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October 17th
On this day in history in ....
1957 - Former WCW United States Champion and NFL great Steve "Mongo" McMichael is born.
1961 - Jackie Fargo & Lester Welch defeat Great Mephisto & Dante to win the Southern Tag Team Title in Nashville, Tennessee.
1961 - Mr. M defeats Hard Boiled Haggerty in Minneapolis, Minnesota to win the AWA United States Heavyweight Title. He would be the final champion, as the title was abandoned a few months later.
1982 - Bret Hart defeats Bad News Allen (later Bad News Brown in WWF) to win the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title for the fifth time in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
1982 - Jimmy Valiant defeated Ivan Koloff in Toronto, Canada to win the NWA Television Title.
1985 - Sherri Martel defeats Candi Devine in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to win the AWA Women's World Title for the second time.
1988 - Forbes Magazine reports that the World Wrestling Federation (then a privately owned company) was worth $100 million. At the same time, word begins to circulate that Ted Turner would be purchasing Jim Crockett Promotions, a purchase that will be completed the following month, when Turner buys the company and renames it World Championship Wrestling.
1991 - Tatsumi Fujinami & Big Van Vader defeat Riki Choshu & Masa Saito to win the Super Grade Tag League tournament in Tokyo, Japan.
1992 - Todd Champion defeats Butch Reed for the USWA Unified Heavyweight Title in Cleveland, Ohio.
1999 - WWF held their No Mercy Pay-per-view at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Here are the results:
- The Godfather defeated Mideon after hitting the Ho Train.
- The Fabulous Moolah defeated Ivory to win the WWF Women's Title and become a seven time Women's Champion.
- Hardcore & Crash Holly defeated The New Age Outlaws via disqualification.
- Chyna defeated Jeff Jarrett in a Good Housekeeping match to win the Intercontinental Title. The rules of the match stated that household objects could be used in the match. Jarrett beat Chyna after hitting her with the Intercontinental Title belt, but the match was ordered to continue, since the belt was not considered a household object. The match was restarted, and Chyna defeated Jarrett after hitting him with a guitar. This was Jarrett's final WWF match, as his contract had already expired, and he was heading to WCW. WWF and Jarrett came to an agreement for him to make this final appearance and drop the title. WWF's side of the story was that Jarrett "held them up" for money, while Jarrett's version was that he simply wanted PPV bonuses he was due for past shows up front (PPV bonuses are usually paid several months after the event, once revenues have been collected).
- The Rock defeated Davey Boy Smith with a Rock Bottom and People's Elbow.
- Matt & Jeff Hardy defeated Edge & Christian in a Ladder match, winning $100,000 and the managerial services of Terri Runnels.
- The Rock issued a challenge to the winner of the main event, then was attacked by Triple H.
- Val Venis defeated Mankind with a testicular claw.
- X-Pac defeated Faarooq, Kane and Bradshaw in a Four Corners match. Kane eliminated Bradshaw with a chokeslam, X-Pac eliminated Kane with a spin kick off the top rope, and X-Pac pinned Faarooq with an X-Factor to win the match.
- WWF World Heavyweight Champion Triple H defeated Steve Austin in an Anything Goes match, when Rock, while going after Triple H, accidentally caused Austin to be hit with a sledgehammer.
2000 - BJ Payne & Flash Flanagan defeat the Disciples Of Synn (Slash & Damian) to win the OVW Tag Team Title in Louisville, Kentucky.
2002 - Stephanie McMahon appeared on The Howard Stern Show. Zeke Wolf filed the following report:
Stephanie McMahon appeared on the Howard Stern Radio Show this morning to promote No Mercy. She walked in at 9:00 AM, and was running late. Here are the highlights of her appearance.
-She is 26 just had a birthday.
-She is dating HHH (duh).
-She has worked for the company since she was 12, has worked as a receptionist.
-She says Vince is a great dad, and he's very entertaining.
-She lives in her own house, doesn't live with daddy.
-They paraphrase Chyna saying HHH is gonna be Stephanie's bitch and that he is walking on egg shells for the rest of his career.
-Stephanie thinks Chyna is beautiful.
-Stern asks Steph if HHH has any weird muscle fetishes because he was with Chyna.
-Stephanie says she was dating someone when she and HHH became an item.
-Stern thinks Stephanie is the catch of the world, she's hot, and rich, and has a rich dad.
-Stern wonders if HHH really just wants to run the whole thing and is trying to do that by marrying Stephanie.
-Stephanie collects a salary for both her on-screen and behind the scenes roles.
-Stephanie admits that is bothered her when Vince revealed cheating on Linda.
-Stephanie writes and used to wrestle.
-Steph said HHH was very flirtatious and when she was sitting on his lap. He'd pinch her or say something weird.
-Steph says that her and HHH split for little while, when he was still living with Chyna.
-Vince, at one point, forbade her from seeing HHH and she saw him anyway, in a Romeo and Juliet type of way.
-They played Chyna's clip from her earlier appearance on the show and she sounded really whiney. Chyna basically said the Stephanie was a bitch.
-They talked about TE 3 debuting tonight, No Mercy on Sunday and Saliva's new video.
-Steph says that WWE is doing well, but not as good as they want. She blamed the economy.
-Caller calls and thanks her for her boobs popping out numerous times.
-Steph talked about her old boobs looking like "melted packets of butter" that's why she got the boob job
-Caller called and asked about "Paul".
-AA (Stern show regular) said that SCSA left because Stephanie got him with a strap on.
-Stern asks her about money, and she says she has stock and collects a salary.
-Someone posing as Chyna called up, said Vince had sex with her, and Steph was a bitch. It was obviously a fake.
-Internet fans represented!!! Caller asks her about HHH being the focal point of Raw, and she says that it makes no sense for her to politic her boyfriend to the front, and drive the business into the ground.
-Stephanie discusses getting more boob jobs. Stern told her to go ahead with it.
- Caller says that his friend used to sleep with Stephanie and she likes being tied up and loves anal sex. She said the she hasn't yet, but would give it to HHH if she was "hot" enough. She didn't like being tied up the one time she tried it. Thinks if it went right better the next time she'd enjoy it.
-She says that she'd pull out the strap on she used on Steve Austin for the guy.
-Some guy called up saying that he was a female wrestler named Denise looking for Steroids.
-She said the Nicole Bass lost, because she wasn't sexually assaulted.
-Eric the Midget calls up, says he's a huge fan of Smackdown, and he asks her if she would consider changing the format of the WWE shows, to a concert type thing. Really wierd. Says he never pleasured himself thinking about her. Stephanie says she's offended, the guy comes clean and says he has. Stephanie is happy.
-Artie does his Eric Bischoff impression. It's pretty bad.
-She says that HHH is great in the sack, and he's the best she's ever had. SHE HAS CONSIDERED HLA. She doesn't like the idea of HHH with her and another girl.
-Stephanie is totally shaved down there.
-Stephanie says that HHH shaves his entire body
-She says that she and HHH have sex very often.
-Stern reiterates that Stephanie is the catch of the century, she's down to earth, hot, talks about shaving, and is rich rich rich.
-Stern plugs the TE3 and No Mercy again. They plug the new Saliva video again.
That's about it. Probably one of the best Stern show WWE interviews I've ever heard. Very easy going.
2002 - CZW aired Fake You TV on TV 48 in Philadelphia. Phil X filed the following TV report:
CZW Fake You TV Episode #65 from 10/17/02 on WGTW Channel 48 out of Philadelphia/Burlington ......
The show opens with The Irish Drinking Team (Ian Knoxx & Chris Stylz) sitting in the back drinking, awaiting their match. Ruckus walks in with a beer and starts talking to them. Dewey Donovan then appears and asks Ruckus to leave because he has business to take care of. He tells The Irish Drinking Team he has a chance of a lifetime for them. Dewey then walks away with The Irish Drinking Team talking to them.
The show opening is then played.
John House and the best announcer in wrestling, Eric Gargiulo, then run down tonight's show.
Segment #1- Robby Moreno is backstage and tries to interview The Necro Butcher, who is with Mr. Insanity Toby Klein. Moreno said he heard the Necro Butcher does not talk, but he has to talk because this is CZW Fake You TV. Necro Butcher does not say a word and just stands around looking confused.
Segment #2- The Irish Drinking Team (Ian Knoxx & Chris Stylz) vs. The Rachies (Adam Flash & Danny Rose). The Irish Drinking Team beat up Jimmy Washington before the match. Washington was in the ring for some reason, and they took him out with a few moves and slid him out of the ring. Rose applies a head lock to start the match. The Rachies came to the rings wearing sombreros, and Rose starts off the match still wearing his. Gargiulo mentions that Rose is wrestling with a torn PCL. Rose tags in Flash. Knoxx gets the better of Flash but charges into the corner after him and Flash moves and gains control. Flash and Knoxx match either other with reversals until Knoxx comes out ahead and tags in Stylz. Flash and Stylz then fight inside the ring while Rose and Knoxx take it to the outside. Rose whips Knoxx into the guardrail then goes over and slips something in the Irish Drinking Team's drinks. Flash executes an X-Factor off the second rope and gets a 2 count. Knoxx tags in and gives Flash a double underhook DDT and then gives Rose a fallaway slam. Knoxx brings a keg in but Flash kicks him in the gut causing him to drop it. Stylz, who drank out of the spiked bottle, is now helpless on the outside. Rose nails Knoxx with a chair. Flash and Rose double team Knoxx in the corner. Rose whips Knoxx into the corner and follows him in with a splash. He then executes a vertical suplex throw. Flash tags in and begins to punch Knoxx in the back of the head. He then tosses him to the outside. Flash delivers a baseball slide to Knoxx, then comes off the top rope to the outside, clotheslining Knoxx. Flash gets a chair and nails Knoxx on top of the head with it. The action is now back in the ring as Flash tags in Rose. Rose gives Knoxx a Doomsday Device on to the keg of beer but pulls up Knoxx after the 2 count. Stylz finally tags back in but is very weak due to the spiked drink. Rose puts Stylz in the corner and gives him a big shoulder to the stomach. Flash tags in and Rose and Flash double team Stylz. Flash delivers the Last Call on Stylz and gets the 3 count for the victory. Jon Dahmer runs in after the match and takes out Rose and Flash. Dahmer tends to Knoxx and Stylz and gives them alcohol to "fuel them up". Greg Matthews, Z-Barr, and The Rockin' Rebel then run in to tend to Rose and Flash. Rebel then takes the mic and delivers a message on behalf of Lobo. He says you are either with them, or you are against them. He said if you want to be with Zandig, stay in the back!
Segment #3- Robby Moreno interviews Lobo backstage. Z-Barr, Greg Matthews, Danny Rose, Adam Flash, and Rockin' Rebel are with him. Z-Barr is making Lobo sign something during the interview. Z-Barr says not to worry about it and just sign it. Lobo says Z-Barr and Greg Matthews are his two privates, Rebel is his field general, and Rose and Flash are his two colonels. Adam Flash is laying in the corner in pain. They say that Lobo's Army puts their bodies on the line for the cause. Lobo says Flash looks and they need to take him to a strip club.
Segment #4- Necro Butcher vs. Big Japan Deathmatch Champion Wifebeater with Mac Smack. The ring is surrounded with .... ummm ... something. The match goes to the outside right away where Wifebeater slams Necro to the concrete. The ring is surrounded with boards that have 3 inch nails sticking out of them. Wifebeater nails Necro with a chair over the head. Wifebeater lifts up Necro's shirt and staples his chest. Wifebeater places a bunch of the boards on Necro and then hits them with a steel chair. Mr. Insanity Toby Klein runs in and nails Wifebeater with a chair. Necro and Insanity destroy Wifebeater. Nick Mondo then comes through the curtain with a mic. Mondo asks who Necro and Insanity think they are. He says they got eliminated in the first round at the Tournament of Death, so they have to team up to beat Wifebeater? He says instead of Wifebeater and him killing each other, they will team up to take out Klein and Necro. Mondo takes one of the boards and breaks it over Necro and Klein after they whipped him into the ropes expecting to back body drop him. Mondo executes a Tope Con Hilo to the outside taking out both men. Mondo and Klein then go at it in the ring. Klein gains the advantage. Necro is bleeding heavily from the forehead. Klein is bleeding a little at this point. Mondo executes a huracanrana into some glass in the ring. Wifebeater tags in and drags Klein's body over the nails. Klein sets up some chairs in the ring and puts Wifebeater on one then fires a chair at his head. Necro jumps off the top rope but Wifebeater gets out of the chair causing Necro to slam into it. Mondo and Wifebeater then trade chair shots to Klein's head. The match then goes to the outside. Mondo suplexes Klein on the concrete then beats him with a few of the boards. Necro gets a board of barbed wire and slams it onto Wifebeater. Klein and Mondo trade punches. Mondo is bleeding out of his lower back. Necro takes the staple gun and hits Wifebeater with it. Necro Butcher then staples Wifebeater's head to the ring apron and follows that up but slamming a chair into his head driving the staples in deeper. Wifebeater and Mondo set up the barbed wire board in the ring and double team Necro Butcher. After a commercial break, Necro and Klein are in charge and powerbomb Wifebeater into a barbed wire board. They then go to throw Mondo into it but he stops. They go to spear him and he moves sending them head first into the board. Mondo places the board on top of them and jumps off the top rope stomping the board. Wifebeater and Mondo then double team Klein and send him through a barbed wire board set up on a table outside the ring. Back in the ring, Wifebeater gives Necro Butcher a Chokenstein. Mondo and Wifebeater places a plate of glass on 2 chairs on tope of Necro. Mondo goes to the top rope and drops a leg on Necro through the glass and gets the pinfall. Lobo's Army hits the ring and attack Wifebeater and Nick Mondo! Music starts playing. House and Gargiulo do not know who's music it is. All of a sudden, The Messiah hits the ring! Messiah, Mondo, and Wifebeater fight off Lobo's Army. Messiah then takes the mic and cuts a promo. He said it is good to be home, and make no mistake, "this is CZW's home! a certain muthaf&*er comes into this arena saying he is going to carry his company to the top, well guess what, I carried that company for 2 years". Justice Pain comes in and hugs Messiah. "Now, onto this ...." ... Messiah goes on to say he has no thumb but he doesnt care, he can still play video games and still open beer. He says he is not accusing anyone and not pointing fingers cuz whoever attacked him knows who they are and they can't get the job done. He said whoever sent 2 jabronis after him has to learn to do the job himself and stop sending people who don't know what they are doing. He said this is just an obstacle. He said he has faced obstacles his entire life and this is no different. Messiah goes on to say the boys in the back are like brothers to him and they have his back. "what happens in this ring stays in the ring.". He says that outside of the ring, everyone has his back .... "I even got f'ing Whacks!". All of the CZW workers enter the ring and surround Messiah. Messiah said that he may be at some shows and may not be at other shows, but he is always there in spirit! He hands the mic over to Zandig who leads the crowd in a CZW chant!
