WWE Pro Wrestling News: The Rock, Antonio Cesaro, WWE Shareholder’s Meeting, WWE Network

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G'day Australian pro wrestling - sports entertainment fans. Here's your long awaited news report. There's new wrestling talent, the annual shareholder's meeting, WWE Network news and much more.

- The Rock posted a shout out to WWE’s corporate and production employees on Twitter this weekend:

“To all @WWE corporate & production employees: THANK YOU. #ThatsAll”

- As seen on Friday’s SmackDown, Antonio Cesaro made his WWE TV debut in a “tryout match” against Tyson Kidd. Cesaro was introduced by his new lady friend Aksana before the match. The stipulation was that if John Laurinaitis liked what he saw, he would offer Cesaro a contract. Cesaro defeated Kidd in about three minutes and WWE’s website indicates that he is now part of the SmackDown roster.

- As noted before, WWE held the annual shareholder’s meeting on Friday morning at WWE Headquarters in Stamford, CT. Here are some more highlights:

* A shareholder asked if it was time to drop the price of pay-per-views due to a drop in buyrates and Vince said no. Another shareholder asked about WWE offering all pay-per-view events as a package like other sports. Vince said it was a possibility but they have to see whether or not the PPV’s will be includes as a part of the WWE Network and if so, how that changes their plans.

* A shareholder asked if pay-per-view events would be shown on the Network. Vince said they were formulating that and it all depended on pricing.

* Announcements will be coming “very shortly” about the future of NXT and Superstars distribution. WWE has used the shows in contract negotiations for the Network. They have strategically held back on bringing the shows back to TV.

* Vince was asked about concern over WrestleMania 29 and the chance that it will be held in 40 degree with a possibility of now. Vince mentioned fans going to MLB and NFL events outdoors, dressing appropriately and said the same will happen at WrestleMania. He added that if it snows, it will be a lot of fun.

* WWE Classics On Demand will most likely be dropped when the Network launches.

* Regarding the Network launching, Vince admitted he did not have an answer but said an announcement is forthcoming. He said they are taking their time so they can keep options open.

- Here are some more highlights from WWE’s shareholders meeting on Friday morning from WWE headquarters in Stamford, CT:

* Triple H addressed the WWE developmental rumors and said the future has always been about making the best developmental territory possible. They are making plans to expand developmental but it’s doing what it’s designed to do – create and cultivate new talents.

* Vince McMahon said WWE content on TV will remain PG but movies will allow for content with stronger ratings. Vince talked about being proud of the Be A Star anti-bullying campaign. Vince said fighting bullying is something he really believes in and something that will be a huge initiative for WWE in the years to come.

* Vince was asked about a physical WWE Hall of Fame and said it’s still located in his head. Vince said they are not in a physical brick & mortar business but the entertainment business and added that Hall of Fames don’t make money usually. One day WWE will probably build something for the Hall of Fame but Vince said it needs to be in the right environment. (Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch, Wrestling Observer, WrestleZone, Wikipedia, WWE)


Vince McMahon comments on first quarter financial report...

WWE revealed its first quarter financial results on Thursday. The company reported revenues totaling 123.1 million compared to 119.9 million in the same quarter last year. Operating income is 16.0 million, up from 13.2 million in the prior year quarter.

“In the first quarter, EBITDA grew 19%, reflecting increased profits across all our businesses," Vince McMahon stated in a press release. "Our results were highlighted by the strong performance of our live events as we entered a new market in the Middle East. We are very pleased that our positive first quarter execution continued in April with the successful staging of WrestleMania, which is expected to deliver nearly 1.3 million pay-per-view buys globally.

"Through the first quarter, we made important progress on our key strategic initiatives, developing our foundation for creating and distributing new content, and building on our tremendous brand strength, especially in social media. Looking ahead, we are confident that we will leverage the broad appeal of our content to transform our business and drive long-term earnings growth."

WWE grabs solid gains in first quarter - 4th May 2012...

Thursday was a good day to be in the wrestling game, but ugly for local companies reporting earnings for their utilities, information technology research, food distribution and insurance operations.

Shares in Stamford-based WWE Inc. surged 13.52 percent to $8.90 after the entertainment company reported net income topped $15.3 million, or 20 cents a share for the first quarter. For the same period a year ago, WWE earned $8.6 million, or 11 cents a share.

The mean expectation from analysts was 5 cents a share, according to Bloomberg News.

During a conference call with analysts, executives of WWE cited improved revenues from live events and lower losses from its movie business as key drivers for this quarter's success.

In past years, WWE's profits have been hampered by losses from movies it made, but the company said WWE Studio's net profit loss was $1 million in this quarter, compared with $3.6 million a year ago. Live events contributed $7.4 million in profits to the company. The company also reported strong growth of its digital platform, which contributed $2.1 million to its bottom line in the quarter.

"Our results were highlighted by the strong performance of our live events as we entered a new market in the Middle East," WWE chairman and Chief Executive Officer Vince McMahon said in a news release. "We are very pleased that our positive first-quarter execution continued in April with the successful staging of WrestleMania, which is expected to deliver nearly 1.3 million pay-per-view buys globally. Looking ahead, we are confident that we will leverage the broad appeal of our content to transform our business and drive long-term earnings growth."


WWE in ring for French film - 1st May 2012...

Dramedy 'Queen of the Ring' could be remade...

WWE Studios has partnered with Kare Prods. on the French dramedy "Les Reines du ring" (Queen of the Ring), which Warner Bros. Entertainment France will distribute.

Nathalie Baye, Andre Dussollier and Marilou Berry star in the film currently lensing under the direction of Jean-Marc Rudnicki.

Project revolves around a mother looking to strengthen her bond with her estranged son who is a WWE fan and trains to become one of WWE's female wrestlers, known as divas.

Film incorporates WWE trademarks, footage, consumer products and cameos by some of WWE's biggest stars, including CM Punk, the Miz and Eve, who recently shot their appearances for the film while on tour in France.

As part of its involvement, WWE Studios will receive an in-association credit on the pic and first-look rights to distribute the film in the U.S. and Canada. It also gets the rights to remake the film in English.

Thomas Langmann ("The Artist") is producing the film through his Paris-based La Petite Reine banner, with Antoine Rein and Fabrice Goldstein.

Other upcoming films for WWE Studios include the IM Global co-production "Dead Man Down," with Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard, Noomi Rapace and Dominic Cooper; the horror thriller "No One Lives," starring Luke Evans and WWE's Brodus Clay, which was co-produced with Pathe Films; cult hit "The Day," a pickup from the Toronto Intl. Film Festival that stars Dominic Monaghan, Shawn Ashmore and Ashley Bell; and "Barricade," with Eric McCormack. (Variety)


John Cena Talks Miz in Marine 3 - 5th May 2012...

IGN spoke with John Cena about never taking time off and The Miz taking over for Randy Orton in the third Marine installment.

Less than a week out from his brutal match with Brock Lesnar at Extreme Rules, I had a chance to talk briefly with John Cena about WWE storylines that make it seem like he's going to take some time off and the casting of The Miz as the lead in the upcoming third installment of the Marine movie franchise.

