Vince McMahon Writes About "Macho Man" Randy Savage In Time Magazine

The June 6, 2011 issue of TIME features an article on the late Randy Savage written by WWE chief Vince McMahon. A preview of the article was released: "It’s important in sports and it’s important in entertainment to stand out. Randy knew that. Right away, he wanted to leave his mark, and to do that he was aware he had to make himself different from everyone else. "One way he did this was concentrating on his outfits, those brightly colored costumes with foot-long fringe that became his trademark. He brought to wrestling a unique look and style. Randy, who died in a car crash May 20 at age 58, was one of the building blocks of what is now WWE (previously known as the World Wrestling Federation). He had…" To read the article in its entirety, pick up a copy of TIME at your local newsstand or download the TIME iPad app. Oh Yeah!

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Pro wrestling legend Randy 'Macho Man' Savage dies in car accident, by Greg Tingle - 20th May 2011



Randy Savage VS Ric Flair

RIP Randy Savage (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011)

Professional wrestling superstar Randy "Macho Man" Savage passed away after having a heart attack while driving his Jeep Wrangler in Seminole, Florida.

A witness told the press that he "suffered a heart attack while driving and hit a tree."

Florida Highway Patrol said Savage, 58, leapt a concrete median, veered into oncoming traffic and smashed into a tree head on.

He died from his injuries at largo Medical Center.

Savage, whose birth name is Randy Poffo, had recently celebrated his first wedding anniversary with his wife Lynn. It was his second marriage.

His wife was in the car at the time of the accident, which was first reported by TMZ. She suffered only minor injuries.

He married his first wife Elizabeth Hulette best known as "Miss Elizabeth," in 1984. They divorced in 1992. She ended up dying from a drug overdose in 2003.

World Wrestling Entertainment, in progress of rebranding to WWE, advised in a statement that Savage's death was a huge loss.

"WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of one of the greatest Superstars of his time, Randy Poffo, aka Randy "Macho Man" Savage. Poffo was under contract with WWE from 1985 to 1993 and held both the WWE and Intercontinental Championships. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. We wish a speedy recovery to his wife Lynn. Poffo will be greatly missed by WWE and his fans."

The wrestling world posted thousands of comments Twitter to grieve over the former wrestler.

"He had so much life in his eyes & in his spirit, I just pray that he's happy and in a better place and we miss him. We miss him a lot. I feel horrible about the ten years of having no communication. This was a tough one." Hulk Hogan posted on his Twitter account.

"RIP Randy 'Macho Man' Savage - you were one of my childhood inspirations and heros. Strength, love and prayers to the Savage/Poffo family," Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said on Twitter.

"I lost a close friend today. If anybody in heaven is wondering who the cat in the ugly cowboy hat is it's Randy. Love you Bro. Never another," Kevin Nash tweeted.

Twitter queen Alyssa Milano was also among those offering condolences, tweeting, "Rest in peace, Macho Man Randy Savage."

Savage helped put WWF wrestling on the global map in the 1980s and '90s, becoming, along with Hulk Hogan, one of its biggest draws of all time. His outrageous ring attire and his "Oooh Yeah!" catchphrase made him a fan favorite. He had also been pitchman for Slim Jims media and advertising campaigns.

"I feel so fortunate that I had a second chance to marry my first love, here where it all began," Savage said a year ago, after his Lido Beach wedding to Payne, whom he'd met there decades before.

Savage had recently returned to the wrestling scene with the release of the WWE Wrestling All-Stars video game. There was also a push to see him be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, many insiders and fans saying he was the greatest wrestler never to have been inducted, with rumours circulating that the reason he may not have got the green light was a fling with WWE boss Vince McMahon's daughter, but that is speculation, not fact.

Savage, who announced the release of a Macho Man action figure at Comic-Con in July 2010, was known for his catch phrase "Ooooooh yeaahhh" and his affiliation with Slim Jim snacks.

His pro wrestling success including numerous reigns as WWE (then WWF) and WCW champion...Savage appeared as Bone Saw McGraw, the wrestler Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker squares off with in "Spider-Man" (2002), among other occasional acting parts, and released a rap album, "Be a Man" (2003).

Savage had a numerous of other wrestling accomplishments and was the 1987 WWF King of the Ring and the 1995 WCW World War 3 winner.

His WrestleMania III match with Steamboat was considered a classic by both fans and critics and was named 1987's Match of the Year by both Pro Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer.

He drew a lot of money in just about every wrestling territory he entered, be it Memphis, Florida, Atlanta or New York.

Savage signature moves included the flying elbow off the top rope, sometimes even from the top of cages, double ax handle, and had an extremely fast brawling style, as well as being a solid technical wrestler, often using a variety of suplexs in his matches.

His greatest wrestling feuds were with Hulk Hogan, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Ric Flair, Andre The Giant, The Honky Tonk Man, Tito Santana, George 'The Animal" Steele,
Bruno Sammartino and prior to the WWE, Jerry "The King" Lawler. He's biggest out of the ring feuds with with Hulk Hogan and wrestling boss, Vince McMahon.

Under his real name Randy Poffo, he played minor league baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnatti Reds systems in the early 1970s. Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was also among those expressing condolences Friday.

A Media Man staffer was overhead "Savage was one of the greatest ever and a true legend. He was up there with Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Flair and Steamboat. It would be nice to see a classy tribute by the WWE and also see him finally inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Thanks for the awesome memories Randy".

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Wrestling News Media: The Rock VS John Cena At WWE WrestleMania, by Greg Tingle




The Rock's return to pro wrestling er... sports entertainment, or whatever it is now, has little to do with wrestling as such.

The booking The Rock vs. John Cena at WrestleMania 28 twelve months in advance has strong merit, but will both competitors be as hot then, as they are now... probably.

This is one of the smartest moves ever by WWE head honcho Vince McMahon, as it plugs right back into mainstream entertainment, with a hot main event which has star power and money written all over it, plus news media is going to have it as a media darling to boot. I don't see Rock or Cena "stuffing up" with real life situations that would stop the match, and hopefully both will remain injury free.

What's were doing here is getting Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the living legend himself, and putting him in the squared circles with one of the most popular pre-teen megastars ever. This is the pop culture main event of the decade, if not century!

Wrestling fans will go for this big, and spend, plus it should be a decent match to keep the loyal fan base happy too. Most mainstream news media companies should cover it also, and the buzz and coverage leading up is already there, so just imagine. Bigger than the MTV Hulk Hogan VS "Rowdy" Roddy Piper 'War To Settle The Score', Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III, and perhaps even up there with the very first WrestleMania back in 1985 which came from sports and entertainment mecca in New York - Madison Square Garden.

