits that if he’d never wrestle again, he’d be very content with it.
“Winning or losing never really mattered to me,” Johnson said as it was pointed out to him he’d leave wrestling with a loss to John Cena. “The whole idea was to put on a great match. Got injured in that match. Still was able to walk out on my own, which I was more happy about. I don’t know. We’ll see.”
The Rock did indeed get injured halfway through his match against Cena, tearing up his abductor and having to undergo a hernia operation that prevented him from doing his media rounds around the world to promote his Fast & Furious 6 movie.
The injury also kept him out of the post-WrestleMania RAW in red-hot East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the plan was for him to go face to face with Brock Lesnar to set up another match for WrestleMania XXX.
SONY SIX, India’s premier sports entertainment channel has acquired broadcasting rights to TNA Wrestling’s full catalog of programming and will air more than 500 hours of wrestling content across key Asian markets.
The channel will now air Impact Wrestling, Xplosion, Greatest Matches and Unfinished Business, along with the four pay-per-views and the eight One Night Only specials throughout the year.
CEO Man Jit Singh said that the company is proud to have acquired TNA Wrestling’s rights as one of their premium international sporting events. “TNA Wrestling has garnered immense viewership internationally and we believe this association further reiterates SONY SIX’s commitment to airing high impact alternative sports in India.”
Eight of the ten WWE money-making departments made more money or remain unchanged in the second quarter compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
Live Event revenues increased 13% to $40.1 million mainly thanks to WrestleMania and Axxess, venue merchandise increased 28% to $6.9 million from $5.4 million, television revenues increased 17% to $38.0 million from $32.4 million, licensing, magazine publishing, and WWEShop.com revenues remained unchanged with $6.7 million, $1.3 million, and $3.1 million respectively, WWE.com revenues increased 27% to $6.1 million and WWE Studios registered $2.1 million versus $0.6 million in the prior year quarter.
Those in the “red” are pay-per-view revenues which were $37.1 million as compared to $40.8 million in the prior year quarter and home entertainment net revenues were $7.1 million as compared to $7.8 million in the prior year quarter.
2K Games today announced the Phenom Edition of WWE 2K14, a special edition which will be dedicated to the one and only Undertaker.
The limited edition will include a tin coffin box, a collectible art card autographed by the Undertaker, an exclusive playable version of the Undertaker in his American Badass gimmick, an Undertaker-themed controller skin, as well as The Streak Blu-Ray/DVD.
Anyone who preorders this version of the game will also get The Ultimate Warrior as a playable character as well.
The Phenom Edition will cost $99.99.
The three pay-per-views that were screened during the second quarter of this year all did less buys than what they did the previous year including WrestleMania.
WrestleMania 29 did 1,039,000 buys compared to the 1,217,000 that WrestleMania 28 did. Extreme Rules was down around 30,000 buys, getting 231,000 versus the 263,000 of 2012. Payback did 186,000 buys, down 8,000 buys from the 194,000 the 2012 event did.
In 2012 there was an additional pay-per-view in the second quarter – Over The Limit – which was not on the calendar this year. That show did 167,000 buys.
The fan who attacked Randy Orton after his match during the tour in Cape Town, South Africa, was identified as 20 year old Tshepo Sekhabi, a WWE fan who (surprise, surprise) admits that he hates Randy Orton.
In a report by South Africa-based ENCA.COM, Sekhabi said that the attack was premeditated in order to make a name for himself after he quit his job as an admin clerk days before.
“I just don’t like Randy Orton, this was an opportunity for me so I got up there and made a name for myself,” the 20 year old said in a statement.
He was given a five year ban from the casino where the event was being held and was ejected out of the hotel and also received a black eye and swollen face after Orton kicked him for his trouble.
WWE said that it’s unlikely that they will press charges against Sekhabi and Sekhabi himself said he doesn’t plan to press charges against Orton or WWE either for getting kicked in the face. Well, he deserved that. And more.
WWE today announced announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2013. Revenues increased $10.7 million or 8%, to $152.3 million from $141.6 million in the prior year quarter. Operating income, however, declined to $8.8 million as compared to $19.6 million in the prior year. The drop in income was due to increased staff expenses to support future initiatives.
“In the second quarter, we continued to make investments in both staffing and talent to support our long-term growth objectives. These initiatives, including the recent opening of a world-class performance training facility, and the highest grossing WrestleMania in our Company’s history, demonstrate our commitment to develop our talent, build our brands, and provide a solid foundation for future growth,” stated Vince McMahon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to believe that these investments will enhance our ability to create new programs and to distribute all of our content in a way that optimizes its value, through the renewal of key television contracts and the potential launch of a WWE network.”
You can read the full press release at here.
WWE will be reporting their 2013 second quarter results tomorrow before the market opens and then at 11AM EST there will be a conference call held with WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and other senior management officers.
These results will include all the money generated from WrestleMania 29, held in April at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
One thing WWE investors will push in the conference call again will be status updates on the proposed WWE Network which is seemingly being pushed further back with every quarter that passes by.
The first episode of Total Divas that aired after Monday Night RAW, a day after the premiere on E!, did more viewers than the original airing at a later time slot.
Total Divas on USA Network did an additional 1,530,000 viewers, up 200,000 from the E! broadcast. The USA airing started at 11:05PM versus the 10PM airing on Sunday.
The first replay of the show on E! which aired at Midnight did 700,000 viewers as well so in total around 3.5 million viewers saw the first episode of the show over three airings.
USA Network does not plan to air more Total Divas following RAW even though it makes sense since the wrestling audience is there already as a lead-in. The show will exclusively air on E! from this week onwards.