After his match with Lesnar last Sunday, and even a few years back during the Nexus storyline, it seemed like Cena was headed home for a break. But those breaks never happened and he was seen on TV the very next night or week. Is "the road" Cena's permanent home? "Yes," Cena said, "and I'm okay with that. It's certainly not a life for most people, and so when people look at you they think 'Well, how can he do that?' But if you commit to it and say this is where I am, then you can do it. And I'm just one of those folks that belongs on the road. It's where I truly feel safe. It's where I want to be. When I'm home I can only be there so long before I want to head back out. So that's me right now. As I get older I'm sure I'll want to slow down, but right now I wouldn't want to be in any other place." Cena also said that, while he never gets to spend a lot of time in the cities he visits, he prefers it that way. He likes the "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants style."

"A guy had asked me today if I was interested in doing things like Expendables 2 and movies like that," Cena continued. "More action moves. And I said that it really comes down to how many tour dates I'd have to sacrifice. It would be really cool to make a lot more movies, but when they say you have to take six months off and miss all those events? That doesn't work for me. I really like being in, say, Huntsville tomorrow night. And then Knoxville after that. And then Chattanooga. Then Raleigh. It's how I plan my life now. I guess Red from Shawshank would say I'm institutionalized."

With Randy Orton dropping out of the third Marine film due to controversy, the WWE turned to The Miz to take over the lead role. I asked Cena what he thought of the casting. "You know what? I think it's going to be great," he said. "The franchise stands alone. I actually thought Ted DiBiase did a really good job in Marine 2. I know it was a straight to DVD movie but I thought, with their budget, they did as good, if not better, than what we did in the first Marine. And their budget was maybe twenty percent of ours. So I'm actually looking forward to seeing what Miz brings. You know Teddy was really good and being that subtle, All-American dude who, when it was called for, could blow everything up. Miz is not very subtle. So I'm actually very interested to see how it all works out. (IGN)

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Wrestling News Media: 'Wrestlemania' sets PPV record for WWE, Australia; Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Brock Lesnar, Australian Wrestling Promotions...

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Wrestling fans aka sports entertainment fans out there. Here's your latest fix of pro wrestling news Australian style...

WrestleMania 28 sets PPV record for WWE...

April 1 event drew 1.3 million pay-per-view buys...

WrestleMania 28 set a new record for WWE, generating 1.3 million pay-per-view buys for the event, held April 1 at Miami's Sun Life Stadium.

The company earned $67 million from the event, its largest PPV offering each year. The number combines PPV and live-event revenue from ticket sales and merchandise. Event also set a new attendance record for the stadium, with 78,363 filled seats.

Last year's show, hosted in Atlanta, generated revenue of $35.9 million for the company on more than 1 million PPV buys -- a mark WWE had been keen to reach after years of declines. The 2010 event, from Phoenix, counted 885,000 buys.

The rocket in buys this year is being attributed to the main match-up between Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and John Cena, which WWE promoted for a year.

The Rock was brought in for the mega event, and so was Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker wrestled his first match in about a year, and Chris Jericho returned for a classic WWE Championship match and with CM Punk.

"WrestleMania 28" was available as a PPV event in more than 105 countries.

Australia is understood to have been "An origin of an usually high amount of buys for WrestleMania", according to the Media Man agency commentator, who has been doing the ring around to those in the know.

"WrestleMania 29" is scheduled to take place April 7, 2013, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

WWE Superstar and Hollywood mega movie star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has already committed to WrestleMania 29, and its expected that his likely opponent will be either Brock Lesnar or John Cena, but WWE could throw fans a swerve, with numerous former WWE wrestlers (and other top talent) currently being in negotiation with the company.

Thus far 2012 is shaping up to be an awesome year for WWE fans, and let's hope they keep up the great work.


Australian Wrestling Fans: WrestleMania 28 Foxtel Main Event PPV...

Fans, you did it. We understand WrestleMania 28 was the most popular pro wrestling PPV in terms of buy rates ever for Australia.

In a few short weeks WWE will present its next PPV 'Extreme Rules', headlined by Brock Lesnar VS John Cena, as well as CM Punk VS Chris Jericho (Chicago Street Fight), and Sheamus VS Daniel Bryan in 2/3 falls.

Traditionally, 'Extreme Rules' hasn't been a very popular PPV for the sports entertainment giant, but this years Cena VS Lesnar main event is expected to draw massive interest and numbers.


Brock Lesnar Returns To WWE RAW; Potential WrestleMania 29 Appearance?!

The former UFC Heavyweight Champion has returned to WWE RAW, the night after WrestleMania 28 no less!

The crowd pop was similar in off the planet reaction - not unlike when Hulk Hogan first defeated The Iron Sheik for the title at the world's most famous arena - Madison Square Garden, way back on the 23rd January 1984.

Wrestling experts the world over have been having their say regarding Lesnar's return, with Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor, Dave Meltzer leading the charge as is usually the case...

"Brock will never go full time to pro wrestling," Meltzer said. "Brock will do a WrestleMania for a huge payoff, maybe he'll do two or three more pro wrestling matches and it will wear off."

Meltzer was only half right. Lesnar did not participate at WrestleMania, and but did confront John Cena in the ring and deliver the F5 to him on RAW.

That episode screened on Australian TV via Foxtel's FOX8 last week.


Pro Wrestling In Perth, West Australia...

All Action Wrestling: Anniversary 6 - Featuring Orlando Jordan and Paul London

Western Australia's All Action Wrestling (AAW) presents it Anniversary VI Event April 14 2012. ANNIVERSARY VI is AAW's biggest show ever produced and promises to bring fans in Perth what could be the biggest show in Australian Wrestling History! Two former WWE Superstars in Paul London and current AAW World Champion Orlando Jordan, A Main Event Steel Cage Match, Money in the Bank, and a possable career ending match for Wayne "The Maniac" Mattei! You dont want to miss this HUGE Event!

AAW have announced the following Event Card.

* Main Event *
- STEEL CAGE MATCH
- AAW World Heavyweight Championship -
Orlando Jordan (c) vs "The Australian Sensation" Craven

* International Challange *
Paul London vs James Grace

* Possable Career Ending Match *
Wayne "The Maniac" Mattei vs The Shark
-If Maniac looses he must retire

* Money in the Bank Ladder Match *
JC Blade v Corvus v Joey Angel v Viper v Tyler Throne v Danny Andrews

* AAW Women's Championship *
Imogen Jane (c) vs PWAQ's Storm (with AV)

* AAW Tag Team Championship *
Australia's Most Wanted vs B-Money & Josh Page

* Australian Championship *
Julian Ross (c) vs Casey Hanson

Card Subject to Change without notice.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT SHAVER SHOP IN ROCKINGHAM OR ONLINE AT www.allactionwrestling.com​.au
$15 for single or $50 for a family pass (4 People)

LOP will feature the results of the show on April 16.


AWF SUPANOVA MELBOURNE 2012 DAY 1; MELBOURNE, VIC - SAT 14 APR, 2012...

Royal Showgrounds
Melbourne, VIC

2 huge days of AWF - 3 times daily! Will be a massive weekend!!

AWF Wrestling @ Supanova Pop Culture Expo Melbourne
Shows: Sat 14 & Sun 15 April: 12am, 2pm, 4pm daily
Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Road, Ascot Vale, Victoria

Details on Supanova Pop Culture Expo & tickets on sale from 1 March can be found at www.supanova.com.au


AWF AUSTRALIA VS THE WORLD; SYDNEY, NSW - SAT 12 MAY, 2012...