The Rock VS John Cena at WrestleMania is tipped to break all sorts of records and have mega success written all over it. At The Rock would say, Just Bring It!

Stay turned to Media Man, Wrestling News Media and our friends at Google News as the saga continues.

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WWE Gambles On Cigy Angle; WWE Lights Up Debate With Tobacco In Media, by Greg Tingle - 20th April 2011

WWE Lights Up Debate With Tobacco In Media...

Regular readers will know all too well that Media Man and and Gambling911 cover all matter of vice in their news reports. Usually its gambling or casino news, but we also cover crime, technology, odds on events and from time to time, cigarettes.

Cigarettes - tobacco or ciggies if you prefer, are back in the news, especially when it comes to the United States and Australia.

Down under the debate is on the way as to if plain packaging should be used at the point of sale (which may help them loose their appeal)... then again, it may work out the opposite also, as when products and services become more controversial, they also often become more popular!

Now leading American owned and operated media company, WWE (formally World Wrestling Federation - before they decided they we not so much wrestling, but sports entertainment), has been dragged into the tobacco in news media debate with one of their stars lighting up a cigarette as part of a story line.

The WWE superstar - the curiously named R-Truth (Ron Killings)... not Cig Killings, lit her up and has raised the ire of anti tobacco advocates across the global including Patrick Reynolds from Tobacco Free.org, who is calling for an apology on the stunt.

TMZ broke the story earlier today, but news media wires across the globe and running with it hard, including heated debate at Wrestling Observer Newsletter and the Pro Wrestling Torch.

Reynolds said on the wrestling superstar, "If he wants help in quitting, I'll be happy to be his personal coach."

The WWE issued a statement to TMZ defending the cigarette incident -- saying, "The negative effect smoking has on one’s health and physical performance was a part of a storyline on last night’s Monday Night Raw. Negative depictions of tobacco use on television are not unusual and can be seen on other TV-PG shows."

A Media Man spokesperson said "We're going to back up the WWE and Killings all the way on this one. It's a storyline, not unlike the sort of thing you would see on other American sitcoms, TV series and the like. The WWE audience is not stupid and audiences realise it's showbiz. Most of the programming is clearing PG-13, but somethings things get blurred. It's no secret that smoking is not good for you, and that the way WWE and Killings presented it. Last Monday Night may have been more Raw that usual, but we believe that they did not cross the line. It was interesting and entertaining television in our estimation. As is often the case, it was a small but vocal number of people who complained. For the record, none of our staff smoke either, but most enjoy WWE programming.

A few months ago the WWE also attracted mixed press coverage when it was discovered they offered WWE Poker on their website.

Punters may also be interested to know that a decade ago the then World Wrestling Federation, formally also known as Titan Sports and World Wide Wrestling Federation purchase a land based casino in Las Vegas, however they never developed the sites and chose to sell it for a profit. Returned WWE superstar Kevin "Diesel" Nash also once played a smooth talking Vegas character 'Vinnie Vegas' in World Championship Wrestling.

WWE superstars gamble with their life and risk their neck and back every time they step into the squared circle wrestling ring.

We like one of the WWE slogans 'Don't try this at home', but when it comes to gambling as a whole its hard to beat 'Bet with your head, not over it, and have fun'.

WWE will be touring Australia from July 1st.

Australian Government To Try Boring Cig Packaging In Attempt To Reduce Consumption...

Down under in Australia the government in all their wisdom is pushing hard for a new tool in goal to cut smoking rates: extremely boring cigarette packages!

The government has announced legislation that would ban logos, colors, brand imagery, and promotional text, while mandating that all packages be olive green-determined in studies to be the least appealing color. The move would "take away the tobacco industry’s final capacity to promote its product," says a professor of public health.

Australia has long been a leader in war on tobacco, the Christian Science Monitor reports, but this time Aussie land will face a hell of a fight fight from the tobacco industry. A legal challenge has been threatened, alleging that the proposed legislation infringes on international trademark laws.

Should the government's plan comes to pass, brand names will appear on each cigarette package in a standard font, and the rest of the box will be covered in health warnings.

Summary: boring packages, but will that really stop folks from lighting up, or even trying a cigy for the first time. We're not sold, how about you?

Cigy moving for readers interested: 'Coffee and Cigarettes'
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379217
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_and_Cigarettes

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*The writer is a regular contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They also publish Wrestling News Media http://www.wrestlingnewsmedia.com

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Wrestling News Media: Snooki, 'The Rock' and 'Mania: When Headlocks and Hollywood Collide - 1st April 2011

One is the queen of MTV's Jersey Shore; the other is WWE's resident Mexican aristocrat. One is famous for being perhaps the worst of the tanned, bouffant-wearing, gum-chomping Italian stereotype. The other invites fans' wrath with a wink and a smile as he drives the world's most expensive cars to the ring and insists on being introduced by his own personal ring announcer - in Spanish.

Only one entity - and one extravaganza - could bring these two very different stars together: World Wrestling Entertainment's 27th annual WrestleMania on Sunday. Snooki will participate in a six-person, inter-gender grudge match while Alberto Del Rio will vie for the World Heavyweight Championship in his WrestleMania debut. Both promise to thrill 70,000-plus screaming fans in Atlanta's Georgia Dome.

"It's going to be the peak of my career," said Del Rio, a native of Mexico. "My family, my entire country, is going to be proud of me because I'm going to go out there and become the new World Heavyweight Champion. I'm going to die out there trying to become the World Heavyweight Champion."

So what's behind the infatuation with WrestleMania? Why do fans come from around the world and dole out hard-earned money to watch this spectacle on pay-per-view? What is it about WrestleMania that makes fathers and sons and daughters jump out of their seats and grown, muscle-bound men in tights speak in hushed reverence?

Simply put, it is pro wrestling's greatest annual event. All wrestlers who grew up as fans dream of performing in it and look forward to watching it. Even in the choreographed world of professional wrestling, there is nothing staged about the emotion and excitement from anyone who performs at WrestleMania.

"As a kid, all I wanted to do was be a wrestler," said Del Rio. "Now that I'm here in WWE - WrestleMania is our NBA, our Super Bowl, our World Series of professional wrestling. As a wrestler, as a performer, I always dreamed of being in something like that."

