World Wrestling Entertainment Profile Updated
Media Man Australia Profile
World Wrestling Entertainment
Thursday, March 26, 2009
UFC May Juggle Online Poker Sponsors, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 25th March 2009
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) may be ousting Full Tilt Poker as a sponsor, according to multiple sources. In its place, according to MMAFix.com, could be Absolute Poker, which is owned by Tokwiro, also the parent company of Ultimate Bet. Full Tilt continues to have affiliate banners in place on the UFC's website.
MMAFix.com revealed in a post dated on March 23rd, "We received word from multiple inside sources that Full Tilt Poker is 'banned' from the UFC as a sponsor in the octagon or on its fighters. Whether or not this ban is permanent or temporary is not yet known." Gus Hansen, a Full Tilt Pro, recently battled Theo Jorgensen in Copenhagen inside a boxing ring, displaying the edge of the online poker site and some of its pros. In the end, however, he was bested by Jorgsensen.
The advertisement on UFC's website for Full Tilt Poker shows Phil Ivey saying, "I work on my game at Full Tilt Poker." In the place of Full Tilt, MMAFix.com speculated that one of the two Tokwiro-owned rooms would become its newest sponsor. It explained, "It appears as if UltimateBet’s sister site, Absolute Poker, will be part of this deal, although we’re awaiting confirmation. The real shame here is the UFC is screwing over its fighters yet again. Full Tilt was spending good money on sponsorships, and limiting the competition does them no favors."
When approached by Poker News Daily, officials from Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker could not confirm a potential partnership with UFC. Ultimate Bet is the official sponsor of World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) WrestleMania XXV in Houston, sending one lucky customer to the annual spectacle. A total of 317 players entered the final online qualifier, with Alex Cummings emerging victorious from the pack. He took home two tickets to the event in Houston, round trip airfare, three nights' hotel accommodation, CDN $500 in spending money, two replica WWE championship belts, a framed poster, and a pair of commemorative chairs. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Ultimate Bet member.
On sponsoring WrestleMania, Ultimate Bet's own Annie Duke told Poker News Daily, "“As two organizations concerned with providing the ultimate entertainment experience, our Canadian partnership with WWE WrestleMania XXV is a natural fit. Our players are among the millions of loyal and avid watchers of WWE and it’s a privilege for us to give them the chance to play poker to win their way to be part of this marquee event on April 5, while also adding to UltimateBet.net’s reputation for delivering much sought-after prizes.”
On April 18th, UFC will present UFC 97: Redemption, with a headliner of Anderson “The Spider” Silva against Thales Leites. In addition, Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell will battle toe to toe with Brazilian superstar Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. The festivities will take place inside the Bell Centre in Montreal. On May 23rd, UFC 98 will feature a fight between Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida. Poker players in Las Vegas will be able to stroll over to the MGM Grand Garden Arena to watch the action unfold in person when the event kicks off at 7:00pm local time.
Full Tilt Poker is gearing up for the release of the schedule for its 12th Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS). The slate of events is anticipated to be unveiled today, although at the time of writing, no announcement has been made. Last week, the online poker site ran the first installment of its Friday Night Fights, which pitted Andy Bloch against Gus Hansen. Both are card-carrying members of Team Full Tilt, with Bloch coming out the victor after connectivity issues slowed the action early on. The match-up for this Friday has not been announced. The site regularly holds a Friday Night Fight $500 Knockout tournament that boasts a guaranteed prize pool of $75,000. The $535 buy-in means that each player has a $100 bounty on their head, making it a unique tournament.
On Sundays, Full Tilt runs the Sunday Brawl, another high-stakes bounty tournament with a healthy $350,000 up for grabs. The $256 buy-in sends $200 to the prize pool, $16 to Full Tilt, and $40 as a bounty on each player's head. The Sunday Brawl regularly attracts around 2,000 players, making it one of the largest recurring online poker tournaments in the world.
We'll have more news from the world of UFC as it develops right here on PokerNewsDaily.com. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Ultimate Fighting Championship
World Wrestling Entertainment
WWE WrestleMania
Poker
Poker News
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) may be ousting Full Tilt Poker as a sponsor, according to multiple sources. In its place, according to MMAFix.com, could be Absolute Poker, which is owned by Tokwiro, also the parent company of Ultimate Bet. Full Tilt continues to have affiliate banners in place on the UFC's website.
MMAFix.com revealed in a post dated on March 23rd, "We received word from multiple inside sources that Full Tilt Poker is 'banned' from the UFC as a sponsor in the octagon or on its fighters. Whether or not this ban is permanent or temporary is not yet known." Gus Hansen, a Full Tilt Pro, recently battled Theo Jorgensen in Copenhagen inside a boxing ring, displaying the edge of the online poker site and some of its pros. In the end, however, he was bested by Jorgsensen.
The advertisement on UFC's website for Full Tilt Poker shows Phil Ivey saying, "I work on my game at Full Tilt Poker." In the place of Full Tilt, MMAFix.com speculated that one of the two Tokwiro-owned rooms would become its newest sponsor. It explained, "It appears as if UltimateBet’s sister site, Absolute Poker, will be part of this deal, although we’re awaiting confirmation. The real shame here is the UFC is screwing over its fighters yet again. Full Tilt was spending good money on sponsorships, and limiting the competition does them no favors."
When approached by Poker News Daily, officials from Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker could not confirm a potential partnership with UFC. Ultimate Bet is the official sponsor of World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) WrestleMania XXV in Houston, sending one lucky customer to the annual spectacle. A total of 317 players entered the final online qualifier, with Alex Cummings emerging victorious from the pack. He took home two tickets to the event in Houston, round trip airfare, three nights' hotel accommodation, CDN $500 in spending money, two replica WWE championship belts, a framed poster, and a pair of commemorative chairs. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Ultimate Bet member.
On sponsoring WrestleMania, Ultimate Bet's own Annie Duke told Poker News Daily, "“As two organizations concerned with providing the ultimate entertainment experience, our Canadian partnership with WWE WrestleMania XXV is a natural fit. Our players are among the millions of loyal and avid watchers of WWE and it’s a privilege for us to give them the chance to play poker to win their way to be part of this marquee event on April 5, while also adding to UltimateBet.net’s reputation for delivering much sought-after prizes.”