Parramatta RSL Club
Parramatta
Sydney, NSW

Australia Versus The World

Saturday 12 May - 7pm
Parramatta RSL, Parramatta, NSW

Best of 7 Australia Vs The World Theme - Will be a great night!

Scheduled Card:
Esteban Molina Vs Iron Ben Coles
Mad Turk Hussain Vs Aussie Ozbone
Apollo Vs Powerhouse Theo
Island Tribe Vs Party Trix
Diego Del Fuego Vs Spaceboy Dacey
Aroura Vs Mighty Mel
TBC Vs Jack Tasman

All ages event - book early and be there!

Keep checking Street Corner, Wrestling News Media and the official WWE network for more on these developing news stories and more.

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2012 Hollywood Movies for Australian and American movie fans to get excited about

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"Sin City" Sydney has been a bit of a celebrity and media circus lately and there's more media and entertainment war, fun and games and the way soon. Australian and international media are all on the chase. Splash News, Snapper, TMZ, OMG, the Media Man agency - everyone is jockeying for position and exclusive news scoops.

Let's get ready to rumble. Here's some of the best Hollywood blockbuster movies coming up this year. We've got the U.S movie release dates, which in some cases will be the same as the Australian release date. Note: Some Australian release dates are likely to be a day or two after the U.S date.

Will the movies live up to their comic book or novel? The world is extremely keen to see how Baz's version of the "The Great Gatsby" (Dec. 25) literary classic matches up, but more on that and its star Leonardo DiCaprio later.

What many of this year's blockbusters are about is building on the brand and plugging into the news media machine. Most, like "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2" (Nov. 16), "The Amazing Spider-Man" (July 3) or "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (June 22), are based on already mega successful brands. It's pop-culture realm stuff and plugging into established audiences.

Here's the list of some of this years most anticipated movies.

The Raven (April 27)

John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe, detective – tracking down a series of murders in 19th-century Baltimore.

The Avengers (May 4)

Fans are into this big time. This Marvel flick puts Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury and The Hulk together. Little wonder Marvel fans can't wait. Last Sunday Sydney's George St Event Cinema's even had a preview screening for lucky fans who won a competition, with many fans dressing up as their favourite hero. Talk about an Excelsior initiative.

Dark Shadows (May 11)

Tim Burton directs, Johnny Depp has a white face. Depp fans are going to see his films no matter what, so let's hope its good.

Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1)

"Snow White" is a long time fav of Hollywood. It's a sword-and-sorcery epic version of the Grimm fairy tale.

Prometheus (June 8)

A prequel of sorts to 1979's "Alien," with "Dragon Tattoo" lady Noomi Rapace as a space archaeologist who digs up trouble. Directed by "Alien" and "Blade Runner's" Ridley Scott, this is already getting fans in a frenzy.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (June 22)

It's bit of a cross-pollinating of geek and traditional culture. It will be an interesting contrast to Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," arriving in December.

The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3)

It's been 10 years since the awesome original. Andrew Garfield plays Spidey and Rhys Ifans is The Lizard. Marvel Comic super hero movie fans are hoping they won't be disappointed and left in a spin.

The Dark Knight Rises (July 20)

Batman (Christian Bale) with villains Bane (Tom Hardy) and Catwoman (Anne Hathaway). DC Comic super hero fans have long deserved a quality remake, so hopefully this is in. Pow.

Frankenweenie (Oct. 5)

Tim Burton's full-length puppet-cartoon remake of his early short from 1984.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (Nov. 16)

The second part of the fourth installment of Stephenie Meyer's girl-crush vampire series.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Dec. 14)

It's J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" prequel, directed by Peter Jackson.

The Great Gatsby (Dec. 25)

The fourth film version of the 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald classic, directed by the Australian Baz Luhrmann ("Moulin Rouge!" "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet") and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. Millions of Australia's are hoping that Baz has done us proud.

Lincoln (December)

A Steven Spielberg historical epic, with Daniel Day-Lewis as the 16th president and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln.

Movie speculation...

Now fans, can you just imagine what drama is going to hit Sydney if or when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or Leonardo DiCaprio come to Sydney later this year. Stranger things have happened, so here's hoping.

‘Bending the Rules’ stars former WWE superstar Edge...

It was 22 years ago when Edge sat in the Toronto SkyDome for WWE’s WrestleMania 6 with big dreams of joining his boyhood idol Hulk Hogan in the ring.

In the past year since his wrestling career ended because of neck injuries, Edge has tried his hand at acting. He can be seen in his first starring role in the movie “Bending the Rules,” a WWE Studios production that hits select theaters Friday, March 9. The “Rated R Superstar” plays Detective Nick Blades, a New Orleans cop on trial for corruption.

“I have kind of likened it to ‘The Big Lebowski’ in a way,” Edge said describing his character during a media tour in Miami.

“He is the Big Lebowski, but he can kick a--. I guess it’s kind of what sums it up. I wear a Hawaiian shirt, board shorts and flip flops and Mardi Gras beads for about a month-and-a-half down in New Orleans. A recurring theme throughout is that you will always see the character eating a lot of donuts. We ate a lot of donuts in that movie.

“I liked the character because it didn’t take himself too seriously. I don’t really take myself too seriously, so it wasn’t that much of a stretch for me.”

The former pro wrestler enjoyed the movie-making process.

“I did some of the action stuff,” Edge said. “The only thing I didn’t do was the accident. We kind of had a head on kind of deal, and I guess they didn’t want me to do that because I had to go to Raw the next day. I guess they didn’t want me to do the whole, ‘He can’t wrestle because he just got whiplash.’

“Beyond that I did everything else. It wasn’t too in-depth or anything because it’s more of a buddy flick than it is action, but there is a little bit of action to it.”

Among the other cast members is Jamie Kennedy, Alicia Witt, Jennifer Esposito and accomplished actress Jessica Walter, who has recently done voice work on the animated series “Archer”.

“Philip Baker Hall was big for me, especially being a ‘Seinfeld’ fan. Lt. Bookman was one of my favorite, probably my favorite character in ‘Seinfeld’ actually. So when I saw I was sharing scenes with him I thought, ‘This is awesome.’ He is a really funny guy. His delivery is amazing. He is such an underrated actor to some people, but there are some people who know what he can do.”

“Jessica Walter I didn’t know what to expect,”Edge said. “Here is this proper actor or actress who shared the screen with [Clint] Eastwood. I was like, ‘I don’t know what I am doing. She is going to be sick of me right from the get go.’ But she could not have treated me better. Everyone was very understanding to the fact that I was in way over my head and having no idea what I was doing. So they were very gracious and respectful.”

Those who have seen “Highlander: Endgame” may remember Edge’s cameo. However, the budding actor says it didn’t prepare him much for “Bending the Rules.”

“That was 12 or 13 years ago, and that was basically a fight scene,” Edge said.

“I flew to Romania for that, but it was entirely different. At that point WWE was even new to me, so it was like what is happening? This was much more involved, I guess, being one of the stars of the movie. Being expected to learn a bigger part and not knowing what I was doing.