NOTES:
CZW is in Dover, DE on 10/26 for Havoc In Hellaware. Wifebeater's retirement match vs. Zandig.
CZW returns to Viking Hall on Saturday, November 9th, at 8:00pm.
2002 - WWE broadcast Smackdown. Kelly G filed the following TV report:
Smackdown Report for October 17, 2002
By: Kelly G
Smackdown starts with Edge coming to the ring for a match with partner Rey Mysterio for a tag team match for the tag team tournament.
Edge and Rey Mysterio vs. D-Von and Ron Simmons
Note: At this point, Kelly's cable went out for a brief period. We are filling in this section with notes from Adam Lebow, who was at the event live.
The finish was hot, as there was first a visionary when Edge speared D-Von in the corner and Rey hit the West Coast Pop for a 2 count. Edge speared D-Von out and hits the Edge-O-Cution for the 3 on Simmons. After the match, the Guerrero’s came out and beat up Rey and Edge. Eddie hit the Frog Splash, and they went to the back.
Winner, and advancing to No Mercy Finals: Edge and Rey Misterio Jr.
We cut to the back and Funaki is interviewing Tajiri who is wearing an referee outfit. (Note: This got fans mad because the two just had a match). Nidia came over and said she was going to come out on top tonight, just like she does in bed. Noble comes over and they get into each others faces.
A Special Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend Match (That is what they called it)
Jamie Noble (c) vs. Nidia
This was a real bad match. Nidia did show some Tough Enough talent, but it was the typical Boy vs. Girl match. Noble roles up Nidia for the pin. Nidia gets mad that she lost and attacks Tajiri. Tajiri then goes to attack Nidia but Noble saves her, and the two double team him. They do the gimmick where they aren’t sure if they should get together or not, and then we have a big make out session in the ring.
Winner: Jamie Noble
They show a clip of the Taker in the back getting ready for an interview. After a small break, we cut to the back and we have a Taker interview, where he says that girl we saw last week was his girlfriend 7 years ago before Sara (wasn’t he from the dead back then, with Paul Bearer?). Anyways, he then goes on to say he is going to win Hell in a Cell on Sunday.
The WWE has some trouble and is able to air 10 seconds of a promo that John Cena cut on Kidman. We got the good part though where he says that Kidman better get used to loosing, cause he tapped out last week and he will once again this week.
Note: Kelly takes over the report from here.
Billy Kidman vs. John Cena
John Cena wins the match with the help of the ropes.
Steph's office: Tracy, Brock and Paul come in and Tracy says that UT is lying and that they slept together just ten days ago. Steph told her she was no longer allowed there.
Paul tries to talk Steph into getting UT to take off his cast at the PPV match. She said she would take that request into consideration and would let him know. She then tells Brock to get ready for his match against Chuck Palumbo.
UT is in Steph's office saying that Tracy is a liar. And he said that he understands that she is taking in consideration of him removing the cast for the match, and reminded her that because of Lesnar he has the cast on in the first place. She says that he has been using it as a weapon and she needs to take every issue into consideration.
Brock Lesnar vs. Chuck Palumbo
Brock wins this match with the F5.
UT is in the ring, using the cast as a weapon he takes out everyone, Security tries to stop, but every time UT turns security runs, a busted open Brock sneaks out of the ring while security tries to take UT.
Commercial
Torrie Wilson is seen backstage working out, and she runs to see that her dad is there tonight. He said he didn't want to miss her match tonight. She said that she had seen Dawn Marie gave him her room key last week. She told her dad that Dawn Marie is a predator. He hands her flowers and said they were for her. She had to go out for her match so she asked a lady backstage to hold on to them until she got back.
Dawn Marie and Matt Hardy vs. Torrie Wilson and Rikishi
As Tazz said it, two blondes vs. two brunettes.
Dawn Marie is in to face Rikishi, she says that he looks disgusting, and smacks him, Rikishi doesn't seem happy, Picks her up and tosses her to Matt Hardy. Torrie is in now, her and Dawn Marie go at it a bit, before Torrie tags Rikishi in, and Dawn Marie tags Matt Hardy in. Dawn Marie attacks the back of Rikishi after he gave Matt a sidekick that knocked him down. Rikishi and Dawn Marie are set up in the corner for a Stinkface, when Rikishi backs it up; Matt holds Dawn Marie's face in place. Matt and Dawn Marie win this match, but Rikishi and Torrie get the last laugh by Rikishi giving Matt the old Stinkface.
Paul and Brock are in the back, Brock told Paul to go tell Steph to have Taker take that cast off during the hell in the cell match.
Commercial
Paul in Steph's office, telling her that Brock is getting stitched up and that UT has to take the cast off for the hell in the cell match. Steph says she will make her decision tonight. Paul starts yelling that UT has to take his cast off before hell in the cell. Steph said she would make her decision tonight. He yells again saying he wants the cast off. Steph tells him to leave her office.
Benoit and Angle backstage, Angle wants to know what the look on Benoit's face is for, he said that Benoit was looking at his medals, that Benoit wants them, that he's jealous. Then he says no it's not his medals, the look is because he thinks that angle had something to do with Chavo and Eddie setting him up. He told Benoit he would go after him to his face.
Commercial
Torrie is backstage to get her flowers, and found out that the flowers were not for her, they were for Dawn Marie. Torrie runs around to find her dad. She goes into Dawn's locker room and sees her dad's clothes on a chair. She keeps going into the shower room and hears the shower running. When she opens the curtain she sees her dad and Dawn Marie in the shower. Dawn Marie had a big smile on her face; Torrie looked like she was going to be ill, as she went running out.
Chavo and Eddie vs. Benoit and Kurt Angle
As Eddie and Chavo come to the ring, Edge and Eddie come attacking from behind. Angle and Benoit go after Edge, Angle pulls Edge into the ring and starts throwing punches, on the other end of the ring Benoit is giving Rey a beating of his own. Edge and Rey put Angle and Benoit on their backs and leave the ring. The match has yet started and we go to another commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial the match has already officially began. Eddie has a submission on Angle, Angle reverses it and puts Eddie into the ankle lock, however the ref has been knocked out. Chavo goes in to stop angle, Benoit gets in the ring with a chair, Chavo tries to stop him, they shake hands, Angle stops the ankle lock on Eddie to see what is happening. Benoit goes with the chair to hit angle, but pulls a swerve on Chavo and hits Chavo with it instead.
Angle gets a cover on Eddie and wins the match.
Angle laughs at Benoit and tells him he's the man.
Backstage: Mark asks Steph if she has made a decision. Stephanie said that she has made up her mind and will make her announcement public in the ring.
Commercial
Back from commercial Steph is walking out to the ring to make her announcement.
Before she makes her decision public she brings out Brock and Paul Heyman to the ring.
She says that Brock Lesnar did break UT's hand to begin with and the hell in the cell match is an anything goes match, however the past two weeks, UT has been using the mask as a deadly weapon. Therefore this Sunday the Undertaker will be allowed to wear his cast during the Hell in the Cell Match!!
Brock is not happy about this news and stares down Steph backing her into the corner of the ring. Leaning into her neck, Undertaker came in from behind, however Paul warned Brock he was coming in and Brock knocked down Undertaker. Ut lay in the ring screaming in pain. Paul goes up and screams at UT asking him if he wants hell, and that Sunday he has hell and smacks UT. Paul goes after UT again and UT stops him in his tracks, He goes after Brock knocking him off the ring curtain. UT then puts Heyman in the corner and Brutally Attacks Paul with the cast.
Smackdown ends seeing both the bloody cast of UT, the Bloody head of Paul Heyman and the bloody head of Brock Lesnar.
If Smackdown is taped, why do they interrupt a match with commercials?
2002 - MTV aired a Tough Enough 3 Casting Special. Buck Woodward filed the following TV report:
Tough Enough III kicked off with the Casting Special on October 17th.
The show started with Al Snow talking about how people watch Tough Enough and think they can become WWE stars. He explained that they auditioned people and put them through the paces, before picking them for the show.
Big John explained that they were having three regional castings, instead of one large casting. We saw footage of various potential candidates answering questions. The comments were a mix of amusing lines, combined with the usual "I want to do this". The funniest moment was a male and female contestant who had known each other previously in a romantic way. One girl deep throated a banana. She obviously has a big future.
Big John, Al Snow, Ivory and Tazz visited some of the contestants at their homes to let them know they would be going to California for the next part of the competition, where 25 semifinalists are selected for a three day tryout. These 25 will go down to 13. We had comments from some of them, including one that had tried out for Tough Enough 2, and one girl who had ice on her mouth from having wisdom teeth pulled recently.
Al Snow, Ivory, Bill DeMott were standing in the ring at the new Traxx as the 25 semifinalists were welcomed.
The contestants were told that they will be evaluated at all times. DeMott told them the ring was his house, and none of them have done anything to earn his respect yet. Snow yelled at one contestant, Wendell, to take off his sunglasses. Ivory said half the people would remain when they are done with these three days.
Each contestant said they were ready. Al said Wendell is someone who has the potential "it" to make it. One contestant said he would not be broken by the training.
The contestants did a footrace. Kelly had asthma, and needed to use her inhaler. They did Hindu squats and leg thrusts, then pushups. One kid puked from the exertion. Wendell was bad at the calisthenics, he staggered. Al yelled at him, and had the medic check him. Wendell was yelling at him while on the floor. Al noted that he was collapsing to the ground, but had the strength to argue.
No one quit when given the chance.
Al Snow showed them how to do a roll into a bump, and how to get up off the mat. Jill was in pain from her wisdom teeth being pulled. Nothing was wrong with Wendell, as Al noted. Al said he has seen real events when a persona had passed out, and knew he was faking. Wendall's acting bit did not impress Al. Al said he would toss him if he tried it again.
Wendell said he was not leaving. They were on a break.
They had to do 100 jumping jacks, and a 100 hill climbers, followed by squats. Al told Wendell he obviously didn't want to do it. Wendell did another collapse bit. Wendell then had the energy to talk back to Snow. Snow sent him home, and cut him. Wendell was called outside by John and dismissed. Snow said Wendell annoyed him because he saw potential in him.
John closed the session, and they would resume the next day. We are down to 24 now.
Jim Ross and Kevin Dunn were there to judge them the next day. Ross told them to get over their fear of the mat and impact in order to make it.
Hill climbers, 250 of them, with people getting exhausted. They did front bumps, with some contestants making comments about them. They had shirts with their names on them, which was helpful. On girl, Voula, landed on her head doing a front bump. It was a tense moment, but she was okay. She was called back and did it right. Sarah had a lot of trouble doing the front bump. Bill told her she was in danger of being sent home for something she could do easily the day before.
Al then taught them the back bump. Jill was sticking with it despite the mouth pain. Nick had trouble getting up. As punishment for getting up wrong, he had to do 50 bumps, getting up and saying " I don't get off the mat right". Nick said he wanted to keep working at it.
James was running before bumping, which was scary. Voula got the bump right.
Al revealed that there would be a cut today, based on someone not getting it right.
Sarah was cut. She accepted the decision. Voula overcame landing on her head, but it seemed the incident spooked Sarah, who had been doing it right the day before.
John said they would have a challenge for the third day. They were given GT Mountain bikes. One person, Scott, had not been on a mountain bike before. They said it was about finishing the race, not who wins. It was a winding mountain road, going up hill. Despite having problems with the bike, Scott finished, as all the contestants did. Al gave him credit for finishing.
Now, there was a run, which was downhill. They stressed that winning was not important, finishing was. They completed it, and the final decision was made.
The thirteen are:
Matt
Rebekah
Justin
Jill
Jonah
Eric
Chad
Lisa
Nick
Jamie
Scott
John (who finished the race first)
Kelly
A few of the contestants that did not make it, Rob and Voula, talked about their loss.
The house for the finalists was behind them, built over looking the mountains. The contestants entered it as the show ended.
Comments: Not a lot to say this week, since the casting special really doesn't give us much insight into the contestants. I thought the try-out process was improved from last year, and was miles away from season one. Someone like Wendell probably would have been cast last year, and ended up being cut in the first weeks, thus taking a spot from someone more deserving. The three day workout for the semifinalists was a very good idea.
2005 - During an edition of Raw from the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California, Stone Cold Steven Austin appeared and demanded that Vince McMahon come to the ring to address the firing of Jim Ross as the play-by-play announcer on Raw. Stephanie McMahon came out instead, and told Austin that if he defeated Ross' replacement, Jonathan Coachman, at Taboo Tuesday, Ross would get his job back. The match would never happen, as Austin would (again) walk out on WWE when he didn't like the planned storyline for the match.
2006 - WWE broadcast ECW. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
Last week we saw ECW take strip poker to the "extreme" and we got to see digitized women rolling around on the floor "naked" while an exhibitionist covered her breasts. What is next for ECW as we approach the Cyber Sunday pay per view for the Big Show to face John Cena and King Booker; and December to Dismember? Will Matt Striker be able to defeat Sandman in a Singapore Cane on a Pole Match? Will Kelly continue to chase CM Punk and how will Mike Knox react to that?