On April 18th, UFC will present UFC 97: Redemption, with a headliner of Anderson “The Spider” Silva against Thales Leites. In addition, Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell will battle toe to toe with Brazilian superstar Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. The festivities will take place inside the Bell Centre in Montreal. On May 23rd, UFC 98 will feature a fight between Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida. Poker players in Las Vegas will be able to stroll over to the MGM Grand Garden Arena to watch the action unfold in person when the event kicks off at 7:00pm local time.
Full Tilt Poker is gearing up for the release of the schedule for its 12th Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS). The slate of events is anticipated to be unveiled today, although at the time of writing, no announcement has been made. Last week, the online poker site ran the first installment of its Friday Night Fights, which pitted Andy Bloch against Gus Hansen. Both are card-carrying members of Team Full Tilt, with Bloch coming out the victor after connectivity issues slowed the action early on. The match-up for this Friday has not been announced. The site regularly holds a Friday Night Fight $500 Knockout tournament that boasts a guaranteed prize pool of $75,000. The $535 buy-in means that each player has a $100 bounty on their head, making it a unique tournament.
On Sundays, Full Tilt runs the Sunday Brawl, another high-stakes bounty tournament with a healthy $350,000 up for grabs. The $256 buy-in sends $200 to the prize pool, $16 to Full Tilt, and $40 as a bounty on each player's head. The Sunday Brawl regularly attracts around 2,000 players, making it one of the largest recurring online poker tournaments in the world.
We'll have more news from the world of UFC as it develops right here on PokerNewsDaily.com. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Ultimate Fighting Championship
World Wrestling Entertainment
WWE WrestleMania
Poker
Poker News
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Will '12 Rounds' bodyslam box office?, by Marc Graser - Variety - 23rd March 2009
WWE film unit tries capitalizing on top-tier talents
Once Dwayne (formerly the Rock) Johnson made the successful leap from the wrestling mat to the bigscreen, it was only a matter of time before Vince McMahon threw his hat into the filmmaking ring.
"Movies are a logical extension for our company," says the World Wrestling Entertainment topper. "We know how to tell stories."
Yet while telling those stories on television three nights a week consistently generates strong ratings, doing so at the megaplex has proved to be tougher.
After releasing three underwhelming performers at the box office since 2006 -- "See No Evil," "The Marine" and "The Condemned," which earned a collective $49 million worldwide -- WWE is trying to land its first big hit with "12 Rounds," a Renny Harlin-helmed actioner that stars John Cena, easily the company's most popular wrestler.
"Before we were foundering a bit, but we're starting to crank some good things out," McMahon says.
This year, that includes not only "12 Rounds" but an action comedy that would put Cena in front of the cameras this summer as well. WWE also co-produced the third installment of "Behind Enemy Lines" that was released direct-to-DVD earlier this year, as well as a sequel to "The Marine." "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia" came out in January, with domestic sales in the vicinity of 150,000 units, according to WWE.
Essentially, "12 Rounds" is a second attempt at putting a spotlight on WWE's athletes in more creative ways while also developing a major revenue stream to boost the company's bottom line and promote its brand worldwide.
"There's a real depth of talent we can use," says WWE Studios prexy Michael Lake of the company's roster of wrestlers. "These guys are already entertainers. They're used to taking direction. We want to fashion movies to fit their personalities."
Lake, a former Village Roadshow exec, has headed up the turnaround of WWE's movie efforts since 2007, when he began developing a fresh slate of features and DVD titles together with Dimension Films alum Steve Barnett.
Upcoming theatrical projects include not only the Cena pics but also laffer "Suckerpunch." There's also a sequel to "12 Rounds" (a Western), a reboot of the Chuck Norris franchise "Missing in Action" with MGM and a "Scorpion King" sequel at Universal. All are planned for straight-to-DVD.
Budgets have gone up, with WWE spending around $20 million for theatrical releases and roughly $3 million-$5 million for DVD projects. Just as its TV shows have gone PG, its movies are also shying away from the expected R rating for genre fare.
Landing a distributor was fairly easy. WWE has a relationship with 20th Century Fox, which released "The Marine" in 2006, and will distribute pics via the Fox Atomic label. (WWE also is on Fox's MyNetworkTV.)
"They want to deliver movies that we're going to get behind," says Debbie Liebling, Fox Atomic's prexy of production. "They're very selective in what they put forward and decide internally who's a wrestler and who's a movie star. ... John was great, and we wanted to see him morph into an action star and build him up outside the wrestling world. There's nothing in the movie that speaks to his day job."
WWE's promotional platforms also should be a major asset in marketing the film projects.
The company produces five hours of TV each week watched by tens of millions and has live events, pay-per-view broadcasts, websites, magazines and DVDs it can use to push pics.
"They're great partners because they speak to their audience through so many forms of media on a very consistent basis," says Jeffrey Godsick, exec VP of marketing and digital content at Fox. "They bring the fanbase."
Yet convincing Hollywood the WWE can deliver wasn't easy, mainly because of the mixed results of previous projects.
"We had to educate people on what it is we were going to do," Barnett says.
That effort's worked, in part, because of the types of projects WWE wants to make, which have attracted producers such as Mark Gordon, but also because the company is one of the few that's financing its own films.
"Once Vince says go, we go," Lake says. "There aren't another 20 people to go through."
Going forward, however, WWE knows it needs to make movies that appeal to the masses, not just its core fans, to perform at the box office. The once-lucrative DVD market just isn't as strong as it used to be.
"For our films to be successful, they need to cross over," Barnett says.
To expand its aud, WWE Studios is also branching into television, developing several scripted projects that would feature wrestlers or promote the brand it hopes to start shopping around to not only U.S. networks but overseas channels as well.
But for now, the attention is on "12 Rounds."
Lake says that while WWE's had a lot of meetings around town, laying the foundation of its film division, "you have to back it up with something. With Vince we have a champion who wants to succeed in the movie business."
If "12 Rounds" strikes a chord with audiences, Lake says, "it would say to Vince that he was right."
Media Man Australia Profiles
John Cena
Vince McMahon
WWE Studios
WWE
WWE film unit tries capitalizing on top-tier talents
Once Dwayne (formerly the Rock) Johnson made the successful leap from the wrestling mat to the bigscreen, it was only a matter of time before Vince McMahon threw his hat into the filmmaking ring.
"Movies are a logical extension for our company," says the World Wrestling Entertainment topper. "We know how to tell stories."