“My only real preparation has been WWE, which prepares you to adlib and comedic timing and those things. In respect to being able to think on your feet, I was able to bring that into it. But still my first day of shooting, in the first scene I had shot, I had just come from SummerSlam in LA…We did two Raw shows that day, so right after that I hopped on a jet to New Orleans, landed at 4 and was on set at 6 with Jennifer Esposito, having no idea what scene we were doing.

“I didn’t know what lines to study, nothing. This was my first real scene in the movie, and I was like ‘No, they are going to think I am such an idiot.’ I got it over with. Then I thought that once I got that over with, I thought, ‘OK, I might be able to pull this off.’"

Edge never really had his Hollywood in his eyes. His dream was always being a WWE superstar.

“Wrestling took up the radar for me,” Edge said. “That was always my priority, and if other things fell in my lap, then great. The ‘Highlander’ thing or any other thing that has come into my lap has always been because of WWE and that exposure. Then I got approached to do this movie by WWE and thought, ‘This could be fun. I’ll give it a shot. Why not?’"

The film was shot before his recurring role on the SyFy original series ‘Haven,’ which gave him an idea of what to expect on theseries. He says he is returning to the character Dwight Henrickson for the upcoming season.

“By ‘Haven,’ through the experience of ‘Bending the Rules,’ I felt much more comfortable,” Edge said.

“Then going back this year for ‘Haven’, I will have much more understanding. Even with just the lingo like turning around. I know what that means now. I know I don’t have to stand there for 45 minutes while they switch everything out, and I can go grab a cup of coffee. Little things like that was all a learning process.

“Now that I can’t wrestle I think it would be cool to play a Viking in ‘Game of Thrones’ or something like that. I think I could sink my teeth into something like that. I also have a bit of a vampire experience or arch-villain or something. That would be fun…I just want to enjoy retirement, and at the same time do some stuff to stay creatively stimulated.”

Since his life on the road and traveling the world wrestling are over, his outlook on life has changed.

“Before it was WWE and that was my main priority,” Edge said. “It always has been and always would have remained that, but you still have to do something so you just aren’t home twiddling your thumbs all day. I think last year with ‘Haven’ it was going to Nova Scotia for the summer and getting to do this new kind of thing that was fun. I’m going up again this summer, and if things happen after that, then great.

“It’s not like I am going to consider myself an actor. I say more power to [The Rock]. I think it was awesome he was able to parlay it and translate it, but I don’t think I would be able to do it at that kind of schedule or want to. I like having my own time and then on the horizon say, ‘OK, I have that in a couple of months. Cool.’ Then I go do it, have some fun with it and be able to go back home.

“I already was lucky enough to do the job that was my passion. Everything I do from here on out is just going to be fun. It’s a good place to be. I’m not going to lie. It’s nice to have the luxury to enjoy everything I’ve done my entire adult life.”

To watch the trailer of “Bending the Rules” or to find a theater near you showing the film or get more information, visit http://www.bendingtherulesmovie.com


Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson And Mark Wahlberg Team Up for Pain and Gain; 2013 Release...

Mark Wahlberg is in top shape, but next to 'The Rock' he looks kind of small. Put six-foot five-inch Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson next to him, and Mark (5' 8") looks sort of average.

Wahlberg and Johnson are currently filming "Pain and Gain" in Miami. The film centers on two bodybuilders who get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. The film is set for release in 2013.

That's it movie and music fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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*artwork by Billy "The Wiz" Munro

Australian movie, entertainment, pro wrestling and comics fans. It's time for yet another comic book movie, wrastling and entertainment news update. Sorry Vince McMahon, but may fans and wrestlers still like to call WWE professional wrestling, rather than "sports entertainment", and we understand the likes of CM Punk, Arn Anderson and "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair are just a few folks who agree with the sentiment. Yes, WWE is lots more than just pro wrestling these days, but wrestling remains the bread and butter of the operation - thank god.

CM Punk At Chicago Comic-Con...

Rosemont, IL, April 06, 2012 - Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, which for nearly two decades has thrilled hundreds of thousands of fans with standout celebrities, top-notch superstar artists, VIP experiences and more, rolls out an expanded, full four-day show, August 9-12 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. More than 50 celebrities, including headliners like William Shatner, Jeri Ryan, Stan Lee, Jon Bernthal and WWE Superstar CM Punk, notable artists Carlos Pacheco, George Pérez, Greg Capullo and dozens of others are already signed up to attend what is shaping up as the biggest Wizard World show ever and the Midwest's No. 1 Pop Culture Convention.

The international pop culture icon Shatner ("Star Trek," "T.J. Hooker") will appear on Friday, Aug. 10, and Saturday, Aug. 11, Ryan ("Star Trek: Voyager," "Boston Public") on Sunday, Aug. 12, Eisner Award Hall of Famer and comic book legend Lee and Bernthal ("The Walking Dead," The Ghost Writer) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and WWE Superstar CM Punk, the current WWE champion, on Saturday.

"Wizard World Chicago Comic Con continues to grow in all areas, from celebrity guests to Artist Alley to evening entertainment to VIP experiences, so much so that we've made it a full four-day show for the first time," said John Macaluso, CEO, Wizard World. "William Shatner, Jeri Ryan and Stan Lee are at the top of a deep celebrity roster that will connect with fans of all ages."

The announcement follows the recent news that one of Hollywood's fastest-risers, Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers), will headline Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on June 2.

The longest-running and highest-attended show annually on the Wizard World calendar, 2012 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con will also feature movie and television stars such as Nina Dobrev ("The Vampire Diaries," CHLOE), Kate Mulgrew ("Star Trek: Voyager," Remo Williams), Bruce Campbell (Army Of Darkness, Evil Dead), Tom Felton (Harry Potter, Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Amy Acker ("Angel," The Cabin In The Woods) and dozens of others.

Eisner Award winner Pérez ("Superman," "JSA"), nominee Pacheco ("X-Men," "Green Lantern") and Capullo ("Batman," "Spawn") are joined in Artist Alley by Rodolfo Migliari ("Green Arrow," "Green Lantern"), "Brom" ("Dungeons & Dragons," "The Plucker), "CAFU" ("Superboy," "Action Comics"), Ken Kelly ("Batman," "Star Wars") and Pat Lee ("Spider-Man," "Iron Man"), among a first-class roster of special guests.

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, produced by Wizard World, Inc. (WIZD.PK), will bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.

For more on the 2012 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, visit http://www.wizardworldcomiccon.com/home-ch.html

Dwayne Johnson Named CinemaCon Action Star of the Year...

He'll receive the honor at the upcoming convention of theater owners in Las Vegas.

Dwayne Johnson will be lauded with the Action Star of the Year Award at CinemaCon.

This summer, Johnson stars in Paramount tentpole G.I. Joe: Relaliation. He's currently still in theaters in box office hit Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, from Warner Bros.

Johnson will receive the CinemaCon award during Paramount's opening night presentation.


Captain America sequel scheduled for 2014 release...

It's official: Captain America will continue to fight the good fight for liberty and freedom.

On Thursday, Walt Disney Studios announced that a sequel to last summer's Captain America: The First Avenger is scheduled to be released on April 4, 2014, one month before the release of the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man, who begins spinning his web July 3 of this year.