For the fan, WrestleMania's appeal is as nuanced as wrestling's longtime popularity. Wrestling's magnetism goes hand-in-hand with the dawn of the television age in the 1950s, but WrestleMania took it to another level. It is a marriage of headlocks and Hollywood that began in 1985, when WWE Chairman Vince McMahon teamed up the charisma of Hulk Hogan and the diabolical lunacy of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper with the star power of Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper. (Credit: News Corporation)


Wrestling News Media: Shawn Michaels' Speech At WWE Hall Of Fame Induction 2011: 'Thank You' - 2nd April 2011

Thank you. ["HBK!" chant. "Thank you Shawn!" chant. Whoa! Some other chant.] The damnedest thing on my way to my Hall of Fame speech, a damn roast broke out. Thanks. I knew there was no way you was gonna say anything nice about me. For the 15 years we've known each other he never has, and he never will. He's like the Fonz trying to say he's sorry. [Muttering.]

I know how tough it was for you to say . That was a huge deal for him to even recognize that I worked in this line of work for 36 years. You're not aware of this, but we shared a big moment there. There's some psychiatrists going, "They're starting to heal."

I'm nervous, so don't give me cat calls. [Cat calls.] I've been going over what I'm gonna say. ["One more match!" chant.] You're killing me with the one more match thing. Seriously, I know it's good TV, he'll have a nervous breakdown. We sold out the building! He had a heart attack!

["We love you Shawn!"] I'm serious. For the love of God, help me out here. I don't even know where to start. You know there are things that go between ... I can't say, I'm not supposed to say. That's one of the reasons I was OK to retire. Coincidentally, this is the first year where we're not doing it live. They'll chop it up in post to make sure it's ok to air.

When I was 19 years old, I didn't want to be a sports entertainer. I didn't know at the time. I told my mom and dad, I want to do what those guys do it on TV. Making it was going to be going out in San Antonio and wresting in front of 25 people. Fast forward, and I'm a 45-year-old man, and I get to stand here and say thank you.

Along the way, I wasn't really aware of it. I was raised by a loving family, sitting right down here, who loved me every step of the way and supported me. But for whatever reason when I started doing this line of work at 19 I spent the next 26 years searching for validation. I don't even know why. But what my peers thought of me and what you thought of me was the most important thing in my life. And I worked myself into the ground. It was so important to me that you thought I did a good job. I know that sounds patronizing, but I want to thank you so much for giving me that.

I'm very thankful to all the other inductees and especially Triple H for making this fun and amusing. Because as much as I've tried to not make it a deep and heavy cry fest, I can't do it. There are no words to express how much I lived and breathed to do this every night for so many years. And it begs the question, how am I gonna be OK away from this?

Last Monday the Undertaker had mentioned Shawn Michaels will walk into the Hall of Fame with a ton of regrets. If this had happened in 1998, that might've been true. At that time, I was good at my job, but there's no way I could've stood here with no regrets. And although my family would've been proud of me, I know there would've been a little disappointment for them and a certain guy backstage whose name I'm not allowed to mention. [Crowd WOOs. Guy next to me says "RIC FLAIR!" I believe him!]

I came back in 2002 after being told I'd never wrestle again, for one more match. That was nine years ago. I'm thankful I can stand before you with absolutely no regrets. [Missed a part about God and his family. Sorry.] Since they came into my life, I've had not a regret. Not a second goes by that I'm not thankful. The most precious gift of all is my little family. I love you all so much, and I want to thank you for being so selfless and letting daddy finish what he started.

It was very important to me to come back and go away on my own terms. I love my two children more than anything in the world. Thank you so much for letting daddy go wrestle. [I have a daughter. Totally about to tear up.]

There are countless WWE superstars that I've had to create with. I'd love to mention everybody, but I don't want to make this too long. I don't wanna be that guy. [Crowd WOOs.] You guys are implying that. I'm not saying that. Every year there's somebody, and we're like, dude there's WrestleMania tomorrow. I'm gonna assume you know who you are.

Because I did my best to make sure before I left to tell you how awesome it was for me, and how much I appreciate you guys [makes crazy hand gestures] putting up with me when I wanna do something you don't do all that much. I appreciate your time and patience. I appreciate you being a part of my life. A lot of times all we've got is each other. We're like guys in a fox hole together. But when we're with each other, we're all we got. We can stab each other in the back, but can't nobody else do it.

I wanna thank you for allowing me to be a part of that fraternity. We're always gonna look at everybody else and say you're not gonna understand it. And that's OK. It's something we're gonna take to our graves.

And lastly there's all of you. The WWE universe, the fans. I love every one of you, even when you bother me at 5 in the morning, even when I cuss you, you still come back and forgive me. You have been a part of my life and family for so many years, it begs the question, why would a 19-year-old kid from a wonderful upbringing seek validation from strangers?

One thing people used to always say that separated me is that I could make a connection with you. I don't know if I did a good job, but for the last 26 years whether you were connected to me I have no idea, but I was connected to you. I have never won Most Popular, I wasn't the prom king, I wasn't the homecoming king, so I guess in my adult life the most important thing to me was that you believed in me and thought I was good. On this night, 2011 Hall of Fame, I feel it, I thank you, I love my ring. And I love each and every one of you.

I know this has been sappy. I can't help it. And if you're not down with that, I got two words for you. ("Suck it!" from the crowd.)

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Wrestling News Media: WWE WrestleMania and WWE Hall of Fame News

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WWE Champion The Miz vs. John Cena (WWE website)

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WWE Stars Come to Atlanta, Show Off Artistic Side (My Fox Atlanta)

Mark Henry has wrestling in his grip (AAP)

Linda Hogan challenges Charlie Sheen to fight over dog abuse claim (The Daily Telegraph)

Fans still love getting close to Superstars at WrestleMania Axxess (Canoe)

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WM27..WM AXXESS..HBK/HOF Personal..The Streak..Snoop & JR on Commentary?? Ready to Grill?, by Jim Ross - 30th March 2011

It's Wrestlemania 27 Week. What more needs to be said? Let's grill...

Preparing to head East to Atlanta is like preparing to return to one's former hometown. Being a former homeowner and living in Atlanta was a great experience and without question Atlanta was my favorite town of which to base out of while I've been in the wrestling business.

I have no 'assignment' for Sunday but I'm channeling Ricky Vaughn, Charlie Sheen's character in the film 'Major League,' and assuming the role of the relief pitcher while standing by in the bullpen and ready to 'throw the heater, Ricky' if needed.

Hopefully every performer, no matter their role Sunday, understands the importance of being better than they have professionally ever been. Don't allow one's minutes to dictate one's performance. Maximize the minutes while turning heads would be my suggestion.