Yet while telling those stories on television three nights a week consistently generates strong ratings, doing so at the megaplex has proved to be tougher.
After releasing three underwhelming performers at the box office since 2006 -- "See No Evil," "The Marine" and "The Condemned," which earned a collective $49 million worldwide -- WWE is trying to land its first big hit with "12 Rounds," a Renny Harlin-helmed actioner that stars John Cena, easily the company's most popular wrestler.
"Before we were foundering a bit, but we're starting to crank some good things out," McMahon says.
This year, that includes not only "12 Rounds" but an action comedy that would put Cena in front of the cameras this summer as well. WWE also co-produced the third installment of "Behind Enemy Lines" that was released direct-to-DVD earlier this year, as well as a sequel to "The Marine." "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia" came out in January, with domestic sales in the vicinity of 150,000 units, according to WWE.
Essentially, "12 Rounds" is a second attempt at putting a spotlight on WWE's athletes in more creative ways while also developing a major revenue stream to boost the company's bottom line and promote its brand worldwide.
"There's a real depth of talent we can use," says WWE Studios prexy Michael Lake of the company's roster of wrestlers. "These guys are already entertainers. They're used to taking direction. We want to fashion movies to fit their personalities."
Lake, a former Village Roadshow exec, has headed up the turnaround of WWE's movie efforts since 2007, when he began developing a fresh slate of features and DVD titles together with Dimension Films alum Steve Barnett.
Upcoming theatrical projects include not only the Cena pics but also laffer "Suckerpunch." There's also a sequel to "12 Rounds" (a Western), a reboot of the Chuck Norris franchise "Missing in Action" with MGM and a "Scorpion King" sequel at Universal. All are planned for straight-to-DVD.
Budgets have gone up, with WWE spending around $20 million for theatrical releases and roughly $3 million-$5 million for DVD projects. Just as its TV shows have gone PG, its movies are also shying away from the expected R rating for genre fare.
Landing a distributor was fairly easy. WWE has a relationship with 20th Century Fox, which released "The Marine" in 2006, and will distribute pics via the Fox Atomic label. (WWE also is on Fox's MyNetworkTV.)
"They want to deliver movies that we're going to get behind," says Debbie Liebling, Fox Atomic's prexy of production. "They're very selective in what they put forward and decide internally who's a wrestler and who's a movie star. ... John was great, and we wanted to see him morph into an action star and build him up outside the wrestling world. There's nothing in the movie that speaks to his day job."
WWE's promotional platforms also should be a major asset in marketing the film projects.
The company produces five hours of TV each week watched by tens of millions and has live events, pay-per-view broadcasts, websites, magazines and DVDs it can use to push pics.
"They're great partners because they speak to their audience through so many forms of media on a very consistent basis," says Jeffrey Godsick, exec VP of marketing and digital content at Fox. "They bring the fanbase."
Yet convincing Hollywood the WWE can deliver wasn't easy, mainly because of the mixed results of previous projects.
"We had to educate people on what it is we were going to do," Barnett says.
That effort's worked, in part, because of the types of projects WWE wants to make, which have attracted producers such as Mark Gordon, but also because the company is one of the few that's financing its own films.
"Once Vince says go, we go," Lake says. "There aren't another 20 people to go through."
Going forward, however, WWE knows it needs to make movies that appeal to the masses, not just its core fans, to perform at the box office. The once-lucrative DVD market just isn't as strong as it used to be.
"For our films to be successful, they need to cross over," Barnett says.
To expand its aud, WWE Studios is also branching into television, developing several scripted projects that would feature wrestlers or promote the brand it hopes to start shopping around to not only U.S. networks but overseas channels as well.
But for now, the attention is on "12 Rounds."
Lake says that while WWE's had a lot of meetings around town, laying the foundation of its film division, "you have to back it up with something. With Vince we have a champion who wants to succeed in the movie business."
If "12 Rounds" strikes a chord with audiences, Lake says, "it would say to Vince that he was right."
Media Man Australia Profiles
John Cena
Vince McMahon
WWE Studios
WWE
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Arizona Hosts WrestleMania® XXVI
February 24, 2009
Stamford, CT, February 24, 2009 -- The City of Glendale, Ariz., Global Spectrum and World Wrestling Entertainment® announced that the University of Phoenix Stadium will host WrestleMania XXVI on Sunday, March 28, 2010.
Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs, Arizona Cardinals’ Coach Ken Whisenhunt and University of Phoenix Stadium General Manager Peter Sullivan joined WWE® Chairman Vince McMahon and several WWE Superstars and Divas in making the announcement today at a press conference at the University of Phoenix Stadium.
WWE’s annual pop-culture extravaganza is a coveted event for any major city. The pay-per-view event will be televised to more than 100 countries. WrestleMania XXIV pumped $50 million into the local Orlando economy in 2008 and set the Citrus Bowl attendance record with 74,635 fans from all 50 states, five Canadian provinces and 21 countries.
This year’s 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania will take place in Houston’s Reliant Stadium on April 5th where it is expected to set the stadium attendance record.
Visitors from around the world are expected to travel to Arizona and participate in a week’s worth of activities that will culminate with WrestleMania XXVI. Among the activities will be WrestleMania Axxess, WWE Hall of Fame, WrestleManiArt™ exhibition, Monday Night Raw®, and WrestleMania “Rocks the Block” street party. The University of Phoenix stadium was chosen after a year long bid process. This marks the first time the Glendale/Phoenix area has hosted WrestleMania.
Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide.
Media Man Australia Profiles
WrestleMania
World Wrestling Entertainment
February 24, 2009
Stamford, CT, February 24, 2009 -- The City of Glendale, Ariz., Global Spectrum and World Wrestling Entertainment® announced that the University of Phoenix Stadium will host WrestleMania XXVI on Sunday, March 28, 2010.
Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs, Arizona Cardinals’ Coach Ken Whisenhunt and University of Phoenix Stadium General Manager Peter Sullivan joined WWE® Chairman Vince McMahon and several WWE Superstars and Divas in making the announcement today at a press conference at the University of Phoenix Stadium.
WWE’s annual pop-culture extravaganza is a coveted event for any major city. The pay-per-view event will be televised to more than 100 countries. WrestleMania XXIV pumped $50 million into the local Orlando economy in 2008 and set the Citrus Bowl attendance record with 74,635 fans from all 50 states, five Canadian provinces and 21 countries.