Chris Evans -- formerly Johnny Storm/the Human Torch of The Fantastic Four -- finally put Marvel's patriotic super-soldier on the A-list of superheroes in the original, which earned $368 million dollars worldwide.

The actor returns to the role as one of "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" known as The Avengers with Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/the Hulk), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), Scarlett Johnansson (Natascha Romanoff/Black Widow), and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury); the film comes out in the U.S on May 4.


'Captain America' sequel heads to theaters in 2014...

LOS ANGELES — Captain America is getting another solo shot on the big-screen.

Walt Disney Studios announced Thursday that a sequel to last year's superhero hit "Captain America: The First Avenger" will arrive in theaters on April 4, 2014.

The first movie starred Chris Evans as the patriotic fighter for justice dressed in red, white and blue. "Captain America" took in $368 million at the worldwide box office.

Evans reprises his role as Captain America in "The Avengers," an ensemble adventure featuring Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner as a team of Marvel Comics heroes.

"The Avengers" is due out in the U.S on May 4, and Australia will likely be just days after.


WWE's Jerry "The King" Lawler Talks Art, Charity And More...

WWE performers are known as creative artists in the squared circle, putting on a show like few human beings can.

Some professional wrestlers also demonstrate an artistic streak outside the ring, and perhaps Jerry "The King" Lawler is the most famous (but long time Lawler nemesis Bret "Hitman" Hart also might like a shot at the title.)

Lawler is an accomplished artist in and out of the ring.

The WWE conducted its charity art auction during WrestleMania Week and Lawler was first and foremost as the company’s featured artist.

The Miami Herald must have ran about a dozen WWE stories regarding WrestleMania week, and here we look at some of the paramount aspects that Miami's finest broadsheet covered in detail.

“I was involved in the first WrestleMania Art (during WrestleMania 24 Week in 2008 in Orlando),” Lawler said, "and everybody was all excited about WrestleMania coming to Orlando. The Orlando Sentinel (newspaper) even let me draw a WWE comic strip for about a month leading into WrestleMania.

“The art show has grown bigger and bigger and raises a lot of money for charity every year. We have a tremendous turnout, surprisingly, for it, and also, surprising to me, I found out we’ve got some pretty good artists in WWE. Some of the superstars are darn good artists as well. We have a lot of great pieces in the show every year, and for the past couple of years, I’ve done an actual painting or drawing right on-site during the art show that they then auction off for the charity.

“Two years ago (in Phoenix), Bret Hart and I both did a picture at the same time, and each auctioned for $3,500. That was something we knocked out right there in less than an hour at the art show. Last year my picture went for almost $2,000. I did a quick picture of The Undertaker, and this young girl comes up and buys it, and I’m thinking, ‘What in the world, just walking around here with an extra couple of grand for a piece of art I just created.’

"It’s something that I’ve really enjoyed being a part of every year."

Lawler actually credits his start in the wrestling business when he was a teenager in Memphis because of his other artistic artibutes. Several WWE divas, legends and superstars also showcase their skills on that other canvas.

"I was surprised because I just didn’t know,” Lawler said. “It’s not something that they’ve ever put out there and talked about in the past. To see some of their work, I was really surprised. Vickie Guerrero’s a good artist. Tony Atlas did some really good portrait work."

There's others also...

“Last year [in Atlanta], it was funny, too. I had heard Booker T say he was a good artist, and he was going to actually do a portrait of his wife (Queen Sharmell),” Lawler explained. “So he and I started doing our pieces at the same time. I didn’t get to watch him do his because we were kind of back-to-back at dueling art tables.

“So I’d heard Booker was a pretty good artist (chuckle), and he had a photograph of his wife that he put up there on the canvas, and oh my God, wen he got through [laughs], it looked like maybe Stevie Wonder had drawn it. It was the thought that counted, and somebody still bought it because it was an original piece done by Booker T. It was sort of like a Pablo Picasso [more laughs]. Her nose was coming out of the side of her head. Her ears were where her eyes should have been. It was funny."

Abstract?

Booker T said: “I think so.

"I sat there next to King, and he’s so great. King is a great artist. He does water colors, water paintings. You can tell he’s put so much time — outside anyone’s eyes — behind the scenes putting the work in doing that. He inspired me to get a lot better. He inspired me to go work on my craft. I don’t think my art is great, but it’s really not about how great something is in that frame right there. It’s just about doing your best, and hopefully we can help somebody raise some money.

“Hopefully, I’ll do a whole lot better this year.”

Practice makes better, hopefully.

“I’ve been working on my drawing skills, my sketching skills since then,” Booker T said. “I hadn’t done it in a long time before that. It was something they asked me to do. I was like, ‘Wow, let me go out there and see if I still got it.’ I actually did a sketch of Josh Mathews at the announce table and made sure not to use his double chin on there [Booker T chuckles] and gave it to him. I do plan on doing that again.

“It was great last year, doing it for a great charity, first and foremost. That’s really what it’s all about. Guys really need to know what this business is all about. It’s about the fans and the kids who watch.

“We bring so much joy to special kids with special needs. You wouldn’t believe how they gravitate to us and make us feel so special at the same time.

“I’m definitely looking forward to WrestleMania Week. If it’s half as awesome as it was last year, it will be great.”

Lawler has done so many pieces. It’s difficult to note his favorite. After some thought, one did come to mind.

“I did do a charcoal portrait of Vince McMahon and his father, Vince Sr., and his son, Shane, as like a three-portrait piece that I gave to Vince,” Lawler said. “I had an unveiling, when I gave it to him, and I guess his reaction was such that it made it maybe my favorite piece of art, because it’s not easy to impress Vince McMahon.

“Here’s a guy who’s done it all, seen it all, and when he saw that portrait that I had done, he had no idea that it was coming, and I just gave it to him as a gift. It actually brought tears to his eyes, and that, to me, made that night.”

Former WWE superstar and talented artist Jeff Hardy participated in a WWE Charity Art Auction.

“I did one in Houston, WrestleMania 25,” he said. “It was a bummer because I asked if I could do a big canvas, and I’d used spray paint and do it outdoors, but they did it in a fancy library. So I couldn’t use spray paint, and then they had a canvas that was the size of a piece of plywood.

“So I go in there, and they go, ‘Oh yea, we’ve got your canvas,’ and I’m supposed to finish it with tubes of paint and a brush. Spray paint would have been easy. It was horrible, and I wasn’t satisfied with the painting, the outcome.

“Now they’re auctioning it off, and I’ll never forget it. My wife was out there, and she’s bidding, and we got it up to $2,200. So I ended up buying it myself. I told them, ‘Please send it to me. Let me spray paint it and do a great job, and I’ll send it back.’”

Artists.

Hardy donated the money to the library as well as the painting which he returned after he completed his original concept.

Did Hardy ever discuss art with Jerry Lawler?

“Not much. There were a few times we did,” Hardy said. “He’s really talented. He’s really detailed, intricate stuff. Me, I’m more big and bold. He’d spend a day just on the smallest little detail. It’s cool to see him still doing that.”

As talented an artist outside the ring, Lawler is equally skilled inside. He has achieved success at basically every level of the professional wrestling industry and is a legitimate living legend of wrestling.

Lawler created art during the WrestleMania Premier Party: A Celebration of Miami Art & Fashion on Thursday, March 29 on Star Island.