We are live on tape from Jacksonville, Florida and your announcers are Tazz and Joey Styles Styles.
We are told that tonight will be the rematch from the RVD/Big Show match from July as we see highlights of the match.
We see highlights from Big Show's match from three weeks ago against Sandman when Striker took away his Singapore cane. Then we see highlights from two weeks ago when Big Show helped Matt Striker defeat Sandman.
Match Number One: Matt Striker versus Sandman in a Singapore Cane on a Pole Match
Striker goes for the turnbuckle with the cane, but Sandman stops him and he chops Striker. Striker chops Sandman and he goes for the turnbuckle again. Striker works on Sandman's leg before he goes to the turnbuckle one more time. Striker punches Sandman while Sandman continues to stop him. Striker returns to the knee as he weakens Sandman's leg, but Sandman gets back up and he punches Striker. Striker dives at the knee and then he goes up to the second turnbuckle and tries for an elbow to the knee, but Sandman moves. Sandman climbs the turnbuckle and he tries to go up the pole, but Striker stops him. Striker sends Sandman to the mat and he gets the cane. Striker hits Sandman in the head with the cane twice. Sandman ducks the next attempt and he hits Striker with the cane three times and Striker is bleeding. Sandman misses when Striker goes outside the ring. Striker is not happy to see his own blood as he goes to the back and he is counted out. We go to commercial.
Winner: Sandman (by count out)
We are back with footage of fan comments about The Marine.
Match Number Two: CM Punk versus Rene Dupree
Dupree slaps Punk before the bell and he retreats to the ropes and apron to avoid Punk. Dupree drops Punk across the top rope and then he punches Punk. Dupree with a flying back elbow for a two count and punches. Dupree with an Irish whip and clothesline as Punk comes out of the corner. Dupree with a neck vice and a back elbow for a two count. Dupree slams Punk twice and then he tries for a power slam but Punk escapes the hold and he punches Dupree followed by a jumping leg lariat. Punk with a series of slaps, a round kick, and uranage. Punk applies the Anaconda Vice and Dupree taps.
Winner: CM Punk
After the match, Mike Knox tries to attack Punk, but Punk stops Knox before he can get into the ring. Punk wants Knox to come into the ring, but Knox goes to the back.
Rebecca DiPietro is with Rob Van Dam and she asks Van Dam about his match with Big Show. Van Dam says that this is his one and only rematch and he has been waiting for it. Van Dam says that he has been working his way from the bottom. Van Dam says that he is the best in ECW. He says that he has what it takes to slay the dragon. If he only has one chance, that is the only chance that he is going to need to prove that he can beat the Big Show. Eventually Show will have to put his title on the line against him. We go to commercial.
We are back and Test is on the mic in the ring. He tells everyone to feast their eyes on the Impact Player of ECW. He is the most ruthless competitor that ECW has ever seen. He says that everyone might remember the match between Bob Holly and Rob Van Dam and we see footage of Holly lacerating his back on the table. Test talks about the next week when Holly put his hands on the man who hired him, the man who inspires him. . . Paul Heyman. What is a ruthless man to do in that situation? We see Test attack Bob Holly two weeks ago. Test says that when Bob Holly comes back, he will make an example of him because his ruthlessness has no bounds.
Balls Mahoney comes out and he says that Test knows that Bob Holly is medically suspended, but if Test wants some competition, he is challenging Test.
Test tells Mahoney that he would love to fight him, but not tonight.
Match Number Three: Test versus Balls Mahoney
Mahoney punches Test and then he Irish whips Test followed by a running clothesline into the corner. Mahoney with another Irish whip but Test moves when Mahoney charges. Test with kicks to Mahoney's head and then he sends Mahoney shoulder first into the ring post two times. Test slams Mahoney's arm into the ring apron and then he puts Mahoney in a key lock but Mahoney will not tap. Mahoney punches Test and then he Irish whips Test, but Test with a boot and then he drops down with Mahoney's arm dropped on his shoulder and then he returns to the arm. Test with a knee and Irish whip. Test charges into a back elbow and Mahoney with two clotheslines. Mahoney with a series of jabs and a sit out spinebuster for a two count. Balls with more jabs but he misses the roundhouse punch and Test with a running big boot. Test with a TKO for the three count. We go to commercial.
Winner: Test
Match Number Four: Shannon Moore versus Sabu
Sabu dives at Moore, but Moore moves out of the way. Moore misses a dive at Sabu, but Sabu moves and he hits a leg drop. Sabu punches Moore after trying to apply the camel clutch. Sabu with a spin kick for a near fall. Moore with forearms to Sabu but Sabu with an Irish whip and a springboard clothesline. Moore goes outside the ring but Sabu with a somersault pescado. Moore returns to the ring and Sabu with an Irish whip and a clothesline for a two count. Moore with a moonsault for a two count and then he works on Sabu's arm with an arm bar. Sabu gets back to his feet and he punches Moore. Moore with a back elbow and then he goes up top but he misses a corkscrew splash from the turnbuckles. Sabu with a slingshot leg drop for the three count.
Winner: Sabu
Rebecca DiPietro is in the back with Big Show. Show says that this is a beautiful day and a grand day for Rob Van Dam. He thinks that he is walking into the ring with the ECW Champion, but he is stepping into the ring with the Champion of Champions. He will prove it at Cyber Sunday. He threw Cena and Booker around the ring and that was only the beginning. He will show that he is the most dominant giant in the business. He says that there is only one person for Van Dam to thank and that is Big Show. He says that he is not ducking Rob Van Dam. Tonight, Van Dam steps in the ring with the Champion of Champions and the Giant of Giants. If Van Dam can win this non-title match, he will get a title match. Tonight, Van Dam's dreams stop. We go to commercial.
Match Number Five: Big Show versus Rob Van Dam in a non-title match
Van Dam gets in Show's face and Show pie faces Van Dam. Van Dam with punches and kicks and then he hits a drop kick to Show's knee. Van Dam with more punches and kicks, but Show with a big boot as Van Dam comes off the ropes. Van Dam goes to the apron and he punches Show and drops Show on the top rope. Van Dam hits a somersault senton from the top turnbuckle for a near fall. Show drops Van Dam on the top rope and Van Dam rolls outside the ring. We go to commercial.
We are back and Show with a head butt that sends Van Dam to the mat. Show with elbow drops and a lazy cover for a two count. Show with a chop in the corner and Van Dam goes down. Show chokes Van Dam in the ropes as the referee warns him. Van Dam with the Shhhh chop in the corner as he stalks Van Dam. Van Dam with elbows and punches but Show with a clothesline for a two count. Show slaps Van Dam but Van Dam punches back and he hits a jumping spin kick. Show grabs Van Dam by the throat for a choke slam but Van Dam with a kick and then he hits a side kick from the top turnbuckle and Show goes down. Van Dam hits Rolling Thunder for a two count and Show with an emphatic kick out. Van Dam punches Show and Show responds with a spear for a two count. Show pulls Van Dam towards the corner and Show goes up for the Vader splash from the second turnbuckle, but Van Dam rolls out of the way. Van Dam with a running spin kick into the corner but Show catches him. Show with a clothesline that sends Van Dam into the turnbuckles. Show with a splash that accidentally takes out the referee. Van Dam counters a choke slam with a DDT. Van Dam goes up top and he sets up for the Five Star Frog Splash but Test comes out and he knocks Van Dam off the turnbuckles. Test kicks Van Dam and then he goes for a chair and he jams it into Van Dam's ribs. Bob Holly comes out and he drills Test with the chair. Show grabs Holly, but Holly hits Show twice with the chair and Van Dam hits the Five Star Frog Splash and he gets the three count. We go to credits.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
2007 - The Atlanta-Journal Constitution ran an article noting that in the wake of the Benoit family tragedy, the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission was seeking to oversee professional wrestling. "I'm going to make sure we have a way to protect folks in Georgia from the shenanigans of the WWE, " said Commission board member Cary Ichter, who was also representing Chris Benoit's father, Michael, legally at the time. WWE Attorney Jerry McDevitt commented on Ichter's plans, stating, "Gee, surprise, surprise. Wonder why he's doing that?" WWE is the lone sports-entertainment entity that runs in Georgia that is currently exempt from the Commission due to a rule that exempts organizations with total assets over $25 million. Ichter was seeking to close that loophole in the State's rules. In the end, there was no change.
2008 - In an interview with the Daily Star in the UK, Ric Flair claimed that his son Reid was a year away from making his WWE debut. Sadly, Reid would never debut for the company, instead passing away in 2012.
2008 - WWE issued the following:
WWE is saddened to learn of the death of one of its former announcers, Jack Reynolds. Reynolds passed away on Oct. 16.
Reynolds joined WWE’s broadcast team in the early 1980s, and assumed the role of play-by-play announcer for the then-All-Star Wrestling telecasts, teaming up with Canadian football legend-turned-wrestler Angelo “King Kong” Mosca, and later Jesse “The Body” Ventura. And it was Reynolds and Ventura who became the original hosts of Prime Time Wrestling when it debuted in 1985 on USA Network.
Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Jack Reynolds.
2011 - WWE broadcast Raw from Mexico for the first time. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We are live on tape from Mexico City, Mexico and your announcers are Michael ‘Why is everyone offering me water’ Cole and Jerry ‘Mantiquilla’ Lawler.
John Laurinaitis is introduced and he makes his way to the ring and Mexico does not love the General Manager. We have a video package.
John throws out a que pasa and then he introduces himself to the people of Mexico City. He says that tonight marks the return of Rey Mysterio. Rey returns to San Diego to meet with his doctor about rehab. Laurinaitis says that the Mexican people don’t have a sense of humor. John says that he will do whatever it takes to maintain honor and integrity to Raw. He says that he will not let the board down and he will not let the fans down.
John says that he will make some mistakes and he asks for their understanding. John says that he made a mistake last week by firing Jim Ross. John says that he received a number of tweets about it. As a result, he listened to the fans and he is going to do this for the people. He is bringing back Good Ole JR.
John wants Jim to come to the ring for a public apology. John hugs Jim and Kelly Kelly has a warm feeling someplace because she started the hugging. John says that he shouldn’t have fired Jim Ross like that last week. He says that it was unprofessional so he wanted to bring him back. Jim will not be on commentary tonight.
John says that he has something to show Jim. We see Michael Cole, Alberto Del Rio, and Ricardo Rodriguez and Cole serenades JR.
We see Cole laughing at what he did. John says that he doesn’t know what the issue is between Jim and Cole, but everything should be settled tonight on Raw. The main event will be Michael Cole and Alberto Del Rio versus Jim Ross and John Cena.
We are back with the Slam of the Week. Randy Orton getting the World Strongest Slam from Mark Henry last Monday night and Cody Rhodes hitting Cross Rhodes.
Match Number One: Randy Orton, John Morrison, and Sheamus versus Cody Rhodes, Mark Henry, and Christian
Christian and Orton start things off but Sheamus wants to get involved. Orton wants Rhodes to start, but he stays on the apron. Christian with a kick and punch but Orton with a clothesline and he puts Christian in the corner and he punches Christian followed by a European uppercut. Sheamus tags in and Christian goes to the floor and he tags Cody into the match.
Rhodes with a side head lock but Sheamus with a shoulder tackle. Sheamus sends Rhodes into the turnbuckles and he follows that with punches and kicks in the corner. Sheamus with an Irish whip but Rhodes with a kick and punches. Sheamus with punches but Cody with a kick and then he knocks Orton off the apron but doesn’t worry about Morrison. Sheamus with a back body drop and Henry is tagged in. Meanwhile on the floor, Orton clotheslines Rhodes and they fight at ringside. Rhodes runs to the back and Orton stops him and he punches Cody. Cody is able to escape.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Morrison punches Henry but Henry with a head butt and Christian is tagged in. Christian goes up top but he misses a cross body. Morrison hits a springboard cross body for a near fall. Morrison with a punch and a leg lariat for a near fall. Christian tries for the Killswitch but Morrison avoids it and he hits a C4 for a near fall. Christian with a neck breaker and he tags Henry back in.
Henry with a kick to Morrison followed by a head butt. Henry stands on Morrison’s chest and then he kicks Henry. Christian tags back in and he prevents Morrison from making the tag. Christian with a punch and he works on the neck. Morrison with a punch and enzuigiri to get away from Christian. Henry tags in and he stops Morrison from making the tag. Henry with a bear hug and he runs Morrison into the corner. Henry runs into an elbow and then Morrison with a kick and he tries for a tornado DDT but Henry puts Morrison on the apron. Morrison drops Henry on the top rope and then he hits a drop kick to the knee but Christian pulls Sheamus off the apron.
Sheamus and Christian fight into the crowd while Henry and Morrison remain in the match. Morrison with a kick and punches. Henry tosses Morrison into the air and after making a fair catch, he hits the World’s Strongest Slam for the three count.
Winners: Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes, and Christian
We go to commercial.
We are back with a new Brodus Clay video package.
John Laurinaitis is on the phone and the Bellas interrupt and John hangs up. John can’t tell which Bella is which. They want to remind John how important they are to Raw and then they kiss John and leave.
John gets back on the phone and he shuns Ricardo away as he introduces Alberto Del Rio. Alberto says that teaming with Michael Cole against John Cena and Jim Ross is crazy. Ricardo agrees. John says that Alberto has to understand him. The winner of the match gets to pick the stipulation for the match on Sunday at Vengeance.
Match Number Two: Eve Torres with Kelly Kelly versus Natalya with Beth Phoenix
They lock up and Natalya runs Eve into the corner and connects with a European uppercut. Eve with forearms and a kick followed by a bicycle kick. Natalya with a clothesline for a near fall. Natalya with an abdominal stretch. Eve with a forearm and then she tries for a sunset flip but Natalya does not go over. Natalya takes Eve to the mat and she yells at Eve. Natalya slams Eve’s face into the mat.
Natalya with a kick to the midsection and then Eve misses an enzuigiri. Natalya tries for a slam but Eve with a clothesline that sends Natalya to the mat and then Eve goes up top and hits a moonsault for the three count.