This year’s 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania will take place in Houston’s Reliant Stadium on April 5th where it is expected to set the stadium attendance record.
Visitors from around the world are expected to travel to Arizona and participate in a week’s worth of activities that will culminate with WrestleMania XXVI. Among the activities will be WrestleMania Axxess, WWE Hall of Fame, WrestleManiArt™ exhibition, Monday Night Raw®, and WrestleMania “Rocks the Block” street party. The University of Phoenix stadium was chosen after a year long bid process. This marks the first time the Glendale/Phoenix area has hosted WrestleMania.
Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide.
Media Man Australia Profiles
WrestleMania
World Wrestling Entertainment
Ultimate Bet Sponsors WWE WrestleMania, by Tom Jenkins - Poker News Daily - 15th February 2009
On April 5th, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) presents WrestleMania XXV, which will kick off from Reliant Stadium in Houston, home of the Texans franchise of the National Football League. The annual spectacle is one of the storied events in the wrestling industry and includes an entire week’s worth of activities culminating in the Sunday night event. Online poker room Ultimate Bet recently announced that it is the official Canadian sponsor of WWE WrestleMania.
Annie Duke, who designed the tournament schedule for the Tokwiro-owned online poker site, commented in a press release distributed by Ultimate Bet this week, “We’re proud to partner with WWE on the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania and to offer one lucky player the ultimate entertainment experience to be part of all the drama and action of this pop culture extravaganza.”
As part of its sponsorship, Ultimate Bet will be hosting online qualifiers for a WrestleMania prize package. It includes roundtrip airfare for two to Houston, Texas, hotel accommodations, $500 in spending cash, and two tickets to the show itself. In addition, the package will also feature meet and greets with WWE stars, two replica WWE Championship belts, and a framed WrestleMania commemorative poster. Qualifiers are only open to Canadian members of Ultimate Bet over the age of 18 years-old. Residents of Quebec are not eligible. This year’s WrestleMania festivities will also feature inductions into the WWE Hall of Fame. The 2009 class is headlined by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
The very first WrestleMania was held on March 31st, 1985 at historic Madison Square Garden in New York. The inaugural Main Event featured the tag team of Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeat “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik defeated Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham to become the new Tag Team Champions. Andre the Giant, then in his heyday, defeated Big John Studd. Others on the card included Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, King Kong Bundy, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake.
The most recent running of WrestleMania occurred on March 30th, 2008. In a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship, Randy Orton defeated John Cena and Triple H to retain his title. The Undertaker bested Edge to become the new World Heavyweight Champion, while a highly-publicized encounter between boxer Floyd Mayweather and The Big Show ended with Mayweather winning by donning brass knuckles. Shawn Michaels defeated “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Kane outlasted a 24 man field to become the number one contender for the ECW title.
WWE, which was forced to change its name from WWF following a challenge by the World Wildlife Foundation in 2002, purchased rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 2001. The acquisition ended a battle between the two wrestling federations for control of Monday night programming, which pitted WWE’s "Raw" against WCW’s "Nitro." WWE also purchased the rights to ECW.
World Wrestling Entertainment is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WWE.” It closed trading on Friday down $0.05 to $9.24. It is near the bottom of its 52 week range, $8.76 to $19.86. An article released on Friday by the company noted that it outperformed the S&P 500 Index by 31% in 2008 and handed out a $1.44 dividend to shareholders. Its CEO is Linda McMahon, who has occasionally appeared as an on-screen personality during WWE programming.
Ultimate Bet recently merged player bases with sister site Absolute Poker to form the CEREUS Poker Network. According to PokerScout.com, which tracks online poker room traffic, the CEREUS network is the sixth largest overall, with an average of 2,750 cash game players online. It sits just behind the Ongame Network (2,900) and ahead of Everest Poker (2,600). Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker accept players from the United States. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WrestleMania
World Wrestling Entertainment
Online Casino News
Poker News
On April 5th, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) presents WrestleMania XXV, which will kick off from Reliant Stadium in Houston, home of the Texans franchise of the National Football League. The annual spectacle is one of the storied events in the wrestling industry and includes an entire week’s worth of activities culminating in the Sunday night event. Online poker room Ultimate Bet recently announced that it is the official Canadian sponsor of WWE WrestleMania.
Annie Duke, who designed the tournament schedule for the Tokwiro-owned online poker site, commented in a press release distributed by Ultimate Bet this week, “We’re proud to partner with WWE on the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania and to offer one lucky player the ultimate entertainment experience to be part of all the drama and action of this pop culture extravaganza.”
As part of its sponsorship, Ultimate Bet will be hosting online qualifiers for a WrestleMania prize package. It includes roundtrip airfare for two to Houston, Texas, hotel accommodations, $500 in spending cash, and two tickets to the show itself. In addition, the package will also feature meet and greets with WWE stars, two replica WWE Championship belts, and a framed WrestleMania commemorative poster. Qualifiers are only open to Canadian members of Ultimate Bet over the age of 18 years-old. Residents of Quebec are not eligible. This year’s WrestleMania festivities will also feature inductions into the WWE Hall of Fame. The 2009 class is headlined by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
The very first WrestleMania was held on March 31st, 1985 at historic Madison Square Garden in New York. The inaugural Main Event featured the tag team of Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeat “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik defeated Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham to become the new Tag Team Champions. Andre the Giant, then in his heyday, defeated Big John Studd. Others on the card included Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, King Kong Bundy, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake.
The most recent running of WrestleMania occurred on March 30th, 2008. In a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship, Randy Orton defeated John Cena and Triple H to retain his title. The Undertaker bested Edge to become the new World Heavyweight Champion, while a highly-publicized encounter between boxer Floyd Mayweather and The Big Show ended with Mayweather winning by donning brass knuckles. Shawn Michaels defeated “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Kane outlasted a 24 man field to become the number one contender for the ECW title.
WWE, which was forced to change its name from WWF following a challenge by the World Wildlife Foundation in 2002, purchased rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 2001. The acquisition ended a battle between the two wrestling federations for control of Monday night programming, which pitted WWE’s "Raw" against WCW’s "Nitro." WWE also purchased the rights to ECW.