Seeing HBK go into the WWE HOF is going to be particularly gratifying to me. After seeing @ShawnMichaels_ break into the business in Mid South Wrestling, I've seen the best and the worst of HBK. Traveling to San Antonio to visit with him about coming back to WWE after his 4+ year hiatus due to a back injury was one of the most profound trips of my career. It's hard to believe that Shawn returned after such a long hiatus and from the first minute that he stepped back into the ring he was better than everyone else.

HBK, HHH, and Undertaker, three, old school guys, arguably, in the eyes of many, stole the show Monday night on Raw on a night where MNR was loaded with star power.

Someone asked me if I thought @TheRock was going to get physically involved Sunday on PPV in the Miz vs. Cena WWE Title Bout. Facetiously, I answered "Oh, no Rock's going to turn the other cheek and let bygones be bygones." If Rock doesn't get physical Sunday in some shape, form or fashion I will allow burnt orange to be displayed in our home.

All our JR's products will be available at WM AXXESS at the WWE merchandise stand. They will be available w/o any issues with shipping, handling, etc. They all come in plastic bottles, the Beef Jerky in plastic bags, and are travel friendly in one's checked luggage.

At Axxess, I will be playing against Jerry Lawler at the WWE All Stars video game Friday night at the THQ area. @WWEGames has been working OT on promoting WWE All Stars which is getting superb reviews from gaming experts. The King and I reunite for this video game where you can book the greatest bouts that never happened.

The King and I, sounds like a musical, reunite this weekend on Saturday at 10-noon signing autographs at the WWE HOF booth at Axxess. Come by and say hello.

Word on the street, and not officially confirmed, is that Terry Funk, WWE HOF'er and a rather hardcore individual to this very day, will induct the originator of hardcore Abdullah the Butcher into the WWE Hall of Fame Saturday night at the sold out Phillips Arena. Some tickets may still be lingering for Saturday night's event so check with Ticketmaster or the box office. With no TV time restraints, the inductor and inductee speeches should be classic.

Even though Ticketmaster may indicate that there are no more tickets available for Sunday's WM27, as a rule a few tickets or even a section or two often times become available when the production setup is completed. The Georgia Dome will be packed but some tickets may become available as the weekend progresses. I expect the gate to be in excess of $6M with north of 65,000 fans on hand. I could easily be low on both projections.

No rumor to the fact that Snoop Dogg and I will share a trailer at WM27 even though I lobbied for it. I'd prefer to make no more comments on this matter. Here's an idea for you. What if Snoop Dog and Ol JR broadcast a match or two at 'Mania. Now that's what I'm talking about and the pregame would be classic. Pass the Doritos, please.

Snoop's gazillionaire body was once guarded by Brodus Clay. Clay reminds me of a modern day, UWF version of the One Man Gang. That's a good comparison BTW for you kids in the audience

What match will close the show Sunday? Whether it is The Streak or the WWE Title the WWE seems to be destined to be 'damned if they do and damned if they don't' with this one. I'd be a Streak lean but closing the show with the WWE Title, Rock, etc would work for me as well.

Will 'The Streak' ever be broken? My guess is no but I do agree that nothing lasts forever.

People have asked me for a prediction on the Lawler vs Cole match. Really. Really? Lawler wins in a 'quicker than a hiccup' bout and King won't need Stone Cold to get it done. The thought of having to broadcast a Cole victory would be more annoying than an irritable bowel. Thank goodness that chore or possibility thereof will be left up to others or so it seems.

Follow us on Twitter @JRsBBQ as we are over 118,000 followers now. I find that number amazing and its growing daily. We have a blast interacting with our Twitter friends. Well, most of them.

BTW...don't look now but Barry Bonds is in a whole heap of trouble. Perjury ain't cool especially when one allegedly lies to Uncle Sam. Some people would rather walk a mile to tell a lie than walk across the street to tell the truth.

The NFL strike/lockout nightmare will be settled before the start of the season because 1. most players can't sustain their opulent, out of control life styles without game checks coming in and 2. too many people will lose too much money if the stadiums stay empty and w/o games.

How cool is it to induct one's father into the WWE HOF? I think that it's great that Bob Armstrong's sons will have that distinction. Bullet Bob was a helluva hand and even at 71 years of age has still got one of the better set of 'guns' in the biz. The former US Marine was truly beloved in the Southern territories.

Coach Brock Lesnar starts his gig tonight on Spike on the new season of TUF. This week on a media tour Lesnar left the door open to return to WWE, smart strategy, some day if the opportunity and the money were to his liking. No smart businessman closes any potentially, lucrative doors but with that said Lesnar has miles to travel ahead of him in UFC which is the perfect vocation for the former WWE Champion. Lesnar's focus is to beat Junior Dos Santos in June and then to regain the UFC Heavyweight Title. I for one hope that Brock gets back to the top of the UFC mountain.

Lesnar's book ,co-written w/ Paul Heyman @HeymanHustle, will be out in May. I'm anxious to read it as Brock and I had some interesting days in WWE. BTW I would love to travel to Vancouver to see the next Lesnar fight. Can someone get word to @DanaWhite? :)

Thanks for the business and support of our JR branded products and remember that http://www.wweshop.com ships outside the USA and are doing a great job distributing our goods.

Boomer Sooner!

JR (Credit: Jim Ross official website)

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WWE Hall Of Fame 2011

Shawn Michaels

The Heartbreak Kid. The Icon. The Showstopper. Mr. WrestleMania. The amazing Shawn Michaels has gone by many names and he can now add WWE Hall of Famer to that list.

Sunny

A trailblazer and a true original, Sunny changed the way women were viewed in sports-entertainment. This unmatched influence has earned her a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2011.

Bob Armstrong

The patriarch of one of sports-entertainment's great families, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong is a wrestling legend, a Georgia hero and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2011.

"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan

With his trademark 2x4 slung over his shoulder and an American flag held proudly in his hand, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan was a true patriot who brawled his way into the hearts of the WWE Universe.

WWE Hall of Fame 2011 Rumours

Randy "Macho Man" Savage

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The Rock Brings It To WrestleMania

February 14, 2011 STAMFORD, Conn., February 14, 2011 - Do you smell what’s cookin’? The Brahma Bull™, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will `bring it’ to WrestleMania® XXVII. WWE® (NYSE: WWE) announced tonight that The Great One™ will return home to be The World’s Most Electrifying Host of WrestleMania on Sunday, April 3rd at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

As The World’s Most Electrifying Host of WrestleMania XXVII, The Rock will lay the SmackDown® on all of the pomp and festivities that makes WrestleMania the world’s greatest, annual pop culture extravaganza.