Winner: Eve Torres
After the match, Beth tries to go after Eve but Eve gets out of the ring.
We go to commercial.
Miz asks Punk if he is having flashbacks. On the outside Punk might be smiling, but on the inside he is sweating because of the beating that Punk took from them at Hell in a Cell. Miz wants to know if it hurts more that Punk won’t get a WWE Title Match for a long time or does it hurt that Miz and Truth were able to remove HHH as the person in charge of Raw.
Truth says that they cannot stand someone who runs their mouth. Truth says that Punk won’t be smiling with Miz beats his ass tonight or on Sunday when he wipes Punk’s face in the mat on Sunday.
Before the match starts, Triple H makes his way to the ring to stand at Punk’s side.
Match Number Three: CM Punk versus Miz with R Truth
Punk with a take down and he works on the legs and he has Miz in a modified bow and arrow before Miz gets to the ropes. Punk with a side head lock into a waist lock and take down. Punk gets a near fall before putting Miz in a front face lock. Miz with a side head lock and take down. Miz with a shoulder tackle but Punk with a drop kick and Miz goes to the floor. Punk hits a suicide dive and then he salutes the crowd.
Punk goes to the apron and hits a slingshot senton as a tribute to Eddie Guerrero and he gets a near fall. Punk with a chop in the corner followed by an Irish whip but Miz moves and Punk tries for the knee into the corner. Punk goes to the floor and Hunter gets between Truth and Punk.
Punk drops Miz on the top rope and then Punk with a springboard clothesline for a near fall. Punk sends Miz into the turnbuckles followed by a snap mare and kick to the back. Punk with a chop and elbow to the head. Miz with boots to the back and ribs. Punk with kicks to the legs followed by a double chop and more kicks.
Hunter gets in the ring and that delay allows Miz and Truth to double team Punk. Miz with a running boot to the head and he gets a near fall. Miz with a reverse chin lock. Punk with a rollup to escape but Miz with a clothesline and then he sets for the Awesome Clothesline and he hits it. Miz goes up top and hits a double sledge to the head.
Miz with elbows and forearms to the upper chest. Miz with a reverse chin lock but Punk gets to his feet and he hits a belly-to-back suplex. Miz with a boot to Punk when he charges into the corner. Miz goes up top but Punk with a back heel kick to take Miz down.
Miz sends Punk to the floor and Miz talks to the referee to allow Truth to hit Punk with a bottle of water. Hunter chases Truth to the back and John Laurinaitis comes out and he says to stop the match. John says that he has an immigration problem. John shows Hunter the papers and Hunter does not want to leave.
Truth signals Hunter to the back and Hunter punches Truth before leaving.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we see footage from the commercial break when Hunter was told that he had the wrong paper work. John says that he will help Hunter after the show. John and Otunga watch it and John texts his mystery friend.
The match continues and Miz with a reverse chin lock. Punk with kicks to Miz and then he connects with clotheslines and a neck breaker. Punk sets for the running knee across the ring and he hits it. Punk with a short arm clothesline and then he goes up top for the Savage Elbow drop and Punk hits it. He signals that it is time to go to sleep and Punk punches Truth on the apron. Miz blocks the attempt and Miz tries for the Skull Crushing Finale but Miz is sent into Truth and Punk with a rollup for the three count.
Winner: CM Punk
After the match, Miz and Truth attack Punk and Miz with a running boot while Truth holds Punk. Miz holds Punk and Truth with kicks. Referees come to the ring and Miz and Truth throw up their arms and leave the ring like a Good Miz and Good R Truth. It was a trap and Truth returns to the ring and hits the Shut Up on Punk. While the referees escort Truth to the back, Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we see the Spanish Announce Team at ringside.
Cole and Lawler talk about the WWE Network and the first Wrestlemania Themed Show will be AirBoom . . . I mean Wrestlemania Rewind.
Michael Cole does some stretching before his match.
Vickie Guerrero comes to the ring with Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler and Vickie throws out a few excuse mes. She says that even though she lives in El Paso, she is considered a goddess in Mexico. She says that she is the Angelina Jolie of Mexico City, except without the adopted brats. Vickie says that she is more than a pretty face. Due to her business acumen, her two clients will have a tag match against Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne. for the Tag Titles at Vengeance.
Dolph says that there are many who wish that they could leave Mexico and never come back, just like he is. Dolph says that it is fitting that he is the champion of the greatest country in the world. He says that they will never make it. Tonight they get to see the All American American American Jack Swagger and him in action.
Jack tells everyone to rise so he can sing America’s National Anthem.
Match Number Four: Jack Swagger with Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero versus Zack Ryder
They lock up and Swagger with a take down and clothesline into the corner. Swagger punches Ryder and the referee pulls Swagger out of the corner. Ryder with a knee and Rough Ryder for the three count.
Winner: Zack Ryder
Mason Ryan comes out and he comes to the ring with a purpose. Mason wants to know where Ziggler is going because they have a match next.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Five: Mason Ryan with Zack Ryder versus Dolph Ziggler with Vickie Guerrero and Jack Swagger
The match is joined in progress and Ryan sends Dolph to the mat and Dolph goes to the floor. Ziggler with punches but Ryan with a shoulder tackle and Dolph goes to the floor again. Ryan sends Ziggler onto the top rope and then Ryan knocks Ziggler to the floor.
Ryder with a kick and punches followed by a drop kick but Ryan does not go down. Ryan picks up Ziggler and slams him. Ryan with a boot to the head. Ziggler starts to crawl up the ramp and Vickie gets in the way. Vickie slaps Ryan and Ziggler returns to the ring and Ryan returns to the ring and he connects with a clothesline.
Ryan sends Ziggler into the corner and then the he kicks and punches Ziggler but he does not hear the referee’s count.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler by disqualification After the mathc, Ryan presses Ziggler over his head but he sees Swagger come to the ring so he drops Ziggler and then Ryan takes care of Swagger. Ryan with a power slam.
John Cena and Jim Ross are in the locker room. Ross says that he doesn’t want to screw things up for Cena on Sunday. Cena says that JR is the greatest voice in WWE history. Cena tells JR that he can just stand in the corner while Cena takes care of Del Rio. Ross says that he would like to get his hands on the sniveling rodent-like, smarmy son of a bitch. Cena says that he will do that for Ross.
Michael Cole takes his chance to address Jim Ross’ comments. He says that he will take JR and his egotistical body and put him out of his miseries. He says that he might even do something to John Cena. Cole mentions that his wife is Mexican so they have to cheer for him.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Josh Mathews joins Jerry Lawler at the announce table. We see that Smackdown is now the second longest episodic television and Raw will hit 1,000 shows in less than a year.
Match Number Six: John Cena and Jim Ross versus Alberto Del Rio and Michael Cole in a Winner Picks the Stipulation for the WWE Title Match on Sunday Match
Cole wants to start the match against Ross, but Cena is staying with his game plan, or maybe not. Ross starts off and Cole has something to say to Ross and Ross with a punch. Del Rio and Cena tag in.
They lock up and Del Rio with a side head lock and hip toss for a near fall. Cena with a side head lock. Del Rio with a hip toss of his own and he gets a near fall. Del Rio with a reverse chin lock. Cena with a belly-to-back suplex for a near fall and then Cena with a reverse chin lock. Del Rio with a belly-to-back suplex and he gets a near fall.
Del Rio with a reverse chin lock but Cena with a gutwrench suplex for a near fall. Cena goes into the corner when Del Rio moves and Del Rio with kicks to Cena. Del Rio sends Cena into the turnbuckles and he hits Cena in the kidneys. Cole with a forearm to the back when the referee is not looking. Del Rio chokes Cena with his boot and then Cena goes to the apron. Del Rio with a punch to Cena and the referee warns him. Del Rio gets a near fall.
Del Rio from the turnbuckles with a double axe handle and he gets a near fall. Del Rio mocks Cena’s you can’t see me before he continues to work over Cena. Cena powers out of the chin lock but Del Rio with a kick. Cena gets Del Rio up for an Attitude Adjustment but Del Rio counters and hits a German suplex and bridge for a near fall. Del Rio kicks Cena in the back.
Cena with a drop toe hold and he tries for the STF. Del Rio with a tilt-a-whirl back breaker and he gets a near fall. Del Rio hits the running enzuigiri in the corner and he gets a near fall. Del Rio goes up top but he misses the back senton and both men are down.
Cena with the flying shoulder tackles followed by the Blue Thunder Bomb. Cena with the Five Knuckle Shuffle and then he sets for the Attitude Adjustment but Del Rio is able to tag in Cole.
Cena brings Cole into the ring and Cole begs for mercy and he wants Cena to shake his hand. Cena shakes his hand and then he puts Cole in the Attitude Adjustment and he hits it. Cena thinks about the STF but he sees Ross on the apron and Jim is tagged in. Ross puts Cole in the ankle lock and Cole taps out.
Winners: Jim Ross and John Cena
After the match, Del Rio pulls Cena to the floor but Cena gives Del Rio an Attitude Adjustment on the floor. Cena takes the mic and he counts to ten. Del Rio gets up and Cena with a clothesline and then he grabs the steps and he hits Del Rio in the head with them. Cena announces that the stipulation for the match at Vengeance will be a Last Man Standing Match.
2012 - he National Wrestling Museum announced the following for their 2013 Thesz/Tragos Hall of Fame:
Ric Flair, “Cowboy” Bill Watts, and Chris Taylor to enter Tragos/Thesz Hall of Fame
WATERLOO, Iowa—The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum selected the Class of 2013 for the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Ric Flair, “Cowboy” Bill Watts, and Chris Taylor have been chosen by the selection committee.
The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame weekend will take place July 12-13 in Waterloo, Iowa.
Criteria for induction into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame include substantial impact on professional wrestling, general respect within the profession, and a strong amateur wrestling background. The selection committee includes all living hall of fame members as well as a select group of wrestling historians.
Flair has one of the longest and most distinguished careers in professional wrestling. He was a 16-time world champion with titles in the NWA, WCW, and WWE. Watts was a successful wrestler and promoter. He was ranked in the top ten worldwide for over 25 years.
Taylor was an NCAA champion for Iowa State in 1972 and 1973, and a bronze medalist at the 1972 Olympics. He had a three-year career with the AWA beginning in 1974. Taylor died at the age of 29 in 1979.
Winners of the Frank Gotch Award, Lou Thesz Award, George Tragos Award, and Jim Melby Award will be released on November 12. A full schedule of events will be released at a later date.
2012 - Radio show host Bubba the Love Sponge appeared on The Howard Stern show on Sirius/XM Radio, discussing the lawsuit Hulk Hogan had filed against Bubba. The conversation was also simulcast on Bubba's radio show in Florida.
The appearance started with a song Bubba playing that ripped on Hogan for suing him.
Stern opened up by saying that Bubba used to tell him that Stern and Hogan were the only people he'd let sleep with his wife. Bubba said he always said that in jest because he knew Stern wouldn't do it. He said it all started at his wedding when the preacher "fretted" over his then-wife Heather and they would make jokes and parodies about it. Stern said that she was a beautiful woman.
Stern said "man to man", he couldn't believe Bubba wanted to share his wife with another man. Bubba said, "You're probably right about that." Stern asked what went on with himself to allow that. He said that Bubba's scene seemed "pretty dark." Bubba said he's more conservative than people would think and was in a "different spot" in his life at that point. He said that he couldn't go into what "spot" he was in. He admitted he was insecure and depressed. Bubba said at the time, Hogan's marriage was crumbling and he was depressed too. Bubba said, "None of it makes sense, Howard. None of it makes sense."
Stern said that it wasn't a secret and they were all in on it. Bubba agreed to that. Stern asked him what it was like knowing Hogan was sleeping with his wife and then walking out and saying, "OK man, see you later." Bubba admitted some anger and jealousy. He said the situation was deep and "unexplainable." Bubba said "It's not right in any capacity and I'm not proud of it."
Stern asked Bubba if he and Hogan ever discussed the situation. Bubba never really answered that but admitted it was both "weird and business as usual" when he would see Hogan afterward. Bubba said he didn't want to go too deeply into that conversation.
Stern noted that in the song Bubba played, Hogan was called a "scumbag" for suing Bubba and his ex-wife. Bubba said the reason he's so mad is because they were friends. He said that all parties knew everything.
Stern asked if Hogan knew about the tape. Bubba responded, "All parties knew about everything."
Bubba said when he was going through child custody issues, his attorneys advised him to "camera up" his home so there could be no allegations that he did anything to his kid that he couldn't disprove. Stern compared it to Richard Nixon, saying he made the "classic mistake" like Nixon, who "taped everything he did and that's what did him in." Bubba said that unlike Nixon, there are "no holes" in his tapes.
Bubba said Hogan lived with him for three months. He said that for 15 years, he's been Hogan's "insurance policy to cover his ass for everything" and that's why he's angry.
Bubba then made is personal, bringing up the Nick Hogan arrest and jail sentence. He said that when Nick Hogan did what he did and the "media was going insane" because a "marine is a vegetable for life." He said that when Hogan spoke to Nick in jail, he didn't say "we just have to get through this", he blamed John Graziano for the accident and began playing clips from the jailhouse conversations.
Stern cut Bubba off and noted that he was "right there" through all of that with Hogan. Robin Quivers commented that Bubba "can't change [his] mind now." Bubba said he can change his mind when he took care of his friend when it wasn't a popular stance. He said he looked like a dumb-ass for defending Hogan and taking it "soft" on him when his son acted like a "dumb-ass and didn't learn his lesson".
Bubba continued, noting that now "when we are in the trenches for something this bad", they could have talked about it but instead he named Bubba in a $100 million lawsuit. He said "no one held a gun to [Hogan's] head" and the real problem is who leaked the tape. He said that's the problem.
Stern said that Hogan thinks Bubba leaked the tape. Bubba said that he didn't and doesn't know who did. He said that he wishes he could help Hogan and Hogan could help him. He was asked who has access to those tapes and said he didn't know. Bubba said he's never seen the tape. Stern asked where the tapes were held. He said that he wasn't going to go into the particulars, because he was just served with a cease and desist from Hogan's attorneys on the subject.