World Wrestling Entertainment is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WWE.” It closed trading on Friday down $0.05 to $9.24. It is near the bottom of its 52 week range, $8.76 to $19.86. An article released on Friday by the company noted that it outperformed the S&P 500 Index by 31% in 2008 and handed out a $1.44 dividend to shareholders. Its CEO is Linda McMahon, who has occasionally appeared as an on-screen personality during WWE programming.
Ultimate Bet recently merged player bases with sister site Absolute Poker to form the CEREUS Poker Network. According to PokerScout.com, which tracks online poker room traffic, the CEREUS network is the sixth largest overall, with an average of 2,750 cash game players online. It sits just behind the Ongame Network (2,900) and ahead of Everest Poker (2,600). Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker accept players from the United States. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WrestleMania
World Wrestling Entertainment
Online Casino News
Poker News
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
WWE drops subtle hint about Mickey Rourke’s role at WrestleMania - The Baltimore Sun
In a news release, WWE once again confirmed that Mickey Rourke will be appearing at WrestleMania, reiterating a statement that was issued by WWE chairman Vince McMahon back in January.
McMahon, however, only said that “Rourke will be in attendance at WrestleMania.” In yesterday’s release about Rourke’s appearance at the show, WWE wrote that “you never know what is going to happen at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. Will Mickey stand fast with his friends?”
I think it’s a lock that Rourke will leave his ringside seat and get in at least one punch on Jericho. And there’s your WrestleMania moment. That clip would be all over television and the Internet.
As for the people who have suggested that Steve Austin will make a surprise appearance at WrestleMania to confront Jericho, I don’t see that happening unless Austin decides to do it at the last minute. If WWE is planning on having Austin get involved in the Jericho match in some capacity, it would be incredibly stupid not to promote it ahead of time, because it would surely mean additional pay-per-view buys. (Credit: The Baltimore Sun)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WrestleMania
WWE
In a news release, WWE once again confirmed that Mickey Rourke will be appearing at WrestleMania, reiterating a statement that was issued by WWE chairman Vince McMahon back in January.
McMahon, however, only said that “Rourke will be in attendance at WrestleMania.” In yesterday’s release about Rourke’s appearance at the show, WWE wrote that “you never know what is going to happen at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. Will Mickey stand fast with his friends?”
I think it’s a lock that Rourke will leave his ringside seat and get in at least one punch on Jericho. And there’s your WrestleMania moment. That clip would be all over television and the Internet.
As for the people who have suggested that Steve Austin will make a surprise appearance at WrestleMania to confront Jericho, I don’t see that happening unless Austin decides to do it at the last minute. If WWE is planning on having Austin get involved in the Jericho match in some capacity, it would be incredibly stupid not to promote it ahead of time, because it would surely mean additional pay-per-view buys. (Credit: The Baltimore Sun)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WrestleMania
WWE
Mickey Rourke WILL be at WrestleMania on April 5! - Los Angeles Times
Despite recent reports of award-winning "The Wrestler" actor Mickey Rourke focusing on his film career, he will definitely be in Houston at WrestleMania 25 on April 5.
At least that's what I was just told by a publicist for Wrestlemania.
But will Mickey jump in the ring? Or will he be dragged in?
One never knows.
Monday night on "RAW," Chris Jericho challenged WWE Hall of Famers (Jimmy Snuka, Roddy Piper and Ricky Steamboat) to a match at the 25th anniversary of WrestleMania on April 5 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.
All of these dudes are FOMs. This grudge match was started when Mickey Rourke challenged Chris Jericho on the SAG Awards red carpet.
On camera!
But then Mickey backed down when confronted by Chris on "Larry King Live." Naturally, Mickey’s friends have now decided to confront Chris on Mickey’s behalf.
At the end of last night’s challenge on "Monday Night RAW," Chris offered to buy Mickey Rourke a front row seat to WrestleMania.
He also promised that if Rourke shows up, he won't be responsible for what happens to the Academy Award nominee and his pals.
Let's just hope there are no staple guns around that night.
Will you watch the show to see what happens? How could you not?
And is there gonna be a plastic surgeon on call?
Media Man Australia Profiles
Mickey Rourke
The Wrestler
WrestleMania
WWE Hall of Fame
World Wrestling Entertainment
Despite recent reports of award-winning "The Wrestler" actor Mickey Rourke focusing on his film career, he will definitely be in Houston at WrestleMania 25 on April 5.
At least that's what I was just told by a publicist for Wrestlemania.
But will Mickey jump in the ring? Or will he be dragged in?
One never knows.
Monday night on "RAW," Chris Jericho challenged WWE Hall of Famers (Jimmy Snuka, Roddy Piper and Ricky Steamboat) to a match at the 25th anniversary of WrestleMania on April 5 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.
All of these dudes are FOMs. This grudge match was started when Mickey Rourke challenged Chris Jericho on the SAG Awards red carpet.
On camera!
But then Mickey backed down when confronted by Chris on "Larry King Live." Naturally, Mickey’s friends have now decided to confront Chris on Mickey’s behalf.
At the end of last night’s challenge on "Monday Night RAW," Chris offered to buy Mickey Rourke a front row seat to WrestleMania.
He also promised that if Rourke shows up, he won't be responsible for what happens to the Academy Award nominee and his pals.
Let's just hope there are no staple guns around that night.
Will you watch the show to see what happens? How could you not?
And is there gonna be a plastic surgeon on call?
Media Man Australia Profiles
Mickey Rourke
The Wrestler
WrestleMania
WWE Hall of Fame
World Wrestling Entertainment
Sunday, March 08, 2009
John Cena criticizes "The Marine," says lead role originally written for former WWE star - Pro Wrestling Torch - 6th March 2009
WWE star John Cena says filming the upcoming "12 Rounds" movie was a much better experience than filming "The Marine." Cena is not a fan of his first movie, which he says was written for Steve Austin.
Cena says he was suddenly thrust into the lead role without acting experience. He didn't feel he made a connection with the script.
"The part was originally written for Steve Austin and he was on the outs with WWE at the time," Cena told the local ABC affiliate in Philadelphia. "They were in pre-production ready to shoot the movie. I was literally thrown into the role three weeks prior."
Cena said the experience of learning how to act in front of a camera without a live audience set him up for a better experience with "12 Rounds."
"This one was planned for me and written with me in mind," Cena said. "The story was everything 'The Marine' wasn't. It was a normal everyday guy just going through one hell of a day."