American record producer, songwriter and rapper Timbaland and Stuart Miller hosted the event, which featured artwork created by WWE superstars, divas and legends. It’s was a fundraiser for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center/Alex’s Place and the Second Chance Program housed within the Center.

WrestleMania Week included an art show, but this is the first time they added a fashion show element to it with WWE divas modelling clothes designed by top South Florida designers.

There was even an online component for the art auction so WWE fans everywhere could get involved, purchasing WWE-themed art for a good cause.


Marvel Entertainment Interviews CM Punk...

Marvel interviewed WWE champion CM Punk. Here's some of our favorite parts of the interview...

Marvel.com: Which team are you supporting in Avengers Vs. X-Men? Why do you think they will win?

CM Punk: I’ve never been the biggest fan of mutants. They’re pretty damn powerful, y’know? But seriously, when you have Captain America, Thor and Iron Man together as a team, there’s no threat they can’t handle. In this super hero war, I’m with the Avengers

Marvel.com: Who do you think will win if Captain America battles Cyclops?

CM Punk: Captain America. Hands down. Nobody in the Marvel Universe has the experience he has, and he can definitely outwit, outsmart and outlast Cyke.

Marvel.com: Who do you think will win if Storm battles Thor?

CM Punk: No contest: Thor. I mean, the guy is a god—how do you take someone like him down? Don’t get me wrong, Storm is one hell of a warrior, but Thor has taken on Ragnarok head on!

Marvel.com: Which side do you think Wolverine will choose? Which one should he choose?

CM Punk: Ah, right; this is the tricky one. Personally, I think Wolverine is an X-Man through and through. Regardless of his differences with Cyclops, the guy grew up with the team, respects Xavier, and cares for the well-being and preservation of mutantkind. When it finally comes time to make a decision, I think he’s going home.

Marvel.com: Which X-Man or Avenger do you consider yourself most like?

CM Punk: Tony Stark—without the alcohol, obviously. The guy has all the coolest toys in the toy-box.

Marvel.com: Let’s say Tony Stark were to come out during your match at WrestleMania, what music would he come out to?

CM Punk: [Frank] Sinatra; not the most exciting entrance, but that’s the kind of guy I think Tony is. Suave, sophisticated and obviously would have been a part of the Rat Pack.

That's it fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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Australian movie, entertainment and wrestling fans. It's time for yet another showbiz update. We've got Marvel Entertainment, WWE, gaming, celebrities, and more.

50 Cent, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger Will Star In 'The Tomb' Movie...

50 Cent continues to evolve. The music mogul just signed on for yet another film, Summit's latest action-thriller, "The Tomb.” After working together on Lionsgate's "Fire With Fire," Fif will reunite with Vincent D'Onofrio and Vinnie Jones in this Mikael Hafstrom directed action-thriller. The film also stars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, with Oscar nominee Amy Ryan as its female lead.

50 Cent To Guest Star On SyFy's 'Dream Machines'...

The film is focused around Stallone who plays an expert on structural security. The plot thickens as Stallone is framed and put in a high-security prison of his own design. The storyline then unfolds as he must put his skills to the test to find out who put him there.

The 70 million dollar movie is being co-financed by both Summit and Emmett/Furla Films, which also produced "Fire With Fire." However, this is not 50’s first time working with Emmett/Furla films, as he was also cast in the company's "Setup" with Bruce Willis, "Freelancers" with Robert De Niro and "The Frozen Ground" with Nicolas Cage.

Last month 50 Cent announced that his fifth studio album will be released this summer. “My album is coming out july 2. I got some heat trust me I'm ready,” Fif tweeted. The announcement comes after the New York MC called out Interscope Records for a lack of support surrounding the release of the LP.


CM Punk At Chicago Comic-Con...

Rosemont, IL, April 06, 2012 - Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, which for nearly two decades has thrilled hundreds of thousands of fans with standout celebrities, top-notch superstar artists, VIP experiences and more, rolls out an expanded, full four-day show, August 9-12 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. More than 50 celebrities, including headliners like William Shatner, Jeri Ryan, Stan Lee, Jon Bernthal and WWE Superstar CM Punk, notable artists Carlos Pacheco, George Pérez, Greg Capullo and dozens of others are already signed up to attend what is shaping up as the biggest Wizard World show ever and the Midwest's No. 1 Pop Culture Convention.

The international pop culture icon Shatner ("Star Trek," "T.J. Hooker") will appear on Friday, Aug. 10, and Saturday, Aug. 11, Ryan ("Star Trek: Voyager," "Boston Public") on Sunday, Aug. 12, Eisner Award Hall of Famer and comic book legend Lee and Bernthal ("The Walking Dead," The Ghost Writer) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and WWE Superstar CM Punk, the current WWE champion, on Saturday.

"Wizard World Chicago Comic Con continues to grow in all areas, from celebrity guests to Artist Alley to evening entertainment to VIP experiences, so much so that we've made it a full four-day show for the first time," said John Macaluso, CEO, Wizard World. "William Shatner, Jeri Ryan and Stan Lee are at the top of a deep celebrity roster that will connect with fans of all ages."

The announcement follows the recent news that one of Hollywood's fastest-risers, Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers), will headline Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on June 2.

The longest-running and highest-attended show annually on the Wizard World calendar, 2012 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con will also feature movie and television stars such as Nina Dobrev ("The Vampire Diaries," CHLOE), Kate Mulgrew ("Star Trek: Voyager," Remo Williams), Bruce Campbell (Army Of Darkness, Evil Dead), Tom Felton (Harry Potter, Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Amy Acker ("Angel," The Cabin In The Woods) and dozens of others.

Eisner Award winner Pérez ("Superman," "JSA"), nominee Pacheco ("X-Men," "Green Lantern") and Capullo ("Batman," "Spawn") are joined in Artist Alley by Rodolfo Migliari ("Green Arrow," "Green Lantern"), "Brom" ("Dungeons & Dragons," "The Plucker), "CAFU" ("Superboy," "Action Comics"), Ken Kelly ("Batman," "Star Wars") and Pat Lee ("Spider-Man," "Iron Man"), among a first-class roster of special guests.

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, produced by Wizard World, Inc. (WIZD.PK), will bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.

For more on the 2012 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, visit http://www.wizardworldcomiccon.com/home-ch.html


Dwayne Johnson Named CinemaCon Action Star of the Year...

He'll receive the honor at the upcoming convention of theater owners in Las Vegas.

Dwayne Johnson will be lauded with the Action Star of the Year Award at CinemaCon.

This summer, Johnson stars in Paramount tentpole G.I. Joe: Relaliation. He's currently still in theaters in box office hit Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, from Warner Bros.

Johnson will receive the CinemaCon award during Paramount's opening night presentation.


Captain America sequel scheduled for 2014 release...

It's official: Captain America will continue to fight the good fight for liberty and freedom.

On Thursday, Walt Disney Studios announced that a sequel to last summer's Captain America: The First Avenger is scheduled to be released on April 4, 2014, one month before the release of the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man, who begins spinning his web July 3 of this year.

Chris Evans -- formerly Johnny Storm/the Human Torch of The Fantastic Four -- finally put Marvel's patriotic super-soldier on the A-list of superheroes in the original, which earned $368 million dollars worldwide.