"I'm absolutely thrilled and fired up to be the host of WrestleMania. My goal was to partner up with Vince McMahon and WWE to create and deliver something globally entertaining and electrifying," said Johnson. "As an actor, entertainer and someone who both loves and has grown up in the sports entertainment business, the opportunity to host 75,000 passionate fans in a live venue, not to mention the millions that will be watching worldwide, is not only thrilling but quite honestly the opportunity of a lifetime. It's going to be one helluva an epic night."

In making the monumental announcement of his return to WWE just minutes ago on Monday Night Raw®, The People’s Champion™ whipped the crowd into a frenzy and was showered with thunderous applause.

For more, visit www.wwe.com for "Live with The Rock" online chat immediately following the conclusion of Monday Night Raw. For all the latest updates, 'Like' The Rock at www.facebook.com/DwayneJohnson or follow him at www.twitter.com/TheRock.

WrestleMania XXVII will be broadcast in more than 80 countries around the world. Check with your local cable operator or satellite provider to order the pay-per-view on Sunday, April 3rd. For more information on WrestleMania and WrestleMania events, please visit www.wrestlemania.com

About WWE
WWE, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly US PG rated content across all of its platforms, including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media, publishing and studios. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages, reaching more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and Mexico City. Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at corporate.wwe.com.

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Conn. Wrestling Fans: Not Totally Sold On Linda McMahon Ex WWE Boss, by Greg Tingle - 3rd November 2010

Linda McMahon wasn't the first pro wrestling aka sports entertainment personality to enter mainstream politics, nor will she the last, but tipsters say she might end up being the most talked about, perhaps even to eclipse legendary Jesse "The Body" Ventura, now host of cable's 'Conspiracy Theory'.

To stake the obvious, being talked about doesn't automatically equal votes.

I'm an Aussie (Australian) so I can't vote for Linda, but you bet, I would if I could. She's likable, intelligent and has a proven track record in running a business - a business that she helped turn into a multi billion dollar concern, and has employed thousands of people over the years. That business - The World Wrestling Entertainment "sports entertainment" powerhouse is one of the world's most well known brands and provides millions, perhaps even billions of people with family friendly (these days) entertainment. A lot has changed since the smoke filled arena and bodybuilder - steroid era.

Wrestling fans or not, it is not fair to blame Linda or Vince McMahon on the steroids found in wrestling, or the ultra high level of early deaths found in the wrestling profession. No one forces wrestlers to take steroids or any drugs, but it is acknowledged that in the past - circa 1990 "monster" (big) wrestlers were usually pushed to the top of the card, and that was linked to earning capacity. The life of a pro wrestler can be presented as glamorous, but it is also one that doesn't come without high risks, injuries and the body encountering frequent pain over the years. The WWE has hundreds of wrestlers on their rooster which helps in given the talent a break when they need, as there is always another wrestler available to fill up the card.

Let's now swing forward to the here and now, with an upcoming election upon us...

Connecticut fans of World Wrestling Entertainment have advised Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon's ties to the wrestling aka "sports entertainment" company won't guarantee their votes come the Election.

Pro wrestling fanatics in Hartford on Saturday said the former WWE CEO's political - media campaign has "no bearing" on their enjoyment of the WWE. The company was in Hartford's XL Center for Fan Appreciation Day, which as you can imagine was a fantastic event and quite the moral booster for WWE management and "independent contractors" (wrestlers).

McMahon is running against Democratic state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for the seat of retiring Democratic U.S Sen. Christopher Dodd. A recent poll obtained by Media Man showed Blumenthal leading McMahon at the time of this publication.

WWE representatives say the weekend show wasn't so much about rallying voters. They say it was held to thank fans for supporting the company despite what they have named as unfair attacks on its image from state Democrats and sections of the media. For the record let it be known that Media Man has given fair and balanced coverage to the WWE over the years, even back to when it wasn't afraid to call itself World Wrestling Federation and "pro wrastling". Sometimes we even ran some negative based articles, when they were in order, based on the company's actions.

Only a few weeks ago current WWE top brass Vince McMahon started his own campaign: 'Stand Up For WWE', which by all accounts has been a global phenomenal success.

The global news media should be fair to WWE and Linda McMahon. A quick snapshot shows:

Linda McMahon has a proven track record in business

Politically savvy candidate

Strong community ties

Built leading global brand

WWE is family friendly entertainment (usually)

WWE Wellness Policy (which has proven to be a serious policy, unlike in some other sports and fields of endeavor)

So, wrestling fans or not, when you vote in the upcoming election, vote with your head. Don't be deterred by media beat ups or bias articles.

Will Linda McMahon and her tag team partner of sorts, Vince "Mr McMahon", lay the smack down on their political opponents? You can bet it will be a fight to the finish. Stay tuned to Media Man and Gambling911 for the aftermath of 'Celebrity Death Match' Connecticut style.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. The also offer political analysis

*Media Man conducts some b2b business with World Wrestling Entertainment and publishes Wrestling News Media http://www.wrestlingnewsmedia.com

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Vince McMahon defends WWE; Conn. Dems cry tag-team

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Wrestling impresario Vince McMahon — who has largely avoided the role of political spouse and whose World Wrestling Entertainment alter ego has been on hiatus during his wife's Senate campaign in Connecticut — has emerged from ringside in the contest's final days, defending a business empire he says has been trashed because of politics.

Democrats call his actions a late tag-team effort to boost Republican Linda McMahon's campaign as she trails in the polls.

Fed up with what he called "malicious and misleading attacks," the bombastic 65-year-old McMahon recently launched an Internet campaign called "Stand up for WWE," whose past policies and programming have been attacked by his wife's opponents.

He also filed a federal lawsuit this week against the top state election official for suggesting that WWE fans who come to the polls cover up their wrestling clothing or paraphernalia, given Linda McMahon's ties to the company. A judge Wednesday ruled in McMahon's favor.

And on Saturday, the WWE is staging a fan appreciation event in Hartford just three days before Linda McMahon hopes to rally enough voters to defeat Democrat Richard Blumenthal for the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd. WWE announced Thursday it will hand out free merchandise near selected polling places on Election Day to "celebrate" its success with the lawsuit.

Vince McMahon says such efforts have been "a monumental success."