Cena could pass for actor Matt Damon, and the promotional poster for Cena's new movie has the characteristics of Damon's "Bourne" trilogy. Cena says they drew from "Bourne," "Diehard," and "Speed."
Cena laughs about his role in "The Marine" where he was a superhero who was impervious to bullets. The story is different in "12 Rounds" where he feels more comfortable in the lead role.
"This one - I'm just a normal guy," he said. "More of who I am."
Cena said Hollywood is looking for the next action star and he would like to focus his acting career in that area.
He said it's not a smart move to branch outside of action right now. "I'd like to stick with good ass-kicking action movies, then maybe dive into something else," Cena said. (Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WWE Studios
John Cena
WWE
WWE star John Cena says filming the upcoming "12 Rounds" movie was a much better experience than filming "The Marine." Cena is not a fan of his first movie, which he says was written for Steve Austin.
Cena says he was suddenly thrust into the lead role without acting experience. He didn't feel he made a connection with the script.
"The part was originally written for Steve Austin and he was on the outs with WWE at the time," Cena told the local ABC affiliate in Philadelphia. "They were in pre-production ready to shoot the movie. I was literally thrown into the role three weeks prior."
Cena said the experience of learning how to act in front of a camera without a live audience set him up for a better experience with "12 Rounds."
"This one was planned for me and written with me in mind," Cena said. "The story was everything 'The Marine' wasn't. It was a normal everyday guy just going through one hell of a day."
Cena could pass for actor Matt Damon, and the promotional poster for Cena's new movie has the characteristics of Damon's "Bourne" trilogy. Cena says they drew from "Bourne," "Diehard," and "Speed."
Cena laughs about his role in "The Marine" where he was a superhero who was impervious to bullets. The story is different in "12 Rounds" where he feels more comfortable in the lead role.
"This one - I'm just a normal guy," he said. "More of who I am."
Cena said Hollywood is looking for the next action star and he would like to focus his acting career in that area.
He said it's not a smart move to branch outside of action right now. "I'd like to stick with good ass-kicking action movies, then maybe dive into something else," Cena said. (Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WWE Studios
John Cena
WWE
'Missing in Action' back in action, by Steven Zeitchik - The Hollywood Reporter - 5th March 2009
"Missing in Action" is being discovered again.
The Chuck Norris Vietnam pic is being developed as a co-production by MGM and the WWE primarily for home video. Jeremy Passmore, who also penned the story for MGM's "Red Dawn" theatrical remake, is on board to write the script with partner Andre Fabrizio.
The original "Missing in Action" centered on Col. James Braddock (Norris), a POW of the Viet Cong who escapes Southeast Asia and heads back to liberate other U.S. captives. Two other pics were released after MGM's 1984 hit, including a prequel and a sequel, during the next four years.
The new film will be updated to reflect modern military realities and will be set during the current Iraq War. World Wrestling Entertainment, which has beefed up film development under its WWE Studios banner, will produce the new "Missing" pic along with Andrew Stevens ("Heist"). WWE is behind the upcoming Fox Atomic release "12 Rounds," starring pro wrestler John Cena.
The "Missing" project is one of three deals for the suddenly hot Passmore and Fabrizio, who are repped by Paradigm, Adam Goldworm's new banner Aperture Entertainment and lawyer Rob Szymanski.
In addition to "Missing," the writers are penning an adaptation of the video game "Stranglehold" for John Woo banner Lion Rock Entertainment. "Stranglehold" is based on the Woo action pic "Hard Boiled," which revolves around mobsters in Hong Kong and Chicago. The game was released in 2007, while the movie, starring Chow Yun-Fat, was released 15 years earlier and became a hit on several continents.
Passmore also penned the biological thriller "Summer's End," which Platinum Dunes is developing at Rogue, as well as "Dawn." Like the revived "Missing," that movie will take a military threat from another era and give it a modern twist.
The duo also have sold a Las Vegas-set action pic titled "The Prince" to genre banner Echo Lake Entertainment. That company is producing the supernatural thriller "The Ward" for John Carpenter to direct, with the iconic helmer also eyeing "Prince" as a directing vehicle. Rick Jacobs will produce "The Prince."
MGM has been developing a host of remakes based on its vast library, with "The Three Stooges" and "RoboCop" among its more high-profile projects. (Credit: The Hollwood Reporter)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WWE Studios
WWE
"Missing in Action" is being discovered again.
The Chuck Norris Vietnam pic is being developed as a co-production by MGM and the WWE primarily for home video. Jeremy Passmore, who also penned the story for MGM's "Red Dawn" theatrical remake, is on board to write the script with partner Andre Fabrizio.
The original "Missing in Action" centered on Col. James Braddock (Norris), a POW of the Viet Cong who escapes Southeast Asia and heads back to liberate other U.S. captives. Two other pics were released after MGM's 1984 hit, including a prequel and a sequel, during the next four years.
The new film will be updated to reflect modern military realities and will be set during the current Iraq War. World Wrestling Entertainment, which has beefed up film development under its WWE Studios banner, will produce the new "Missing" pic along with Andrew Stevens ("Heist"). WWE is behind the upcoming Fox Atomic release "12 Rounds," starring pro wrestler John Cena.
The "Missing" project is one of three deals for the suddenly hot Passmore and Fabrizio, who are repped by Paradigm, Adam Goldworm's new banner Aperture Entertainment and lawyer Rob Szymanski.
In addition to "Missing," the writers are penning an adaptation of the video game "Stranglehold" for John Woo banner Lion Rock Entertainment. "Stranglehold" is based on the Woo action pic "Hard Boiled," which revolves around mobsters in Hong Kong and Chicago. The game was released in 2007, while the movie, starring Chow Yun-Fat, was released 15 years earlier and became a hit on several continents.
Passmore also penned the biological thriller "Summer's End," which Platinum Dunes is developing at Rogue, as well as "Dawn." Like the revived "Missing," that movie will take a military threat from another era and give it a modern twist.
The duo also have sold a Las Vegas-set action pic titled "The Prince" to genre banner Echo Lake Entertainment. That company is producing the supernatural thriller "The Ward" for John Carpenter to direct, with the iconic helmer also eyeing "Prince" as a directing vehicle. Rick Jacobs will produce "The Prince."