The actor returns to the role as one of "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" known as The Avengers with Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/the Hulk), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), Scarlett Johnansson (Natascha Romanoff/Black Widow), and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury); the film comes out in the U.S on May 4.


'Captain America' sequel heads to theaters in 2014...

LOS ANGELES — Captain America is getting another solo shot on the big-screen.

Walt Disney Studios announced Thursday that a sequel to last year's superhero hit "Captain America: The First Avenger" will arrive in theaters on April 4, 2014.

The first movie starred Chris Evans as the patriotic fighter for justice dressed in red, white and blue. "Captain America" took in $368 million at the worldwide box office.

Evans reprises his role as Captain America in "The Avengers," an ensemble adventure featuring Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner as a team of Marvel Comics heroes.

"The Avengers" is due out in the U.S on May 4, and Australia will likely be just days after.


Brock Lesnar Retired From MMA / UFC; Re Signs With WWE Pro Wrestling / Sports Entertainment...

He was billed as “The Next Big Thing” when he first ripped up the pro wrestling business.

Now, more than 10 years later, WWE head honcho Vince McMahon and his top brass are hoping he's still be “The Next Big Thing.”

Lesnar's return to pro wrestling after an eight-year hiatus made global news he meWWE posterboy John Cena with an F-5 (ex FU) at the conclusion of last week's RAW, as seen on Rupert Murdoch's Foxtel in Australia.

The buzz confirmed Lesnar sightings in Miami over Wrestlemania weekend, and wrestling fans had hoped that star would make a surprise appearance at Mania. It's likely Lesnar's contracted was signed before WrestleMania 28, but the powers that be elected to use him the RAW after WM, to help maintain momentum, and give viewers more reason to continue to choose to tune into the WWE brand.

Lesnar, who departed WWE in 2004 primarily due to a massive road schedule, reportedly signed a one-year deal with WWE that will include a lighter workload and less work dates than his last run. He is expected to be featured mainly on pay-per-views and live televised shows leading up to next year's Wrestlemania.

Lesnar, an NCAA heavyweight champion at the University of Minnesota, is expected to initially feud with Cena. There's also talk of a possible match with The Rock at the Wrestlemania 29 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), who defeated Cena last Sunday U.S) at Wrestlemania 28 in Miami, already has committed to appear at next year's wrestling 'Grand Dadddy Of The All".

Lesnar defeated The Rock in their last matchup back in 2002. Many wrestling experts feel that a "Brock vs. Rock" rematch would draw big money and huge interest once again for the WWE machine.

Lesnar already is being promoted for WWE's Extreme Rules pay-per-view in Chicago on April 29, and is scheduled to appear on the April 9 Raw in Washington, D.C., and a three-hour Raw on April 23 in Detroit.

Lesnar's last UFC match was Dec. 30 in a loss to former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem. Following the loss, Lesnar announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, mentioning his life-threatening bouts with diverticulitis.

Lesnar, 34, is married to the former Rena Mero, the ex-WWE diva and Playboy centerfold known as Sable. They have two young children.

Citing a number of issues, including burnout and a massive travel schedule, Lesnar left the wrestling business eight years ago after advising WWE owner Vince McMahon that he had come to the realization that he was miserable in his job.

Lesnar's admission, though, came at a particularly critical juncture — just days before a dream Wrestlemania showdown with Bill Goldberg in what had been billed as one of the biggest events in WWE history.

At the time Lesnar told colleagues and company officials that the match would mark his last in the wrestling business.

Eight years later, and on the heels of a relatively short but highly publicized run in the mixed martial arts industry, Lesnar appears ready for a return to pro wrestling ranks.

McMahon and the company are hoping he's in for the long haul — or at least until Wrestlemania 29.

Lesnar Contract Details And More...

WWE wrestling fans, and sports fans worldwide have been abuzz all week after Brock Lesnar returned to WWE Raw this past Monday night. Lesnar, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship athlete joins Hollywood actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the latest mainstream celebrity to be signed to a WWE contract. Both men formerly labored for Vince McMahon's empire before they coursed on to bigger and more prestigious accolades. However, there have been reports that many current WWE roster members are not too pleased with the return of The Rock and Brock Lesnar.

A contract stipulations begin to leak, on of those circumstances reported in Brock Lesnar's agreement was that Brock had to work a told 30-40 wrestling dates for the year. For those intervals, Lesnar would receive five million dollars. The dilemma with this exists that other full time members of the roster perform over 200 dates per year and don't even make a fifth of Lesnar's income. In fact, other than a handfull of elite headliners, most WWE wrestlers make less than $500,000 dollars a year. And that doesn't include travel expenses and hotel accommodations that those wrestlers have to fork out for out of pocket each week. The gap between dates and salary among full time WWE wrestlers and Brock Lesnar is huge.

The Rock has a comparable WWE contract. It has been reported that The Rock will work a modest amount of matches over the next year, which will likely culminate in a bout at Wrestlemania 29 against Brock Lesnar.


Storm smashes 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin's Texas ranch...

FOWLERTON, Texas -- Wrestling legend "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was left stunned this week after the barn on his Texas ranch was destroyed by a storm.

The 47-year-old, real name Steven James Williams, saw the roof of his barn torn off at the storm ripped through Broken Skull Ranch in McMullen County.

The wrestler-come-actor said he planned to use the damage to add more storage space.
He told TMZ fixing the damage, "ain't gonna be cheap."


Andy Kaufman's pro wrestling exploits recalled in CNN feature, claims WWE won't allow him in the Hall of Fame...

The pro wrestling exploits of Andy Kaufman were chronicled in a lengthy CNN website feature. The story states that Kaufman remains shut out of the WWE Hall of Fame. "His absence from the Hall of Fame is conspicuous," Syracuse professor Bob Thompson said. "He is one of the really important members of the pantheon of that form." To read the full article, visit CNN.com/2012/04/07/us/kaufman-lawler-wrestling-match/index.html


Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment To Ramp Up New Product Offers; Social Media Attack And More...

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has reported plans to develop and launch numerous gaming products. Since the merger in April 2011, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has strived to evolve and grow in the competitive online gaming market.

Bwin.Party has reported its desire to continually integrate its platform and products as well as invest in Research and Development. The online gaming giant has announced the development of a rush poker variant and the launch of social gaming products in order to stay pace with the evolving market. Furthermore, co-CEOs Jim Ryan and Norbert Teufelberger have reported that the company is “well placed” to take advantage of the regulatory movement in both Europe and the US.

New Products

Bwin.Party has reported plans to launch several products ranging from mobile applications to new gaming products. The gaming giant plans to launch a social gaming platform in addition to building an independent social gaming site. The first social gaming product is tipped to be poker-based game called Aces Hangout, which was tested in late 2011 and we understand launched on Google+ days ago. The company has announced that the poker-based social gaming offerings will be followed by a casino and sports book application. In addition to these social gaming offerings, the company plans to launch mobile applications for its core products as well as HTML5 versions of its major gaming sites.

CEO Jim Ryan recently told news media that “We expect to gain competitive advantage this year from additional scale and improved flexibility that will flow from the integration and migration of our main products to a single technology platform.”

In addition to the launch of the social gaming platform, Ryan announced that the company has launched the development of a rush poker variant.