"Certain members of the media, they're a little less likely to write untruths. Elitists, a little less likely to be looking down their noses at us. And even government officials, are concerned about the collective power of you, the WWE universe," McMahon proudly tells the fans in a WWE Web message posted this week.
While WWE and Linda McMahon's Senate campaign both claim the "Stand up for WWE" endeavor is strictly a company initiative, state Democrats have sought a federal elections investigation into whether the company has illegally cooperated with the political campaign.

"Linda McMahon's $50 million attack machine is calling in corporate reinforcements with no respect for the law or the voters of Connecticut," said state Democratic Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo, referring to how much the candidate has said she'll spend on her campaign.

Vince McMahon has appeared politically only once with his wife since she declared her candidacy last fall — in May, when she won the state GOP's endorsement.

Still, his image and reputation have made an impression in a race where the issues of steroid abuses and the WWE's controversial programming have often outmatched policy discussions.

Political opponents have enjoyed showing clips of Vince McMahon — as WWE character Mr. McMahon — forcing a woman to bark like a dog. They also point to his 1994 trial when was faced charges of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids to wrestlers. He was later acquitted.

Linda McMahon has touted her 30 years as an executive at WWE, and its past incarnations, in saying she has what it takes to turn around Washington.

Her husband of 44 years acknowledges he doesn't have much use for politicians and politics.

"When Linda mentioned to me that she wanted to give this a run and what did I think, I said, 'Well if you're successful, you'll be the only honest politician I know in Washington D.C.,'" Vince McMahon told The Associated Press.

On the campaign trail, Linda McMahon has mostly been accompanied by her paid campaign staff, appearing at times with the couple's daughter Stephanie, or Stephanie's husband Paul Levesque, the wrestler known as Triple H.

And on WWE's programming, the fictional Mr. McMahon has been incapacitated for months after some renegade wrestlers beat him up in June. McMahon told the AP that he hopes to end the character, saying the performances in the ring have become physically grueling.

"This was not about Vince McMahon, it should not have been about WWE, it was about Linda. The campaign was about Linda McMahon running for Senate," WWE spokesman Rob Zimmerman said.

The McMahons transformed a small wrestling company they bought from Vince's father into the success that it's become today, complete with pay-per-view matches and a planned cable TV channel. Both talk about sharing a desk in the old days, not sure whether they could afford to pay their taxes or their staff.

Vince McMahon acknowledges he underestimated the interest, and scrutiny, the Senate race would bring to WWE and the issues he and the company have faced over the years, such as steroids, wrestler deaths and raunchy programming.

And he's also been surprised by how he's been portrayed as a mythic, all-controlling figure who knew what was really going "back in the day," before the company revamped everything from its programming to drug testing.

"I'm supposed to be this Machiavellian character of some kind ... ," he told the AP. "Oh yeah, I'm extremely aggressive, over the top and real matter-of-fact, and I go for the jugular everyday and have an extraordinary work ethic and what have you, but the stories are legendary."

Credit: Google News, Wires

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WWE Superstar Batista To Enter MMA World; Want A Bet? by Greg Tingle - 22nd June 2010

With news that more professional wrestlers aka "sports entertainers" (term thanks to WWE owner Vince McMahon) are set to enter the mixed martial arts world, seems sports betting fans and wrestling fans will have more more to get excited about. Enter Dave Batista, whose next? Media Man and Gambling911 with this body slamming, clothes liner, no taping report...

Brock Lensar may have been the first former WWE superstar to make his considerable mark on the MMA world (via UFC) but he won't be the last. Enter Dave Batista, fresh off a scripted loss to WWE's who Media Man spys say is heading to StrikeForce...competitor of sorts to the UFC.

Gambling911 and Media Man have been scouring the planet to see who may take odds - bets on Batista's upcoming Strikeforce debut, before year end we understand. Comon' PartyGaming - PartyBets, Gamebookers, BetUS, Betfair, Centrebet, Paddy Power and SBG Global.

Public Challenge To Sports Betting Companies!...

We issue a public challenge to offer betting options on Batista and other pro wrestlers going to the mixed martial arts world!

Wrestling Legend Ric Flair Speaks On UFC (MMA) And WWE Fans...

"MMA doesn’t affect wrestling at all. I’m not saying wrestling fans don’t watch MMA, but it is two different audiences. My take on MMA is that those guys are phenomenal athletes and extraordinarily tough and committed but the people that are crazy about them got nothing going on themselves. I actually think most of the male public that is crazy for that are living vicariously for something they can never be. Wrestling is more entertainment-based. MMA is what it is, those guys are out there trying to kill each other. And the guys that are sitting at home going "Wow" could never find that within themselves on the first day of their life. When Lesnar fights, I like watching Brock… and I recognize a lot of names … you’ve got to have so much respect for what those guys put themselves through but it is a limited time frame [they've got]. It’s hard to develop a star in that business that’s going to have any longevity. In wrestling a guy that develops a name for himself can do it fifteen years."

Gambling911 fans or anti fans. Does Flair's quote piss you off, or do you like his tell it like it is attitude? Tell us in the forum, and we can't wait for Hollywood's crazed comedian nutter Tony Clifton, to offer his 2 cents worth again. Shame about what happened to the late Andy Kaufman (former inter gender pro wrestling champion of the world!!!). Trust us, Andy was not the UFC type... ask Jerry 'The King' Lawler.

'The Nature Boy' has enjoyed previous Gambling911 coverage thanks to his gambling and gaming entrepreneur exploits... namely being former NC Education Lottery front man, and the current man of the moment for the South Carolina Lottery. Woooooo! as Flair would say.

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Other Pro Wrestling Stars Predicted By Media Man To Be Able To Cut It In The MMA World...

Bill Goldberg, mainly known only as Goldberg. Bill is also a motorsport enthusiast, enjoying BullRun, monster trucks and Harley-Davidson bikes.

Antonia Inoki (but just for 1 or 2 matches, due to his age). Details full credit Wikipedia

On June 26, 1976 Antonio Inoki had a scheduled match in Tokyo with Muhammad Ali. Inoki initially promised Ali a worked match to get him to fight in Japan, but when the deal materialized Ali's camp feared that Inoki would turn the fight into a shoot, which many believe was Inoki's intention. Ali visited a professional wrestling match involving Inoki and witnessed Inoki's grappling ability. The rules of the match were announced several months in advance. Two days before the match, however, several new rules were added which severely limited the moves that each man could perform. A rule change that had a major outcome on this match was that Inoki could only throw a kick if one of his knees was on the ground. In the match, Ali landed a total of six punches to Inoki, and Inoki kept to his back in a defensive position almost the full duration of the match of 15 rounds, hitting Ali with a low kick repeatedly. The bout ended in a draw, 3-3. Ali left without a press conference and suffered damage to his legs as a result of Inoki's repeated leg kicks.