MGM has been developing a host of remakes based on its vast library, with "The Three Stooges" and "RoboCop" among its more high-profile projects. (Credit: The Hollwood Reporter)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WWE Studios
WWE
Friday, March 06, 2009
"Legends of WrestleMania" video game demo to be released this week, Details on legal process involved - Pro Wrestling Torch - 4th March 2009
THQ will release a playable demo of WWE's "Legends of WrestleMania" video game tomorrow ahead of the video game's official release later this month.
The video game's marketing has focused on the Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant match at WrestleMania III. That match and characters involved, including Bobby Heenan, will be playable in the preview demo.
The process of adding the "legend" characters to the video game started with THQ's creative department, then went through the legal department to obtain licenses for each wrestler.
"First off the process starts here with the Creative team (we basically ask for everybody) and then it gets passed of to our awesome legal team," THQ's Paul Edwards said in a recent WWE chat. "They actually take on most of the work."
Edwards says if an obvious legend is not included on the game, it's most-likely because they could not obtain legal rights to the character.
"Once legal has it they have to go out and secure all of the deals for the talent," Edwards said. "Sadly, they can't always get the talent we want, due to various reasons that our out of our control."
The special edition video game took about a year and half to develop. That included creating new entrance music for wrestlers who never had theme music when they were with WWE.
THQ simplified the gameplay to make it easy for anyone to pick up and play. They eliminated referees, used arenas from WrestleManias 1-15, and limited the game's availability on video game system.
"We didn't make a PS2 version of the game because we really wanted to focus all our effort on the next-gen systems to make the game as high quality as we possibly could," Edwards said. "Basically we didn't want to get too distracted trying to over do it." (Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)
Media Man Australia Profiles
THQ
WWE
WrestleMania
Gaming
Games
Games Warehouse
WWE Video Games
Virtual Worlds
THQ will release a playable demo of WWE's "Legends of WrestleMania" video game tomorrow ahead of the video game's official release later this month.
The video game's marketing has focused on the Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant match at WrestleMania III. That match and characters involved, including Bobby Heenan, will be playable in the preview demo.
The process of adding the "legend" characters to the video game started with THQ's creative department, then went through the legal department to obtain licenses for each wrestler.
"First off the process starts here with the Creative team (we basically ask for everybody) and then it gets passed of to our awesome legal team," THQ's Paul Edwards said in a recent WWE chat. "They actually take on most of the work."
Edwards says if an obvious legend is not included on the game, it's most-likely because they could not obtain legal rights to the character.
"Once legal has it they have to go out and secure all of the deals for the talent," Edwards said. "Sadly, they can't always get the talent we want, due to various reasons that our out of our control."
The special edition video game took about a year and half to develop. That included creating new entrance music for wrestlers who never had theme music when they were with WWE.
THQ simplified the gameplay to make it easy for anyone to pick up and play. They eliminated referees, used arenas from WrestleManias 1-15, and limited the game's availability on video game system.
"We didn't make a PS2 version of the game because we really wanted to focus all our effort on the next-gen systems to make the game as high quality as we possibly could," Edwards said. "Basically we didn't want to get too distracted trying to over do it." (Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)
Media Man Australia Profiles
THQ
WWE
WrestleMania
Gaming
Games
Games Warehouse
WWE Video Games
Virtual Worlds
Thursday, March 05, 2009
WWE Hall of Fame inducts "Cowboy" Bill Watts
Inside the squared circle, he was as tough as they came. Outside the ring, his no-nonsense approach to doing business made him one of the industry’s top promoters. With that, Cowboy Bill Watts now receives due recognition for his contributions by being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
In the 1960s, this native Oklahoman competed in countless sectors of the United States, and had more of his fair share of battles in Japan. So when Watts arrived in the then-World Wide Wrestling Federation in the middle of that decade, it was quickly understood by his peers that he meant business. Along with fellow WWE Hall of Famer Gorilla Monsoon, they were United States Tag Team Champions. Watts also had many an epic struggle with then-WWWF Champion Bruno Sammartino, giving as good as he got in confrontations that took them up and down the eastern seaboard, into sold-out arenas throughout the mid to latter part of the 1960s.
Eventually, Watts decided to wind down his in-ring career and focus on the promotional end of the industry. His take-no-prisoners approach to doing business was regaled in the Mid South area of the United States, and it was there that Mid South Wrestling was born. The loyal and passionate fans in that area would be treated to many individuals who would later go on to join the ranks of WWE – among them, popular WWE fixtures such as “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, and WWE Hall of Famers The Junkyard Dog and Jim Ross. Another WWE Hall of Famer - “The Big Cat” Ernie Ladd, was also a mainstay in Mid South Wrestling, which in its latter years would become known as the Universal Wrestling Federation.
By the early 1990s, Watts would become involved in a managerial capacity with WCW, but it was already clear to wrestling enthusiasts everywhere that The Cowboy had conquered the industry as both a ring performer and as a promoter. For his countless contributions through the years on both fronts, WWE welcomes Cowboy Bill Watts as a member of its Hall of Fame, Class of 2009. (Credit: WWE)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WWE Hall of Fame
WWE
Inside the squared circle, he was as tough as they came. Outside the ring, his no-nonsense approach to doing business made him one of the industry’s top promoters. With that, Cowboy Bill Watts now receives due recognition for his contributions by being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
In the 1960s, this native Oklahoman competed in countless sectors of the United States, and had more of his fair share of battles in Japan. So when Watts arrived in the then-World Wide Wrestling Federation in the middle of that decade, it was quickly understood by his peers that he meant business. Along with fellow WWE Hall of Famer Gorilla Monsoon, they were United States Tag Team Champions. Watts also had many an epic struggle with then-WWWF Champion Bruno Sammartino, giving as good as he got in confrontations that took them up and down the eastern seaboard, into sold-out arenas throughout the mid to latter part of the 1960s.
Eventually, Watts decided to wind down his in-ring career and focus on the promotional end of the industry. His take-no-prisoners approach to doing business was regaled in the Mid South area of the United States, and it was there that Mid South Wrestling was born. The loyal and passionate fans in that area would be treated to many individuals who would later go on to join the ranks of WWE – among them, popular WWE fixtures such as “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, and WWE Hall of Famers The Junkyard Dog and Jim Ross. Another WWE Hall of Famer - “The Big Cat” Ernie Ladd, was also a mainstay in Mid South Wrestling, which in its latter years would become known as the Universal Wrestling Federation.