Bubba said it was amazing because when he was needed to bury Randy Savage and Hogan's ex-wife Linda and anyone else who wronged Hogan, he used Bubba's show as "his poison pen", that was fine but now that there's a situation about something that they've been through, Hogan instead files a $100 million lawsuit.
Bubba said that he and Hulk Hogan have spoken and spoke before Hogan appeared on Stern's show last week. He said that his opinion is that since Hulk can't "play the victim card to save his marriage" and to save "whatever he is trying to save", Hogan has switched gears and all bets are all, "all friendships are off" and he's "trying to cover his ass." Bubba said he's seen it happen before with Hogan, but he's never been the brunt of it. Bubba said that he's not a "flip-flopper" or a bad guy. He's just not going to take it "anymore."
Stern theorized that Hogan is upset because the tapes are his and he didn't destroy them and is assuming Bubba is the one putting them out there. Bubba said that when none of that proves to be true, Hogan will have now ruined an incredible friendship. He said that Hogan was his best man and the Godfather of his son and now it's all done.
Bubba said that the real victim in this is his ex-wife, even though they didn't divorce amicably. Stern said she comes out looking bad. Bubba said that Hogan doesn't care about her or him, just about himself. He said that he's heard rumors there are other tapes of them but he doesn't think that there are. He said whoever has the tape has probably cut it up and made it a "Best of Series."
Stern read from a piece he said was on Philly.com which quoted a source claiming they had seen other videos with Hogan and Heather as well as tapes with "B and C List celebrities". Stern said this was proof that she was getting hurt from the publicity. Bubba said that he didn't know of any other situation.
Stern continued reading, noting that the story claimed Hogan was seen using the "n" word in a derogatory way on the tape as well. Bubba said that he hasn't seen the tapes and wished he could "give a better testimony" as to what's on the tapes to validate people's opinions. He said he's never seen the tapes of Hogan and his wife.
Stern asked Bubba if it was a situation where he was "getting off" on their tryst. Bubba said it was a situation where all three were up "to speed" on what was going on and his deal was "not getting off at all." Stern asked him what he was getting out of the situation and Bubba immediately said, "Nothing! You know what I got? I got made out to look like a stupid-ass chump." He asked Stern if he thought that if Bubba had anything to do with the tapes leaking, wouldn't he edit himself out so he didn't look stupid?
Stern asked him if he was on the tapes looking stupid. Bubba said he guesses he is because there are accounts that he's on the tape saying that if they were wanted to retire, the footage of Hogan and Heather would be "their ticket to whatever." He said that Hogan was in earshot of that and if they were going to release that, why would he let that out there. He said if he was going to rob a bank, he's not going to call them and say he would be there in 20 minutes, he would just to the bank. He wouldn't leak something like this and make himself look bad in the process.
Bubba said he's never seen the video and the cameras all went to a master hard drive. Stern theorized someone got into his hard drive. Bubba said he didn't know the logistics. Stern asked him if he thought Hogan leaked the tape. Bubba said he didn't want to say anything about how it may have happened because there are attorneys sitting on every word "which is just idiotic".
Stern said that Hogan claimed he was "so hurt" by the entire situation. Bubba said that he is as well, then pointed out that Hogan lied to Stern in April when he stated he had never had sex with Bubba's ex-wife. Stern said that Hogan claimed he was trying to protect Heather and Bubba. Bubba said that if that was the case, he's no longer trying to protect all three sides, just himself.
The remark about retiring was brought up again. Bubba said he was just being a smart ass. If he wanted to do that, he would have just sold the tape for a lot of money and edited himself out, so he didn't look like a moron.
Stern noted that he wanted Hogan and Bubba to both come in and take lie detector tests together. Bubba said "no problem" and he would do it. He said that people are now in the "cover their ass mode" to protect their marriage but what's important is who leaked the tape top The Dirty and Gawker.
Bubba said he would do anything for the guy but he's not going to be pushed around legally when he's done all Hogan's "dirty work" for years. Robin asked why they haven't hired a private detective. Bubba said he's done a lot of things to find out what's going on. He said he's trying to protect himself and his family and Heather, but now one party is only out for themselves. He repeated that "no one put a gun to" Hogan's head.
Stern said that may be true, but he didn't expect his sex to be "all over the world." Bubba responded, "Nor did I. Nor did I." Bubba said he's hurt that he believes Bubba was involved. He also said he believes that Hogan's attorney David Houston just loves the PR limelight (noting he just repped Girls Gone Wild's Joe Francis) and isn't even licensed to be in Florida. Houston is just "churning Terry" and whipping things into a frenzy.
Bubba said that if Hogan had shut up and realized it was three people involved, they could have gotten to the bottom of it. Bubba said that he's been keeping his mouth shut all this time and Hogan brought the story back to live. Bubba said he offered to open up his home and business to let them find anything they need to help track down the leak and then he's hit with a lawsuit.
Stern theorized that no one believed Hogan's claims and thought he and Bubba were in cahoots together. So, this is Hogan's way of saying it's for real. Bubba said it's Hogan's MO. He said in Minnesota in 1999, a woman claimed Hogan sexually assaulted her in a hotel room and Hogan sued her. Bubba said, "it backfired and he ended up paying her millions of dollars."
Stern said that if Hogan was all these things, why did Bubba want to befriend him in the first place. Bubba said he was warned by his friends that Hogan wants things one way. He said that he was always told that Hogan was about what they could do for him and they used to joke he was "one way." Bubba said Hogan "is a friend and I put up with it."
Stern said he's going to reach out to Hogan and to Bubba. He said he believes if he can get them into the room together, Hogan would drop the lawsuit. Robin Quivers noted that Hogan's lied so many times. Stern noted that everyone knew that Bubba taped everything in his home.
Gary noted that was a Radar Online report that Bubba regularly brought the sex tapes into the studio to show people. Bubba said he would take a lie detector test. Bubba said he's never shown anyone the tapes and has never, even seen them himself. He again said that if he had, he would have deleted himself from it so he didn't look like a dumbass. Stern said that Bubba would have shown him the tapes because Stern would have been "tickled pink." Bubba again said he would have, but he would have edited himself off.
Bubba was asked again if there were any other tapes. He said there are not, but his speculation is that whoever has possession of the tapes has made various edits and clips. He said they may have taken the tape, as long as it could be, into different tapes. He said there are no other tapes because he doesn't know any other celebrities beyond Hogan and Stern.
Bubba was asked again about letting Hogan sleep with his wife. He said that perhaps he can talk to Stern privately about it, but didn't want to get into it on the air except to say he is "thoroughly embarrassed" by the situation. He said there were no other women that this happened with. They did the entire "did you want to sleep with Heather deal" as a joking thing. Stern said that he told Hogan he shouldn't have done it, because a situation likes that always ends in misery and ruins friendships.
Bubba said that he even told Hogan that if Hogan needed to play the victim card, that Bubba would take the heat. Stern tried to get into the sexual life of Bubba and his ex-wife when the Hogan trysts were going on. Bubba said he couldn't believe Stern was digging that deep. They were amazed Bubba was backing off, because that's not what he would do as an interviewer. Bubba said that like Howard, there are things he can't answer about his ex-wife. Howard theorized that it excited Bubba, and Bubba said he was wrong.
Robin said that Hogan claimed Heather was really into it and pushed it. Bubba said, "No. No one was any more over the top than anyone else. It was three consensual adults and everyone knew what the deal was." Bubba said that it's not fair that he and Heather are being thrown aside like this now that it's a "whodunit." He said that he told Hogan he would take the rap and let Hogan play "the victim card" but asked for Hogan to keep him up to speed and to "not blindside him" with anything and now there's a $100 million lawsuit.
Bubba said he didn't know about the lawsuit until it was announced publicly. He said he's not scared because he didn't do anything wrong. The $100 million number and hiring counsel doesn't have any bearing on him, because he didn't do anything wrong. Stern said that the bottom line is no one likes litigation or going to court.
Bubba was asked if this was effected his job and Stern joked that it made the radio show owners love him "20 times more" because they are like vampires and want to get everything they can and this gives them publicity.
Bubba said the lawsuit and the sex tape situation has had an effect on him personally. He has a child and he's embarrassed because for a week and a half, he got to have the chump title a week. He said he was called a sellout and rat for "doing [the sex tape] to his friend" and all sorts of other names and allowed it, for Hogan so he can save his marriage and whatever else he's trying to save, and then Hogan blindsided him with the lawsuit.
Stern asked if Bubba had any remorse for things he said about Hogan's family yesterday on his radio show. Bubba immediately said, "No." Bubba said, "All bets are off at this point, man. If you are going to put me into litigation and you're going to do that to me. I have had your back for this many years in this town and delivered all your messages of hate. Buried Macho Man. Every time your wife was seen with her little 23-year old boyfriend, you'd call the show..."
Stern asked if there was any way to save the friendship. Bubba said that he texted Hogan yesterday and told him that all this will go away and they don't have to be best friends, but they can still be cordial if he would take Bubba and Heather off the "dumb-ass lawsuit." He said Hogan responded, "Sorry. It goes far deeper than that."
Bubba said that it probably means there are other tapes that could make Hogan look bad. He said that he doesn't know because he hasn't seen any tapes. Stern said that Howard was told by Hogan that there was at least one other instance of Hulk sleeping with Heather. Bubba was asked about that and said, "I'm not familiar with that, no." Bubba was asked if he thought Hogan was sleeping with Heather behind his back. Bubba said there is so much he doesn't know obviously, given that he's hearing so much and someone is calling Radar Online every two minutes.
Stern asked someone named Brent from Bubba's cast what he thought of the situation. He said that Hogan needs to take responsibility for what happened and called Hogan a dirtbag. Bubba said that Hogan screwed Brent out of "hundreds of thousands of dollars." He said that they found out about Post Cereal doing a commercial for their Flintstones cereal as a takeoff on Hogan using the name "Hulk Boulder." They realized that was Hogan's name when he wrestled in Memphis and took it to Hogan. Hogan promised to give Brent "ten points" of the lawsuit settlement (they played a clip of Hogan saying that) and then when it was settled, Hogan acted like he knew nothing about it.
Stern said that he believes this is the tip of the iceberg of what Bubba was up to sexually. Bubba said that he'd have to talk to Howard privately about the place he was in at the time. Stern said there was no place he could be in that he'd want his wife Beth making love to anyone else. Bubba said, "That's how men should be. I am that way." Bubba said he may have gotten caught up in a lot of things. He said he was trying to help out a friend "in a really stupid, overly friendly way." He said if someone would have shut up, it would have gone away.
Bubba said that Hogan should shut up and focus on where Gawker got the tape and sue the hell out of them. "They are public enemy number one." Bubba said Hogan should say he was a responsible guy and knew what was going on. Bubba said it's a "he said-she said b**chfight" and Hogan isn't the only victim. He said there's a woman who is a mom. There's himself, a public figure and a father and at the end of the day, it was three consenting adults and none are in a good place right now.
Stern asked Bubba if he ever had any conversations about what it was like for Heather in bed with Hogan. Bubba said no. The Stern crew was amazed by that and asked what he was doing when all this was going on. Bubba said he was probably online looking at car parts websites. Someone joked he was looking for a new Muffler. Stern asked how this could be going on and he didn't ask. Bubba said that Stern was weird about certain things and Bubba "was" weird about stuff. Stern said this was beyond weird. He said he never saw the tape. Stern said knowing he was in the next room had to have been torture for Bubba.
Stern asked if he really loved Heather. Bubba said he did. He asked if this was something Bubba did to make Heather happy. Bubba responded, "I liked to make Heather happy." Stern asked what his reaction was when Heather asked to sleep with Hogan. Bubba said it didn't necessarily go down that way and he couldn't go into particulars like that. Stern told him he had to and "what was one more lawsuit?" Bubba said he wouldn't. Stern said he was going to bring Bubba in and pump him full of truth serum.
Stern asked Bubba if he would come in if Stern could get Hogan to come in. Robin said that Howard would never see Hogan again. Bubba said he would not be afraid of Howard, coming in or telling the truth. He said he's just trying to stick up for Heather and himself because "we are not the only two bad guys in this situation" and they aren't using the legal system to cover their asses like Hogan is. Bubba said that he isn't afraid of anything.
Stern said that he was going to end the lawsuit. Robin joked he was also going to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. Stern said he could end this lawsuit first.
Bubba said that Hogan wants to send cease and desists so Bubba can't even discuss the situation on his show, noting they just received one. Bubba said he hates this and it's the worst time of his life right now. He said that had Hogan shut up after his Stern show appearance, all of this would have gone away. He realizes Hogan had to promote his wrestling PPV and he appreciates that. By going to the federal court house at 5 PM and calling for a press conference, he's not letting it go away. Stern said that with all the rumors of the "n word being said" (Bubba responded, "But, he said it!") and the tapes and he's ashamed (Bubba said he was too), so the only way to get people to shake in their boots is to litigate. Bubba agreed but said, "You throw me to the wolves as well?"
Stern and Bubba talked about Bubba taping everything in his house and Bubba said it was well known and he talked about it all the time. Bubba said he's been very vocal about everything. Stern said you always run the risk of things ending up out there but he knew he was being taped. Stern asked if Hogan ever asked Bubba to delete tapes. Bubba said, "We have not had that conversation because no one's seen it."
Stern asked if the taping equipment erased itself after a certain period of time. Bubba said he wasn't going to go into his systems but said they have changed over the years. Stern said that six years ago, the hard drive could only store so much. Bubba said he doesn't know and that validates his claims. He said he doesn't have a company that services the equipment regularly. Stern said that perhaps someone else was in on it. Bubba said someone else had to be because it wasn't one of them that leaked it.
Stern said they wanted to figure it out. He asked who could it be. Bubba said he doesn't know and for all he knows Hogan leaked it. He said if he could see the tape, he might have a better idea of the who, what, where and how. He said there were three people involved and now two of them are being thrown out to dry.