Bob Backlund (as above)

'Judo' Gene LeBell, actually, better to pass... Gene is 77 years of age.

John Layfield aka Bradshaw (a low level match, as Bradshaw is a brawler and had a gorgeous and intelligent wife who likely wouldn't risk anything else)

Pro Wrestlers Who Won't Be Going To MMA This Lifetime...

John Cena, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), Rey Mysterio Jr, Bret Hart...

Hornswoggle (Dylan Postl aka Little Bastard is a midget wrestler and character. Say so more).

Vince McMahon (too old and busy running WWE), Hulk Hogan (who Flair has gone on record with... "Hogan is in constant pain").

Steve Austin aka 'Stone Cold' (Austin has had many injuries and the closest you will see him in MMA is in action movie 'Damage', in a cage match!

Family Of Wrestling Stars In MMA...

Colton Toombs (son of legendary wrestler and pop icon, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper). As a teenager Roddy won a Golden Gloves boxing championship and was also awarded a karate black belt by Gene LeBell.

Former Pro Wrestlers Who Were Once Successful In UFC...

Dan "The Beast' Severn and Ken Shamrock

Too Old Or Dead...

Terry Funk, legit legend and tough guy brawler, still with us, bless the lord

Jerry "The King" Lawler, as above

Bruiser Brody - Frank Donald Goodish - dead - a fight - self defense or murdered in the locker room of a Bayamón - San Juan, Puerto Rico locker room at the hands of Jose Huertas Gonzalez, AKA Invader I. Brody reminds fans of David 'Tank' Abbott, the fighter who achieved fame in the UFC early years.

Karl Gotch - Karl Istaz (August 3, 1924 - July 28, 2007) was a professional wrestler and trainer born in Hamburg, Germany, best known by his ring name Karl Gotch. The German suplex is named after Gotch. Gotch had a behind-the-scenes feud with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, starting when Gotch asked for a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Rogers wanted to avoid getting into the ring with a wrestler he feared would 'shoot' on him and legitimately "steal" his championship. This led to a locker room fist fight between the two, ending when Gotch broke Rogers' hand; incapacitating Rogers for several weeks. These events only served to alienate Gotch from the American promoters, who already felt there was no place for his style in the world of American pro wrestling!

PS: WWE NXT former Superstar Bryan Danielson's chances of competing in UFC? "Slim and none, or about 1 million to one", whispered a Media Man insider.

PS: Vince McMahon, no, hardly any of your guys will leave WWE for MMA as they just don't have the skills or the desire to fight in a no holds barred environment, so no need to worry. Pro wrestling ain't MMA, and god knows many MMA fighters would boar pro wrestling audiences to death. If WWE can ever get Lesnar back, even for 1 match or as a special ref or something, they would do well. Shane McMahon met with UFC top brass Dana White last year, but what's his status now? Punters, tell us what you know in the forum.

UFC President Dana White On Potentially Signing Bobby Lashley (December 2008)...

"I don't know how many people can cross over and do what Lesnar has done. I don't think there's very many out there."

Current Status Of Bobby Lashley: In Strikeforce

What Is Strikeforce?

Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, operators of the HP Pavilion and the San Jose Sharks. Its live events and fights are currently shown on Showtime in the US and on Super Channel in Canada. The promotion debuted on CBS on November 7, 2009 with Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers.

UFC Update Etc...

Brock Lesnar VS Frank Mir expected to break a number of records including ticketing, PPV media buys and sports betting. The upcoming fight is expected to to the the stuff of legend. Tune in to UFC 116 on July 3, 2010. The match up is to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.

Shane Carwin, who won the interim heavyweight championship by defeating Frank Mir at UFC 111, will face current heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. The two were originally set to face each other at UFC 106, before Shane Carwin won the interim heavyweight championship, but Brock Lesnar pulled out of the fight due to an illness that kept him from training.

UFC Prez Dana White went on record that the promotion plans to make a down under Australia tour and annual occurrence, due to the massive success of UFC 110 in Sydney.

Media Man thinks that either James Packer 50% owned Betfair or competitor, Centrebet, would do well to become an official sponsor of UFC, even if only for the Australian - Asia Pacific region.

Wrap Up...

We keenly await a reply from sports betting companies on odds re pro wrestlers entering the mixed martial arts world, be it UFC, Strikeforce or other.

Loyal readers, don't hold back in the world famous Gambling911 forums

*The writer is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They also publish Australian Sports Entertainment and

Wrestling News Media

*Media Man is the former manager and agent for Australian MMA fighter Mick Cutajar

Disclaimer:

Media Man has online b2b agreements with the WWE Shop and UFC Shop. Media Man has nothing but respect for the awesome athletes in the WWE, UFC and other martial arts companies. The above article is a tongue in cheek number, intended to both educate and entertain. The disclaimers are there for the haters in the forum, and for those who hate a. WWE b. UFC and other MMA c. The writer!

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Wrestling News: Why did WWE put the U.S. Title on Bret Hart?

Bret Hart became the U.S. champion for the fifth time on Monday night, defeating The Miz in a chaotic title match. This interference-packed encounter was further evidence that Bret Hart is relishing his return to the spotlight.

It surely won't be long before The Hitman gives the title up. However, it seems strange that WWE would decide to put the title on him in the first place.

At the age of 52, and collecting on an insurance policy that is being paid to him on the basis of him being unable to wrestle, Bret Hart is not capable of having anything more than matches filled with interference. It is a shame for a wrestler whose career comprised an outstanding body of work to be unable to perform at a level he could in his prime.

Nevertheless, it seems that Bret Hart still has something to offer professional wrestling in 2010. As limited as he may be in the ring, The Hitman has been consistently excellent on the microphone since returning to WWE this year. One of the biggest fears about bringing Bret Hart back to WWE was that he would be irrelevant to a new generation of fans who never witnessed him in his prime. That has not been the case.

The Hitman has more than held his own in verbal exchanges with the likes of Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Jericho, and his acting has helped to create sympathy for a character that younger fans may be unfamiliar with. The storyline with Vince McMahon was overbooked, but it had its moments, such as when Bret revealed that he had been faking his injury to get McMahon to agree to a WrestleMania match.

The problem occurred when The Hitman stepped in the ring at WrestleMania 26. Limited by what he could do, Bret Hart beat down McMahon for over ten minutes, which coupled with a contrived storyline about the Hart family, made for arguably the worst match of his career. This inability to wrestle at a decent standard is the main problem with the return of Bret Hart, as there is no point in cutting great promos if the matches they lead to are a disappointment.