By the early 1990s, Watts would become involved in a managerial capacity with WCW, but it was already clear to wrestling enthusiasts everywhere that The Cowboy had conquered the industry as both a ring performer and as a promoter. For his countless contributions through the years on both fronts, WWE welcomes Cowboy Bill Watts as a member of its Hall of Fame, Class of 2009. (Credit: WWE)
Media Man Australia Profiles
WWE Hall of Fame
WWE
Sunday, March 01, 2009
WWE News: JBL on Shawn Michaels angle, Gagne tragedy, Working for his wife on Wall Street - Pro Wrestling Torch - 27th February 2009
-- JBL said in his latest blog on WWE Universe that he won't be facing The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25 after losing to Shawn Michaels on Raw, but he has other plans.
"I still believe I am destined to do something great at Mania so tune in Monday Night and you will see my plan start to unfold," JBL said.
-- On the tragic Verne Gagne story that is being investigated as a homicide, JBL said: Really sad to hear about the events regarding Mr. Gagne. I really wish him, the other family, and his family the best in the tragedy."
-- One of the big stories on Wall Street last week was his wife, renown investment analyst Meredith Whitney, starting her own firm specializing in Investment Banking. JBL is licensed to work in that area, so he will be helping Meredith advance her career in the financial industry.
Whitney made the decision following the government's recent intervention in the financial market and JBL believes they can compete against other Wall Street firms for business.
"I am now working for my wife-didn't think that would happen, but I am happy," he said.
Link:
JBL blog on WWE Universe
Greg Tingle comment...
JBL might just be the world's greatest active pro wrestler blogger! The way Layfield has diversified and has created numerous revenue streams and news worthy elements in the process is ultra impressive. If being a total package in the pro wresting industry is part of the key, like Hogan and The Rock were able to do so successfully, JBL is a champion all the way. I witnessed Layfield wrestling in Germany approximately 15 years ago and he worked his ass off. It goes not surprise me to see him going so well. His going on record regarding 'The Wrestler' were gutsy and showed insight that the wrestling business seldom sees. It appears that Layfield's goal to not end up broke like 'The Wrestler' and helping fuel his goals. I believe that Layfield is showing strong leadership in the professional wrestling business for taking on what he has, and it may inspire other wrestlers to diversify and think outside the square. Layfield's darn hard work and staying power, combined with his improved mic work has made him stand out from the pack which is part of the secret in the wrestling business. There may be a spot very close to the likes of Roddy Piper, Chris Jericho and The Funks. Layfield in a clique or tag team situation with Triple H might work, with them both being power players that WWE would be much worse off without, and I think the fans and WWE top brass know this. It appears he also has a great career ahead of him as a writer should Layfield do down that path, and in the current times I think one might do well to listen to his firms financial advise as apposed to some of the others on Wall Street. JBL used to be average, but these days he's a champion. The real deal and one major player for 2009, both in the WWE and in his other endeavours. (Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)
Media Man Australia Profiles
JBL
WrestleMania
WWE
-- JBL said in his latest blog on WWE Universe that he won't be facing The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25 after losing to Shawn Michaels on Raw, but he has other plans.
"I still believe I am destined to do something great at Mania so tune in Monday Night and you will see my plan start to unfold," JBL said.
-- On the tragic Verne Gagne story that is being investigated as a homicide, JBL said: Really sad to hear about the events regarding Mr. Gagne. I really wish him, the other family, and his family the best in the tragedy."
-- One of the big stories on Wall Street last week was his wife, renown investment analyst Meredith Whitney, starting her own firm specializing in Investment Banking. JBL is licensed to work in that area, so he will be helping Meredith advance her career in the financial industry.
Whitney made the decision following the government's recent intervention in the financial market and JBL believes they can compete against other Wall Street firms for business.
"I am now working for my wife-didn't think that would happen, but I am happy," he said.
Link:
JBL blog on WWE Universe
Greg Tingle comment...
JBL might just be the world's greatest active pro wrestler blogger! The way Layfield has diversified and has created numerous revenue streams and news worthy elements in the process is ultra impressive. If being a total package in the pro wresting industry is part of the key, like Hogan and The Rock were able to do so successfully, JBL is a champion all the way. I witnessed Layfield wrestling in Germany approximately 15 years ago and he worked his ass off. It goes not surprise me to see him going so well. His going on record regarding 'The Wrestler' were gutsy and showed insight that the wrestling business seldom sees. It appears that Layfield's goal to not end up broke like 'The Wrestler' and helping fuel his goals. I believe that Layfield is showing strong leadership in the professional wrestling business for taking on what he has, and it may inspire other wrestlers to diversify and think outside the square. Layfield's darn hard work and staying power, combined with his improved mic work has made him stand out from the pack which is part of the secret in the wrestling business. There may be a spot very close to the likes of Roddy Piper, Chris Jericho and The Funks. Layfield in a clique or tag team situation with Triple H might work, with them both being power players that WWE would be much worse off without, and I think the fans and WWE top brass know this. It appears he also has a great career ahead of him as a writer should Layfield do down that path, and in the current times I think one might do well to listen to his firms financial advise as apposed to some of the others on Wall Street. JBL used to be average, but these days he's a champion. The real deal and one major player for 2009, both in the WWE and in his other endeavours. (Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)
Media Man Australia Profiles
JBL
WrestleMania
WWE
Freddie Prinze Jr leaves WWE - 1st March 2009
Scooby-Doo star Freddie Prinze Jr has quit his job working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
The actor, an avid wrestling fan, joined the company's creative team in July 2008 contributing to weekly television shows for the SmackDown brand.
However, the star had not been seen at a taping of the programme for several months, leading to rumours of a rift between Prinze Jr and wrestling bosses.
Prinze Jr left the company last Friday after swapping to a part-time role within the creative team, according to PWInsider.com.
A representative for WWE could not be reached for comment as WENN went to press.
Media Man Australia Profiles
WWE
Scooby-Doo star Freddie Prinze Jr has quit his job working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
The actor, an avid wrestling fan, joined the company's creative team in July 2008 contributing to weekly television shows for the SmackDown brand.
However, the star had not been seen at a taping of the programme for several months, leading to rumours of a rift between Prinze Jr and wrestling bosses.
Prinze Jr left the company last Friday after swapping to a part-time role within the creative team, according to PWInsider.com.
A representative for WWE could not be reached for comment as WENN went to press.
Media Man Australia Profiles
WWE
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