Robin Quivers noted that Hogan tried to bring criminal charges and was told there were no grounds. Bubba said that's why they are changing their gears. Bubba said that people don't know if it's a work or a shoot because Hogan has spent his life doing promotional stunts. Robin asked how Bubba keeps his child from being aware of all this. Stern joked his kid released the tape.
Bubba's sister Tara was asked what she thought of her brother now. She said, "If only I could comment." Bubba told her to say whatever she wanted. She said he's equally embarrassed, disgusted and ashamed. She said that she didn't know about the situation and she would have been totally disgusted. Bubba said he was disgusted. Stern said he was a freak. He said he's sorry Bubba is in pain because he loves Hulk Hogan. Bubba said he's been turned on but if he's got to be a bear, he's got to be a grizzly. He said he's defended Hogan through it all and now he's got to defend himself that he didn't break man code or do something wrong.
Stern asked if the "Love Sponge name" was forever sullied (that cracked me up). Bubba said that it is.
Bubba said that he was given a cease and desist today. Stern said he can understand why Hogan is so upset and pissed. Bubba said he was too. Bubba said he never lied to Howard and Hogan did. He said his credibility is at question. He said that he's always had Hogan's back and it was up to Hogan to have his back too - but instead Bubba finds out on the news that his best friend is suing him.
Bubba said most of his rooms are not taped. The taping was going on because of the child custody issue.
Bubba was asked if Hogan used condoms. Bubba said that he didn't know and hasn't seen the tape.
Howard and Fred noted that they were the only ones who believes Hogan and Bubba were not complicit in the tape. It turned into Robin and Bubba ripping on each other because of comments Robin made when he got married.
Stern asked Bubba if he was going to be OK or have a breakdown. Bubba said he's been on the verge a few times and went to see a psychologist. He said he's never felt suicidal and to do so would be admitting he did something wrong. He said he wasn't going to say anything until he filed a lawsuit against him. He offered to be the bad guy and even talk to Hogan's wife, but when you blindside someone with a $100 million lawsuit after years of defending Hogan.
Robin said that defending himself now doesn't mean he's recanting things he said in the past. Bubba said he does because he's not a politician and he was wrong and can flip flop.
Stern asked him if he would be willing to get part of the profits if the tape was sold and Bubba said no. Bubba said someone would have to talk to Heather. She's the one who needs to be taken care of and she's not a public figure and is a mom. He said Heather has moved on and is a great Mom. Bubba said he's moved on and is with a great person and the reality is that no one has thought of what Heather is going through. Bubba said that Hogan is being selfish and guesses he is being selfish as well. He said that his attorneys have reached out to her attorneys. Bubba said they would never get back together romantically. Bubba responded asking if Howard would get back together with his ex-wife. Stern said he wasn't trying to attack Bubba.
Stern said he purposely hadn't called Bubba because he didn't want Bubba to think he was prying. He just sent an email saying he hoped Bubba was OK. Bubba responded he just didn't want to lose Stern's friendship. He didn't ask Stern to do anything when Hogan was on the show.
Stern joked his wife wanted to sleep with The Iron Sheik. Bubba said that as long as they didn't tape it, they'd be OK.
They all joked about Bubba returning to Sirius/XM. Bubba then said that he wanted to see Stern and management for Sirius needed to get along. Stern joked that Bubba and Heather would be back together first.
The conversation floated away from the Hogan situation at that point. Before Bubba left, Stern said he was going to work on getting Hogan to drop the lawsuit. It ended with Stern asking Bubba that they get better cameras in his home. Bubba said if they were trying to tape to distribute, he'd have had a better camera set up with a three camera shoot and fluff girls.
Bubba said Howard knows Hogan is listening. Stern said he wanted Stern wanted to put the two of them, no lawyers, in a room. He said if Hogan could listen to what Bubba had to say and Stern could keep everyone calm and "translate", it would be a hell of a thing.
2013 - TNA cancels Impact Wrestling tapings in Baltimore, MD and Chattanooga, TN.
2013 - TNA broadcast Impact Wrestling. Stu Carapola filed the following TV report:
Welcome to the Impact Wrestling Report on PWInsider.com! Tonight, TNA puts the final touches on the build to this Sunday's Bound For Glory PPV.
We look back at last week when Kurt Angle returned to TNA and challenged Bobby Roode to face him at Bound For Glory, a rift began to form between Brutus Magnus and Sting, and AJ Styles took a beating from Bully Ray after defeating Garett Bischoff and Knux by himself.
We go to the arena where Dixie Carter and her shitty entrance music make their way to the ring, escorted by Atlas Security and a big ol' briefcase. She knows what Michelangelo felt like when he finished the Sistine Chapel because works of art take a long time to come together, but Michelangelo didn't have to deal with AJ Styles splattering paint all over his masterpiece. And speaking of splattering, Bully Ray splattered and destroyed AJ, who was too dumb not to stay down. Dixie says her other job is to evaluate talent, and tonight, she's got a big thing planned: the contract signing for the main event at Bound For Glory, but what if AJ Styles didn't make it to that contract signing because another talent stepped up to impress her, take AJ's place, and made himself $50,000 richer by making tonight AJ's last night in the company? AJ may have walked away from the money she offered her last week, but there is someone who won't repeat his mistake, and when that happens, AJ will NOT be in the main event of Bound For Glory because a spot will have opened for someone else because making opportunities and making people rich is what she does. She has Atlas Security open the briefcase and show off the $50,000, but Bully Ray's music hits and he comes out with Brooke in tow. Bully tells Dixie that they haven't seen eye to eye, and he's not exactly on Team Dixie, but $50,000 buys a lot, and since he took AJ out for free last week, he'll do it again tonight and collect the 50 grand. Magnus comes out to the ring and asks if he's got this right: twelve men put everything on the line for three months in the Bound For Glory so that Dixie could try and give the chance away because she doesn't like AJ Styles? Magnus hates to be insubordinate, but it's no wonder everyone thinks Dixie sucks. The sheep in the audience start chanting Dixie sucks, and 50 grand may be chump change to Dixie and the champ there, but it's not to the people in Oklahoma, and she wants her to know that he will fight Bubba tonight for free. Bully asks if Magnus knows who he is, and he has heard that Magnus is the future of pro wrestling, he's tough, he can fight, he has heart, and all the fans seem to like him a lot, they believe in him, Sting believes in him, but now he's going to tell the truth: Magnus is a fraud. He's just a big pretty boy who doesn't have a tough bone in his body, he's known Magnus since the day he stepped foot in a wrestling ring, he's a loser and a fraud, and probably the biggest disappointment he's ever seen, such a big disappointment that he might as well be from Oklahoma. Magnus knocks Bully on his ass with a right hand, and Bubba rolls out to the floor and tells Magnus that if he wants a match against him, he's got it.
Kurt Angle is backstage, and he's...WALKING!
Bully Ray is backstage with Garett Bischoff and Knux and says that last week felt like old school Aces & Eights, and he told them he'd give them the spotlight and the glory, and they took it. Tonight, Knux gets another chance at the spotlight and $50,000, and he knows Knux has one half of the tag champs tonight, but he's got their back just like they have his. You know, I liked the old Aces & Eights clubhouse a lot better than just whatever random backstage area they set up shop in now.
Four Corner Match: Christopher Daniels vs Eric Young vs Hernandez vs Robbie E
Each man will be one half of a team competing in this weekend's pregame show match at Bound For Glory, with the winning team challenging for the TNA World Tag Team Title on the PPV. Robbie E gets beat on by Young and then Hernandez, but he tags Daniels in and skips off to the floor while Daniels yells at him. Hernandez runs over Daniels with a body tackle, gets an overhead release choke suplex, press slams Daniels across the ring, stops to nail Robbie E off the apron, and gets knocked to the floor by Daniels while he has his back turned. Robbie lays in some shots on the floor before rolling him back in so Daniels can dish out more punishment. Daniels with a leg lariat for 2, then Robbie comes in and hits a second rope kneedrop for 2. Hernandez takes both Robbie and Daniels out with a double clothesline and makes the tag to EY, who takes both Daniels and Robbie out with a missile dropkick before going to town on both men with boots and slams. Daniels hits him with an STO, but Robbie breaks the fall at 2. Daniels and Robbie get in each other's faces and don't notice Hernandez charging down the ramp to hit the flying shoulder tackle to Daniels, then Pounce Robbie into next week. Daniels dodges a charge in the corner and Hernandez tumbles out to the floor, EY comes in and lays Daniels out with a belly to belly suplex, hits the top rope elbow, and gets shoved out to the floor by Robbie, who immediately covers Daniels and gets the win.
Winner: Robbie E
Robbie E just pinned Christopher Daniels...the damn Bromans are winning the tag title...why...
Jason Hervey asks AJ Styles how it feels to be walking around with a bounty on his head, and AJ barely says two words before Jessie Godderz jumps him. AJ lays Godderz out, turns back to Hervey, and says it's going to be a long night.
AJ Styles comes out to the ring and says Dixie Carter reeks of desperation if she's putting a bounty on his head, and he's flattered, because that means Dixie knows he's going to win at Bound For Glory and is scared to death because he's going to win that title and make her pay. AJ tells all the people who want to cash in on the bounty that he's not going to run or hide, and to come get paid. Knux and Garett Bischoff come out, and AJ takes off his leather jacket to get ready to fight. Bischoff and Knux beat him down, but James Storm and Gunner run out and chase them off, and Gunner vs Knux is up after this commercial break!
Gunner vs Knux
Knux gets an early advantage after Bischoff grabs Gunner's leg from the floor, but Gunner powerslams Knux and hammers him with right hands. Gunner fires back, but Knux nails Gunner with a huge clothesline for 2. Knux slams Gunner and chokes him with his knee, then goes to a rear chinlock. Knux misses a legdrop and then he and Gunner wipe each other out with a double clothesline, and both men are down. Bischoff is getting in Storm's face on the ramp, so Storm spews his beer in Garett's face as Gunner starts running Knux over with clotheslines before picking Knux up, holding him up, and hitting a fallaway slam. That was very impressive. Gunner goes for the Gun Rack, but Knux blocks and catches Gunner with a short crossbody for 2. Knux yells up the ramp to Bully Ray to come help him, but Bubba never shows as Gunner spears Knux and covers for 3.
Winner: Gunner
So much for Bubba having his back!
Chris Sabin is backstage with Velvet Sky saying he's going to collect his $50,000 and get into the main event of Bound For Glory, and when Velvet tries to stop him, Sabin says he'll get her something nice and runs off.
Knux is backstage complaining to Garett that Bully Ray didn't have his back and next time he needs their help, it's going to get real damn interesting.
We look back at the last two weeks as Lei'D Tapa, who went on a rampage as she destroyed both Velvet Sky and ODB. Speaking of ODB, she's defending the Knockouts Title against both Brooke and Gail Kim this weekend, and Gail comes in to try and talk about Tapa with Brooke, who is taking pictures of her ass with her cell phone. Gail wants to make an alliance, and Brooke says she's not helping her because she only answers to one person.
We see a video package looking at the five participants in this weekend's Ultimate X match, then we see Chris Sabin stalking around backstage looking for AJ Styles. He ends up running into Samoa Joe, who says he's on the wrong side of town because he may be looking for AJ Styles, but he should be worrying about facing him tonight in the ring, then facing him again at Ultimate X. Sabin slowly backs away, but they'll be facing each other...NEXT!
Magnus is backstage, and he's...WARMING UP! We'll see more of him later tonight, but first, we have a preview of Ultimate X...
Samoa Joe vs Chris Sabin
Sabin gets the drop on Joe early on, but Joe starts firing back, pummeling Sabin with strikes until he goes out to the floor to seek the comfort of Velvet Sky. He, can't blame a guy. Joe drags Sabin back in, and Sabin tries to nail Joe with a series of jabs, but Joe shrugs them off and hits a big chop that sends Sabin back out to the floor where he grabs Velvet and starts heading to the back. Joe goes after Sabin, who pulls Velvet in front of him as a human shield, then nails Joe while his guard's down and gives him a DDT on the ramp. Sabin runs back to the ring and tells the referee to count, and Joe just barely beats the ten count, but puts himself right in the line of Sabin's fire as he goes back to pummeling Joe. Sabin with a charging forearm in the corner and then goes to the eyes for the heck of it, but he tries another corner charge and gets caught with the STJoe. Joe begins his usual comeback, but Sabin goes to the eyes and catches Joe with a tornado DDT for 2. Sabin goes for an O'Connor roll, Joe counters to the Kokina Clutch, and Sabin taps out immediately.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Austin Aries runs down to the ring as soon as the match is over, hits Joe with a missile dropkick, and yells at him for interjecting himself into his match. Heff Hardy runs out and hits Aries with the Twist of Fate, then pulls a ladder out from under the ring, sets it up in the corner, and starts to climb. Sabin drags him down as Manik comes out to the ring and takes both Aries and Sabin out with a crossbody off the ladder. Manik celebrates as we're told there's a disturbance backstage.
We go backstage where Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian are beating AJ Styles up, but AJ gets away and sprays a fire extinguisher in their faces, then disappears before the cloud dissipates. Daniels and Kazarian lost AJ...for now.
Ethan Carter III is backstage getting photos taken, and he's coming to Bound For Glory!
TNA World Champion Bully Ray vs Brutus Magnus
They tie up and jockey hard for position, but neither man can get an advantage, so Bubba runs Magnus over with a shoulderblock instead. Bubba picks Magnus up and slams him hard, then waits for Magnus to get to his feet so he can take his head off with a big clothesline. Bubba hits some big chops in the corner, but Magnus fires back with some right hands and backdrops the champ before running him over with a clothesline. Magnus goes to the top rope, but Bubba shakes the ropes to make Magnus lose his balance, then he hammers him with a big right hand as we go to commercial.