Thankfully, his title match was kept short on Monday night, and his shortcomings were covered by a string of run-ins. The crowd was into the match, and reacted with jubilation for Bret Hart's win. Slightly tarnishing The Hitman's victory was the commentary of Michael Cole, who inexplicably started heeling on Bret Hart, saying that he did not deserve the title. We can only speculate as to why he was produced to say this. He is much better on NXT as a heel announcer than he is as an announcer on Raw, so maybe it will be a good thing if Cole brings this aspect of his character to Monday nights.

While the title change was well-executed, there is the question of why they wanted to give The Hitman the title in the first place. He certainly can't go on the road to defend his title, and will be surely giving the title up in the near future. Hopefully he will drop the title back to The Miz rather than vacating it on Monday night.

It seems as though every time The Miz comes close to heading to the next level as a cocky heel, WWE cuts his legs out from underneath him. The loss to Bret Hart this week, Tyson Kidd the week before, and being made to look like a jobber by Big Show recently has not done The Miz any favors. His alliance with Chris Jericho has potential, but the number of times he has been pinned recently suggests that he won't be rising above the mid-card any time soon.

Bret Hart's title win was a nice piece of nostalgia, but TNA has shown that regular nostalgia is not conducive to drawing money for a modern wrestling company. Dropping the title back to The Miz as soon as possible would probably be the best way forward, as Miz would clearly benefit from a pinfall victory over The Hitman.

Bret Hart can't wrestle the way he used to, but as his performance on Monday night showed, he is more than capable of working a crowd. Hopefully there will be a meaningful role for him after he loses the U.S. Title.

(Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)

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WWE News: WWE continuing to play up Daniel Bryan vs. Michael Cole scrap with more "shoot" comments

WWE is continuing to play up the Daniel Bryan vs. Michael Cole "fight" from NXT on Tuesday with more "shoot comments" from Daniel Bryan after the angle played out.

WWE published a story today on their website with Bryan commenting on Cole "burying" him on commentary, Cole "putting over" David Otunga (who Bryan said "can't even run the ropes right), WWE "pushing" big wrestlers, and WWE trying to "hold him down."

It all adds up to WWE attempting to get a reaction out of hardcore fans by making it seem shocking that insider verbiage would be used in a WWE story and that WWE would "allow" Bryan to criticize WWE.

In actuality, it's a WWE-approved angle meant to get a reaction. One part of Bryan's interview that could point to the future direction of the storyline is Bryan saying in-character that he was "out of line" for attacking Cole on NXT.

"I think my actions were unprofessional and I'd do them all over again," Bryan said. "You can only be pushed so much before you get to that breaking point, you know, and at some point you need to stand up for yourself."

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(Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)

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Edge and Randy face off on Raw - 4th May 2010

Tag teams were the focus on Raw this week, as an old duo clashed and a potentially great one formed.

Edge and Randy Orton once comprised the team known as Rated RKO, but after the Ultimate Opportunist speared the Viper to close last week's show, they were booked to face off in Edge's talk show segment, The Cutting Edge.

Hyped throughout the show, it proved to be the quasi-main event, and concluded with Randy standing tall after nailing an RKO on his former comrade.

Prior to this, Edge cut a very strong promo explaining that he tried his hardest to please the fans, but they wouldn't accept him, hence his heel turn.

Adam Copeland is a terrific talker, but hasn't found his groove since his return as a babyface. It's nice to see the wide-eyed, paranoid heel Edge back.

During this confrontation, Orton found time to RKO the Raw Guest Host Wayne Brady, who contributed little else to the show.

It evoked memories of Steve Austin dishing out stunners to all and sundry, suggesting that if Randy showed a similar penchant for hitting his finisher in scattergun fashion it could get him even more over.

We already know the WWE title, currently held by John Cena, will be defended against Batista at Over the Limit. So this show featured the two men wrestling in separate matches, with the man who got a win in the quickest time choosing the stipulation for the bout at the PPV.

Batista was due to face The Miz, but he produced a Doctor's note excusing him from action, and instead allowed his NXT rookie Daniel Bryan to face the Animal.

Batista knocked off the former Ring of Honor champ in about five minutes, although Bryan got some reasonable time to shine.

Later, Cena was supposed to wrestle Chris Jericho, but again a scheduled opponent cried off, with this time Jericho's NXT protégé Wade Barrett taking his place.

Cena beat Batista's time, and was about to announce what stipulation he would like, when he was ambushed by Sheamus, who had earlier got in Batista's face and claimed he should be the No1 contender.

With no obvious opponent for the upcoming PPV, Sheamus may well be inserted into the mix to create a Triple Threat by the time we reach Over the Limit.

Our favourite moment from the show, though, was the realisation that Chris Jericho and The Miz look set to be aligned as a Tag Team.

They have title reigns with Big Show in common, and a backstage segment where they compared note on the giant, who moved to Smackdown last week, gave rise to what seems like a uniting of the pair.

You could put forth a very good argument for Jericho and Miz being the best promo guys in the whole of wrestling right now, so a formation of a team is an exciting prospect.

They sat in on commentary to see the current champions, The Hart Foundation, get their hands raised against William Regal and Vladimir Koslov, and attacked them post-match.

There is only really one question to answer. Do we called them JeriMiz or Mizicho? (Credit: The Sun)

Hitman drops WWE future hint - 4th May 2010

Bret Hart has raved about his recent return to the WWE and hinted he may extend his stay with the wrestling promotion.

The Hitman returned for a WrestleMania match with Vince McMahon, but remained as part of their programming in the aftermath of the showpiece event to guide the Hart Dynasty to the tag team titles.

And speaking on the Right After Wrestling show on SIRIUS Radio, Hart said: "I thought I'd be done at WrestleMania, but every week there's something else.

"I don't mind. I'm having fun. The return of The Hitman has been good for me, good for the fans and good for the wrestlers.

"There's been nothing but an upside to it all. I'm pretty happy with it."

Canadian Hart's last appearance for the WWE is scheduled to be on WWE Raw from Toronto on May 17.

And although he insists he does not see himself carrying on after that date, he added: "At the same time I wouldn't rule anything out if I can play a useful role.

"It's not like I'm doing that much these days.

"As long as I'm not on the road every day like I used to be.

"The Monday Night Raw role I've had for the last three months was a lot of fun...and I would do it all over again." (Credit: The Sun)

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