We're back, and Bully is still in control, but he misses an elbowdrop and gives Magnus the room to get back to his feet and trade blows with Bubba before picking him up and slamming him. Magnus with a big boot and then he goes up top and hits the elbowdrop, but Bubba is out at 2. Bubba pulls the referee in harm's way as Magnus charges him, then once the referee is out, Bubba grabs the chain and prepares to nail Magnus with it. Sting comes down to ringside and grabs Bubba's arm, and the referee is so distracted by Sting that he doesn't notice Bubba turning around, nailing Magnus low, and covering him for the win.
Winner: Bully Ray
Oh, I bet Magnus will be real mad about this one. Indeed he gets in Sting's face, and Sting says he tried to save Magnus because Bubba was trying to use the chain. Sting extends his hand to Magnus, but Magnus just walks off and a frustrated Sting follows him to the back.
Kurt Angle is backstage, and he's...WALKING! We'll find out what's on his mind...NEXT!
Sting finally catches up with Magnus backstage and asks him what the hell is going on, and Magnus freaks out because he wound up on the losing end again because of Sting. Samoa Joe comes out and gets between then, and Sting says that Magnus will be alone this weekend when they face each other.
Speaking of the Main Event Mafia, Kurt Angle (who doesn't appear to be part of the group anymore), comes out and tells Bobby Roode that he's one of the most talented wrestlers he's ever seen, he reminds Kurt of himself five years ago, but when he tried to rain on Angle's Hall of Fame induction, he made it personal. Roode may be one of the best today, but he will never be Kurt Angle. Roode comes out and tells Angle that he's right, he'll never be Kurt Angle, but he's okay with that because he doesn't want to be Kurt Angle even though he used to. Angle used to be the be all and end all of professional wrestling, but he's the be all and end all now, and he's more worthy of a Hall of Fame induction than Angle is. Roode tells Angle to tell him what he's done lately, and it's been a whole lot of nothing for years now. The last thing he remembers Angle accomplishing was when he beat him at Bound For Glory two years ago, but that woke him up, created the It Factor of Professional Wrestling, and led to him becoming the longest reigning champion in company history. He's going to be Bobby Roode this weekend, because Bobby Roode is going to beat Kurt Angle. Angle asks how he's going to beat him when he's busy tapping, but Roode ays he's not going to tap because...oh wait, he suckerpunched Angle and is putting the boot to him. Angle picks his ankle and goes to the anklelock, but Daniels and Kazarian run out and beat Angle down before ramming his shoulder into the post. Roode tells them to get off of Angle because he's got this, and get puts Angle in the Crippler Crossface. He lets the hold go and finishes his earlier thought: he's not going to tap because he'll be busy tapping Angle out.
Dixie Carter is backstage, and she's...WALKING! We'll get the contract signing next!
We're back with Jeremy Boash and Dixie Carter in the ring. They introduce Bully Ray and then AJ Styles, who takes his time before getting in the ring to go face to face with Bubba. Borash tells them it's time to make it official, and asks Bubba to go first. Bubba signs the contract, then tells AJ that he'll make this real simple: AJ can't beat him because he doesn't have the brains in his head, the passion in his heart, or the thunder in his fists to beat him. He'll give AJ a little history lesson: in 1985, a man named Ric Flair destroyed, maimed, and took out Dusty Rhodes. Rhodes came back a month later and talked about how Ric Flair put him, the fans, the wrestling industry, and his family on hard times, but if you fast forward nearly 30 years, Bully Ray has put the wrestling world on hard times. He started with Jeff Hardy in a cage at Lockdown, he defeated Sting and made sure he could never be a World Champion again, he ran Chris Sabin back into AJ's X Division, and make no mistake, he's the guy who ran Hulk Hogan outta here and put him on hard times. AJ may be wondering what this has to do with him, but in three days at Bound For Glory, he's going to beat AJ and put him on hard times, he'll put AJ's fans on hard times, and he'll put AJ on such hard times that he'll send AJ home a defeated man with no contract or championship, and when AJ gets back to that trailer park, he wouldn't be shocked if AJ's wife and three kids aren't even there anymore. He's the Darth Vader of the wrestling business, and AJ is no Luke Skywalker. AJ says he can appreciate Bubba's story, but Bubba is no Ric Flair and AJ is no Dusty Rhodes. That was the past and they're in the future, and Bubba thinking he can compare himself to Ric Flair is pathetic because Bubba is nothing but a big dumb bitch who has no idea who he's getting in the ring with. He has nothing to lose and he has to win to make Dixie beg, to take Bubba's title, and is the most intense and desperate man Bubba has ever gotten in the ring with. He will beat Bubba, he will make Dixie pay, and he will be the next World Champion. AJ signs the contract, and Bubba tells Dixie to hold up for a moment: he's taking it back and won't put his World Title on the line because he's cashing in on those 50 Gs right now. Bubba tries to attack AJ, but AJ takes the briefcase, smashes Bubba in the head with it, then tosses the briefcase at Dixie and sends money flying everywhere. AJ gets in Bubba's face and says that belt will put food on his kids table, Bubba says he's taking AJ out, and AJ says Bubba will have to kill him.
2014 - WWE broadcast WWE NXT. Richard Trionfo filed the following report:
We are in Winter Park, Florida and your announcers are Rich Brennan, Renee Young, and Alex Riley.
Match Number One: Baron Corbin versus Elias Sampson
They lock up and Corbin hits the End of Days for the three count.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Rich Brennan mentions Carmella and that she will be making her debut tonight. Alex mentions that Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady will be facing the Legionnaires tonight.
Sami Zayn makes his way to the ring. Sami listens to the crowd chanting before he starts to speak.
He says that he appreciates the fans. He says that he is coming out here because he lost last week to Titus O’Neil. He says that he is a little sick of that. He is sick of coming out here and losing, even if it is fair and square. Sami says that he knows that he is better than that. He has proven it time and time again in this building, in front of you people. Now it is time for Sami Zayn to refocus and set his sights on the NXT Championship.
Tyson Kidd’s music plays and he makes his way to the stage. Tyson is wearing a Sami Zayn shirt and he tells Sami it is time to face the facts. It is a fact that you will never be the NXT Champion. You have squandered every opportunity and dropped the ball. Now you are going to lie to Tyson’s people? Is this the start of the era when Sami Zayn is actually winning?
Sami says that he has no problem with Tyson coming out and interrupting him. He asks Tyson if he got Nattie’s permission before he came out. He tells Tyson to go home and cry himself to sleep while watching yourself on reruns of Total Divas.
Tyson says that he would rather be on Total Divas than be a total loser like Sami. You might get some moral victories, but when you get close to the top, you fall off. Last week, Titus O’Neil versus Sami Zayn and you lost . . . AGAIN. Maybe you aren’t good enough to be here. Don’t worry. You can make some cash selling some sweet t-shirts or selling photos of you losing to top superstars. He calls Sami pathetic.
Sami says that he does not live in the past. He lives in the now and it is time for Sami’s Road to Redemption. Sami says that he is good enough to be here and good enough to beat Tyson. He will prove it tonight. He tells Tyson to borrow Tyler Breeze’s cell phone to call Nattie to get her permission.
Tyson says that as long as Regal is okay with it, we can have the match. Tyson says that he has to check on his cats. Later tonight, Sami’s Road to Redemption hits a road block. FACT!
Kalisto and Sin Cara bouncing around in the locker room as we go to commercial.
Match Number Two: Kalisto and Sin Cara versus Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake in a Non Title Match
Cara and Blake start things off and Blake with a side head lock. Blake with a shoulder tackle but Cara with a modified monkey flip. Murphy tags in and Cara with a kick but Murphy kicks back. Cara with an Irish whip but Cara is sent to the apron and he knocks Blake off the apron and then he goes for a slingshot DDT but Murphy holds on and counters into a suplex and he gets a near fall.
Blake tags back in and he kicks Cara. Blake with a slam and elbow drop followed by a leaping knee drop for a near fall. Blake with a snap mare and he tags in Murphy who hits a double knee strike for a near fall. Murphy with a reverse chin lock and he sends Cara to the mat. Kalisto and Blake tag in and Kalisto with a springboard cross body followed by a springboard corkscrew cross body. Kalisto kicks Murphy on the apron and Cara is tagged in. Kalisto with a pescado on Murphy.
Cara with an enzuigiri on Blake followed by a Victory Roll bomb for the three count.
Winners: Kalisto and Sin Cara
We take a look back at last week’s match between Tyler Breeze and Mojo Rawley when Breeze won by referee stoppage.
We see Mojo Rawley and he says that his shoulder is busted up and he will be out for a while. He says that it is all good. He will come back stronger than ever because it is time to regroup and refocus. You need to take one step back to move two steps forward. He will never forget who did this to him. He will be coming back with the vengeance and the rage. He says that he stays hyped.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Three: Becky Lynch versus Charlotte in a Non Title Match
They lock up and Charlotte works on the wrist with a wrist lock. Becky with a reversal but Charlotte blocks a hip toss attempt. Beck blocks an arm drag and Becky with an arm drag into an arm bar. Charlotte with a wrist lock but Lynch with a hammer lock. Charlotte with a reversal but Becky with a single leg take down and she applies a step over toe hold and knee drop to the leg. Charlotte with a front face lock to get out of the hold. Lynch with arm drags.
Lynch misses a charge into the corner and Charlotte with a back breaker followed by an elbow to the collarbone. Charlotte drives Becky’s head into the mat while applying the figure four head lock. Becky bridges back and gets a near fall. Charlotte with a knee to the midsection. Charlotte misses a drop kick when Lynch holds on to the ropes. Lynch with forearms and a boot to Charlotte. Both women go down when they each try for clotheslines.
Charlotte misses a clothesline but Lynch connects with a few followed by a drop kick and a series of leg drops, including a leaping twisting leg drop for a near fall. Lynch tries for a suplex but Charlotte blocks it and she hits a suplex of her own for a near fall.
Charlotte misses a splash into the corner and Becky with a kick in the corner followed by a drop kick for a near fall. Charlotte with a neck breaker followed by Natural Selection for the three count.
Winner: Charlotte
We see footage from last week when Hideo Itami fell victim to the Ascension after Konnor destroyed Funaki.
We go to comments from Viktor and Konnor. Konnor says that what they did to Funaki is a sign of things to come if you don’t get out of our way. Viktor says that he does not belong here because this is there house. They tell him Sayonara.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady make their way to the ring. Colin says that if they got a dime for every time they got beaten up in school, they would have zero dimes. That is because they are not S-A-W-F-T.
Match Number Four: Colin Cassady and Enzo Amore versus Sylvester Lefort and Marcus Louis
Colin and Sylvester start off and Colin with a slam. Louis tags in and Marcus loses his wig. Marcus looks at Sylvester and he takes his wig back and he attacks Sylvester while Colin and Enzo watch. Marcus throws Lefort to the floor and he follows after his ‘former’ tag team partner. Louis slams Sylvester’s head into the ramp and then he goes to the back.
The referees check on Lefort and it looks like the match is over.
NO Contest
Colin says that we could get another match so he tells the person in the blue pants in the back to come out. Enzo introduces Carmella
Match Number Five: Carmella versus Leva Bates
Carmella with a side head lock and Leva with shoulders in the corner. Carmella with a drop kick but Leva with an Irish whip. Carmella with a drop toe hold and a head scissors submission that forces Leva to tap out.
Winner: Carmella
Sasha Banks is in the locker room and Becky Lynch tells Sasha that she will be getting what she deserves. Sasha says that she will be the champion. Being nice will get you nowhere. Now that you lost to Charlotte twice, you need to look in the mirror and figure out what will it take to get to the top.
Devin Taylor is in the interview area with Adrian Neville. She asks Adrian about his match next week against Titus O’Neil. Adrian says that he is sick of these Raw and Smackdown superstars who come to NXT and expect them to be intimidated. Titus’ bark may be loud, but Adrian says that his bite is bigger. He vows that Titus will not win the NXT Championship.
We go to commercial.
We are back and next week, Bayley faces Sasha Banks; and Adrian Neville defends the title against Titus O’Neil.
Match Number Six: Sami Zayn versus Tyson Kidd
Zayn goes to the floor for a moment after the bell rings but he returns to the ring. They lock up and Zayn with a wrist lock but Kidd with a reversal into a hammer lock. Zayn with a reversal into a side head lock take down. Kidd with a head scissors and Zayn escapes. Kidd with a take down and Zayn with a head scissors but Kidd escapes.
They lock up and Zayn with a side head lock and a shoulder tackle. Zayn dives over Kidd and Kidd with a kip up to a standoff. Kidd with a single leg take down but Zayn with arm drags and a wrap around arm drag. Kidd goes to the floor and Zayn teases a dive but Zayn sees Kidd move so Zayn does an Arabian Press back into the ring. Zayn tells the referee to start his count while Zayn holds the ropes open for Kidd.
Kidd is about to get back into the ring but he decides to go back into the ring. Zayn goes to the floor after Kidd and Kidd with a running kick to the head and we go to commercial.
We area back and Kidd chokes Zayn in the ropes. Kidd with a snap mare and kick to the back of the head for a near fall. Kidd stands on Zayn’s hand and then he connects with an elbow to the bridge of the nose. Kidd with a neck breaker for a near fall. Kidd with a rear chin lock. Zayn backs Kidd into the corner but Kidd with a forearm to the back of the head. Kidd with a knee drop and he gets a near fall.
Kidd with a reverse chin lock. Zayn with an arm drag but Kidd with a kick. Zayn with clotheslines followed by a drop kick. Zayn sets for a Helluva Kick but Kidd moves. Zayn with a kick followed by a double jump cross body and a near fall. Kidd with elbows to the head but Zayn grabs Tyson and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb but he can only get a near fall.
Zayn tries for a suplex but Kidd lands on his feet. Zayn with a standing switch but Kidd with an elbow and a neck breaker for a near fall. Kidd waits for Zayn to get to his feet and Kidd with a double leg take down but Zayn kicks him away. Kidd counters a monkey flip attempt and Kidd locks in the Sharpshooter. Zayn tries to crawl across the ring to get to the ropes and he succeeds.
Kidd releases the hold. Kidd chokes Zayn in the ropes and he tries for the slingshot leg drop on the apron but Zayn moves and Kidd lands hard. Zayn grabs Kidd as he charges into the corner and he hits an Exploder into the turnbuckles. Zayn with the Helluva Kick and he gets the three count.
Winner: Sami Zayn
We go to credits.
2015 - Hogan's Beach, the restaurant named after Hulk Hogan in Tampa, Florida quietly closed and will be replaced by a new eatery with a different theme.
The closing was confirmed via a call to Hogan's Beach Shop, a separate business Hogan is involved in based out of Clearwater, Florida, The Beach Shop business remains open and was completely independent of the restaurant.
The phone and website associated to the restaurant are off-line.
Hogan's Beach opened in January 2013, a 20,0000-square-foot beachfront property on the Courtney Campbell Causeway that featured a mechanical shark ride, volleyball courts, fire pits, cabanas and tiki huts. Hogan described the eatery in late 2012 as a "logical extension" of the Hogan brand name and teased a cable network was interested in doing a reality series based out of the eatery.
2015 - WWE signed Patrick Clark, now known as the Velveteen Dream, to a deal.
2015 - WWE ran Mexico City, Marcello Lopez filed the following results:
Ric Flair was the GM for the night.
The Miz beat Cesaro.
The New Day beat The Lucha Dragons, Prime Time Players and Los Matadores to retain the Tag Team Titles.
Sheamus beat Fandango.
Undertaker and Kane beat Luke Harper and Braun Strowman.
Team PCB beat Team BAD.
Chris Jericho beat King Barrett.
In the main event, Roman Reigns beat Bray Wyatt in a No DQ match.
2015 - EVOLVE 49 was held in Queens, NY. Mike Johnson filed the following live report:
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of EVOLVE 49 from Queens, NY tonight!
Josh Higham reporting:
Four Way Freestyle: Peter Kaasa vs. Andrew Everett vs. Matt Cage vs. Anthony Nese w/ So Cal Val -- Andrew Everett pinned Matt Cage, while Anthony Nese standing on the outside, not wanting to break up the pin. Lenny Leonard made note on commentary that Nese avoided any contact with Everett throughout the match. Kaasa and Everett faced off after the match, building to their bout tomorrow.
Matt Riddle defeated Jonathon Gresham with a heel hook. Gresham tried to break the hold by going after the barefoot Riddle's toes, but couldn't get a good grip. Which led to Dickinson confronting Riddle....
Mike Johnson from this point on.
Thanks to Josh for filling in the stuff I missed.
My stream started with Chris Dickinson confronting the debuting Matt Riddle, a former UFC fighter. He complained that Riddle thinks he can walk in and get a spot on the roster. Riddle said he doesn't know who Dickinson is and he doesn't care because no one can stop him from getting what he wants. Dickson slapped him hard in the face. Larry Dallas, who was trying to sign Riddle, got in between them. Dickson laid him out. Security had to hold Dickson back from trying to get in Riddle's face.
Tracy Williams got in Dickson's face. Drew Gulak came out and said something to Riddle, who left with him.
There are some skeletons hanging above the ring. Not sure if that was the venue or EVOLVE's idea but it's pretty cool. Viva la Halloween Havoc!
Tracy Williams vs. Chris Dickinson
They locked up. Williams rolled Dickson up for a two count. He went for an anklelock but Dickinson broke free. Williams went for another and Dickson retreated to the floor. Williams followed and got the upper hand. He grabbed a chair from a ringside fan, placed Williams in it and charged with a kick to his ankle.
Back in the ring, Dickinson used an ankle lock to control Williams. Dickinson rolled through an cinched in a grapevine of the legs. Williams made it to the ropes. Dickinson placed Williams' leg in the ropes and kicked the ropes. He continued working him over. Dickinson whipped him into the ropes but was nailed with a dropkick.
Williams nailed a shoulderbreaker for a two count. He followed up with several kicks and forearms. He brought Dickinson down to the mat and drilled him with a kick before cinching in a rear chinlock variation. Dickinson fired away with chops but was caught in a sleeper. Dickinson dropped down to escape but is nailed with a snapmare and another rear chinlock.
Dickinson nailed a series of chops but was nailed with several right hands in the corner. Dickson drilled him with a running clothesline and nailed a series of chops. He worked over Williams with right hands in the corner and went for a power bomb. Williams fought his way out but was hit with a sunset flip over the ropes. They went back and forth with several near falls until Williams was caught in a figure four leglock.
Dickinson continued working over Williams' ankle and leg. Williams locked in a crossface after escaping an attempted move off the ropes. Dickinson went for the ropes but Williams rolled through to avoid it. Dickinson rolled him up or a two count. Dickinson nailed a 360 enziguiri and cinched in a trailer hitch submission, pulling Williams away from the ropes. Williams tapped!
Your winner, Chris Dicksinson!
Drew Gulak came out and said to Williams that he could have done better and will prove it right now against Trevor Lee.
Winner Receives EVOLVE title shot tomorrow: Trevor Lee vs. Drew Gulak
They had some really nice back and forth counter-wrestling measures against the other early. Lenny Leonard noted there was no number one for the company's most recent top ten list and that will change when the victor is determined here.
Gulak uses some pretty smooth mat wrestling to take Lee over and lock him in some arm submissions. Gulak is so smooth, it's ridiculous. They go through a series of reversals until Gulak uses the ropes to break the momentum. They go into a knucklelock and Gulak uses the ropes to drive a knee into Lee. Lee tries to use some mat wrestling but Gulak escapes and gets to his feet. They face off as the crowd goes back and forth with dueling chants.
Lee catches Gulak with a dropkick and uses some big chops in the corner. Gulak fires back with strikes of his own. Lee gains control. He dumps Gulak over the top to the floor and charges across the apron, nailing a kick to the face. Lee worked him over on the floor. He went to the top but Gula avoided his move and backdropped him back over the top to the apron. Lee was stepping into the ring when Gulak dropkicked him in the knee. Lee went backwards and hut his knee.
Gulak began controlling Lee and came off the ropes with a knee across the leg. Lee tried to kick him away but failed and was tied up in a bridging leg submission. Gulak continued to control the pace, snapping Lee over with a Dragon Screw Legwhip. Lee began fighting back but Gulak snapped his ankl and used a leglock, bridging over Lee for a pinfall combination at the same time for a two count.
Lee went for a victory roll but Gulak rolled through for a two count. Lee nailed a Uranage followed by a superkick for a two count. They battled to the ropes, where Drew snapped Lee over with a superplex. They exchanged punches while on their knees. They fought to their feet with back and forth strikes. Lee caught Gulak as he executed a high cross bodyblock and flipped over for a two count, then hit a really nice rolling German suplex for a two count. Lee nailed another running German suplex and cinched in the legs, scoring the pin.
Your winner, Trevor Lee!
Lee will challenge Timothy Thatcher for the EVOLVE title tomorrow at EVOLVE 50.
Good match if you like mat wrestling and reversals. Very well put together.
After the match, Tracy Williams took the mic and reminded Gulak of what he said about not losing to these guys. Gulak praised Lee's work on the mic.
Tony Nese & Caleb Konley came out with So Cal Val. Konley said he hasn't lost a match in a WWN ring for the past six months. He said that those in charge don't even give him a match tonight and questioned why. He said they gave Trevor Lee and Drew Gulak a match for the EVOLVE title, while he's been overlooked for the last four years. He demands to be made the number one contender.
Val took the mic and said Konley should be the EVOLVE champion while he and Nese should be the EVOLVE Tag Team champions.
Out came Milk Chocolate, making their EVOLVE debuts.
Brandon Watts and Randy Summers introduce themselves. Anthony Nese says no one cares who they are and challenges them to a match right now so he can wipe the ring with them.
Milk Chocolate vs. The Premiere Athlete Brand (with SoCal Val)
Nese and Konley attacked Milk Chocolate from behind, knocking Summers out of the ring. They hit a double hiptoss into the ring on Summers. Nese and Konley took turned tagging in and out, controlling the young star. Summer and Watts made a comeback and hit an awesome flurry of offense. Nese took out Summers when he was on the top. On the floor, Konley held up Watts, allowing Nese to hit a dive, sending him into the guard rail. Nese nailed a Michinoku Driver off the ropes and scored the pin on Summers.
Your winners, Tony Nese & Caleb Konley!
Short but good match. Milk Chocolate, one of the best kept secrets in the NYC area, looked really good. Val did a nice job on the mic and Nese and Konley did a great job as the brash heels.
Val cut a promo ripping on RPG Vice, promising Nese and Konley were the best tag team in the world.
Out came Earl Cooter. I have to tell you, I popped. Cooter is a great throwback wacky carny character.
Willie Mack vs. Earl Cooter
Cooter tried to get one over on Mack, who looked to be in really great shape, but was nailed with a leg lariat. Mack nailed a nice standing moonsault for a two count. Cooter snapped Mack's leg on the ropes and choked him with his boot. He nailed some nice moves including a snap suplex. Cooter dropped a kneedrop and ascended to the top and went for a Bombs Away kneedrop but missed.
Mack cleaned up with a clothesline and a back elbow. He slammed Cooter with authority and nailed a big legdrop. He went for the Chocolate Thunder Driver but Cooter avoided it and nailed an Unprettier for a two count. The crowd wasn't happy it was only a two and gave the referee static.
Mack came back with a big German suplex and a Fall Away Slam. He pulled Cooter to the corner and nailed an awesome corkscrew senton for the pin.
Your winner, Willie Mack!
Good showcase for Mack.
I am told the reason EVOLVE switched up the lineup is that Mack arrived very late due to American Airlines being delayed taking off.
EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher & TJ Perkins vs. RPG Vice of Trent Baretta & Rocky Romero
They are billing this as a "Super Tag Team match." Perkins and Romero went back and forth with some solid action while feeling each other out. Baretta and Thatcher each tagged in. Baretta did some stalling to play mind games with the EVOLVE champion, then tagged out to Romero. There was a LOT of back and forth action early on, all of it good.
Thatcher controlled Romero and tagged out to Perkins, who nailed a series of hiptosses and armbars. Baretta distracted Perkins, allowing Romero to nail a dropkick that sent him to the floor. The crowd chanted for Baretta to take a fan's chair, so he did then tossed down. RPG controlled the bout, tagging in and out.
Baretta nailed a Northern Lights suplex for a two count. Romero tagged back in and scored with a superkick. Thatcher finally tagged in and locked in a Fujiawara armbar. Romero went for a kick but was caught in a Fujiwara armbar of his own. Perkins used a springboard into stereo Japanese armbars. Romero nailed a leaping knee off the apron onto Thatcher on the floor.
Perkins and Thatcher locked on stereo submissions. Romero fought Thatcher off and sent him into Perkins. The partners had words but cleaned house on Perkins. Perkins scored a pin on Romero but Baretta got past Thatcher to break it up. All four brawled and again Perkins was nailed by Thatcher accidentally. Baretta grabbed Perkins and drilled him with the Dudebuster for the pin.
Your winners, RPG Vice!
Good back and forth bout. Lots of nice, physical action.
Perkins and Thatcher faced off before Perkins left the ring. Thatcher avoided RPG his hand in respect and they took it.
Tony Nese and Caleb Konley were shown watching the scene. RPG challenged them to come to the ring. So Cal Val said that as a woman, she knows how to be a tease and promised them they would have to wait until tomorrow to face Konley and Nese.
I have to say, Lenny Leonard has done a hell of a job calling this show alone, especially when it came to bringing up past occurences as exposition.
I Quit: Johnny Gargano vs. Ethan Page - if Gargano loses, he leaves WWNLive.
The ring announcer Joanna Rose said that she's been instructed to make an announcement and that is that a special individual is here. She said they were about to make history. HHH's theme song played. No way. Nope. Out came Ethan Page, doing all of HHH's mannerisms. The crowd crapped all over him and chanted, "A**hole" at him. He told them not to hate the player, but to hate the Game. He said that he's shocked they fell for that even if they are from NYC. He promised it was the final match for Johnny Gargano in WWNLive.
They brawled to the floor and into the crowd. Page nailed Gargano and took the belt from the referee's waist, whipping Gargano. Gargano got the strap and returned the favor. Gargano grabbed a stack of chairs and threw them down on Page over and over again. They continued to brawl around the building.
Gargano nailed a tornado DDT off the wall on Page, who refused to quit. Gargano peppered him with right hands on the stage of the venue. They returned to the ring. Gargano called for chairs and fans handed a ton of them over. For a second, I thought it was going to be some chair throwing time from the crowd! Page caught Gargano with a chair. A table was brought into the ring and was shattered. Good brawl.
Page went for a Pedigreee but Gargano backdropped him across some chairs. They exchanged left and right hands. Gargano nailed an enziguiri and a superkick. They exchanged a series of kicks with both nailing KO kicks at the same time. They battled to the apron. Gargano went for a DVDR but Page nailed a series of elbow to block it. Page went for a DVD but Gargano slipped out and landed in the ring. Page nailed an Ace Crusher onto a chair but Gargano would not quit.
Page forced a ringside worker to unscrew one of the turnbuckle pads and shoved the referee down. He nailed Gargano with a chair. He followed up with a Pedigree. Another table was brought into the ring. Page nailed Gargano in the head with a chair. Page set up the table and placed Gargano facedown on the table. Page went to the top but Gargano caught him and nailed a series of right hands. He nailed a tornado DDT off the top through the table on Page.
Gargano worked over Page with right after right hand. Page made a comeback and demanded Gargano say I Quit. Gargano responded that Page would have to kill him. He spit in Page's face. Page drilled him and pulled out a rope that Gargano had used in the past as a weapon. Page grabbed the loose ring rope and tried to put it around Gargano's throat but Gargano escaped and wrapped it around Page's throat, then locked in a submission. Page quit.
Your winner, Johnny Gargano!
A fun, frenetic and violent main event. Really fun stuff.
Gargano cut a promo promising that his path to the EVOLVE title starts right now. EVOLVE went off the air.
Overall, a solid show.
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