Legislation and Finance

Bwin.Party has announced that it is well positioned to take advantage of the regulatory movements in major markets like Spain and the US. In Spain, the gaming company is one of 60 companies that are waiting for the approval of the licensing application that was recently delayed due to controversy surrounding a Spain regulator. In the United States, Bwin.Party secured a joint venture with brick and mortar casino operators MGM and Boyd Gaming in order to position itself for the anticipated regulation of online poker in the US. Furthermore, the company has an application for the Schleswig-Holstein Board that will allow the launch of all products except bingo.

Financially, Bwin.Party announced an increase in flat pro-forma revenues from €814m to €816m and a 9% increase in its casino revenue. EGamingReview also reported that analysts have a positive outlook on the company with a 2% average daily increase over last year’s figures.

Bwin.Party continues to evolve in the competitive gaming market and plans to launch several exciting products in the near future. In addition to the new developments and regulatory preparations, Bwin.Party is expected to finally have real money dotcom players move to the merged platform by the third quarter of 2012 and the dot.it and dot.fr migrations to occur in the fourth quarter of this year. The company expects this migration to further enhance its position in the poker market alongside its major competitors like PokerStars, Virgin Games and PKR.

Media Man will be following up Bwin.Party developments, and as we go to press the have already released at least one new slot to the online casino portfolio PartyCasino, as seen on the Media Man network, so its game on!

That's it fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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Wrestling News: WWE WrestleMania, Brock Lensar, WWE Hall of Fame, Flair...

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Wrestling fans aka sports entertainment fans out there. Here's your latest fix of pro wrestling news Australian style...

WrestleMania 28 Predictions...

Our tips

John Cena over The Rock

Sheamus over Bryan Danielson

The Undertaker over Triple H

Chris Jericho over CM Punk

The Big Show over Cody Rhodes

Randy Orton over Kane

Team Teddy over Team Johnny

Media Man's pro wrestling tipsers also advises to expect one or two surprises, including more action in the ring than expected with Shaun Michaels aka "The Heartbreak Kid" (ref for The Undertaker VS Triple H) and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who likely won't be able to contain himself at the biggest event on the pro wrestling calendar. It would be pretty cool to see Dusty Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes (aka Goldust) get involved in Cody's match, but that's on the wish list. We would like to see "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka also get involved, but there's not even a rumour about that.

Brock Lesnar Talk Hots Up; WrestleMania 28 and 29 Appearance?!

According to pro wrestling expert and historian, Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer, there were strong rumors of Brock Lesnar's retirement from the UFC for weeks before his loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 on Friday night. Meltzer stated on his radio show that he had heard weeks ago that the former UFC heavyweight champion may be heading back to the WWE.

"I heard for the past three or four weeks that if Brock were to lose don't be surprised to see him in WWE fairly soon," said Meltzer.

Meltzer noted that Lesnar's retirement speech "was clearly practiced" and that he knew he would retire ahead of time.

"I don't know if he had told anyone but there were rumors going around, not so much that he was going to quit, but there was an offer out for him and if he lost in a bad way... that he wouldn't be able to be a main event fighter again, and without being a main event fighter, he wouldn't make millions for a fight.

"Brock is not a guy who is going to fight for $500,000 or $700,000. He's just not going to do that, especially when he can make far more than that doing pro wrestling."

Meltzer spoke to Yahoo! Sports after Lesnar's loss, and said that Vince McMahon would want him back.

"He's (Vince McMahon) going to want him back," Meltzer stated. "They tried to get him for WrestleMania for last year and Dana wouldn't agree to release him... Dana's got him for contract for several more fights for a lengthy period of time."

Even if Vince McMahon and UFC President Dana White were to come to an agreement to bring Lesnar back into WWE, it would likely only be for a few shows.

"Brock will never go full time to pro wrestling," Meltzer said. "Brock will do a WrestleMania for a huge payoff, maybe he'll do two or three more pro wrestling matches and it will wear off."


Ric Flair to appear at WWE Hall of Fame ceremony...

WWE has gotten word that Ric Flair will be in attendance at the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Miami's American Airlines Arena on Saturday, March 31.

On that night, The Nature Boy will gain a record second entry into the hallowed Hall. Only this time, Flair will be entering alongside his legendary Four Horsemen allies: Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham and JJ Dillon.

First inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008 on the night before he faced Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV, The Nature Boy became the first active Superstar to ever receive the honor. The Dirtiest Player in the Game retired from the ring after losing to HBK on The Grandest Stage of Them All, but his legacy as one of the most respected and influential performers in sports-entertainment endures.

The induction ceremony, which will be held on the eve of WrestleMania XXVIII, will air on USA on Monday, April 2 at 8 p.m.


Australian Wrestling Fans: WrestleMania 28 Tommorow; Last Call For Foxtel Main Event PPV...

Fans, if you haven't placed your Main Event channel order yet for the most important and exciting pro wrestling pay-per-view event in the world, there's still a few short hours to do so.


Keep checking Street Corner, Wrestling News Media and the official WWE network for more on these developing news stories and more.

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WWE Superstar Sheamus Big W Appearance at Bankstown, Sydney; St Patrick's Day

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Wrestling fans aka sports entertainment fans out there. Here's your latest fix of pro wrestling news Australian style...

WWE Superstar Sheamus Appears At Big W Bankstown in Sydney...

WWE Superstar Sheamus made an in-store appearance at Big W in Bankstown today.

Hundreds of fans turned out to see G'day to WWE Superstar fella Sheamus

Some WWE prizes were given away to a lucky few including DVDs, Action Figures and Video Games, and Sheamus met and signed autographs for hundreds of fans.

You may have heard that he won this year's Royal Rumble and is a hot favorite to defeat Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 28.

Good on you fella for taking the long plane trip down under to Australia and may you have the luck of the Irish at WrestleMania, and for the rest of your career.

WrestleMania 28 Predictions...

Our tips

John Cena over The Rock

Sheamus over Bryan Danielson

The Undertaker over Triple H

Chris Jericho over CM Punk

The Big Show over Cody Rhodes

Randy Orton over Kane

Team Teddy VS Team Johnny

Media Man's pro wrestling tipsers also advises to expect one or two surprises, including more action in the ring than expected with Shaun Michaels aka "The Heartbreak Kid" (ref for The Undertaker VS Triple H) and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who likely won't be able to contain himself at the biggest event on the pro wrestling calendar. It would be pretty cool to see Dusty Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes (aka Goldust) get involved in Cody's match, but that's on the wish list. We would like to see "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka also get involved, but there's not even a rumour about that.

Keep checking Street Corner, Wrestling News Media and the official WWE network for more on these developing news stories and more.

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Wrestling News Media, WWE, WrestleMania, United States, Australia...

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Wrestling fans aka sports entertainment fans out there. It's that time of the week again. Here's your latest fix of pro wrestling news Aussie style, direct from the Media Man agency...

WWE Superstar Sheamus at Big W Blacktown in Sydney...

WWE Superstar Sheamus will be in Australia on March 17 appearing at Big W in Blacktown, Sydney, NSW from 3pm! Come down early to get in line to meet The Great White on St Patricks Day. Heaps of WWE prizes will be given away on the day including DVDs, Action Figures & Video Games, and Sheamus will be ready to sign your WWE merchandise and meet you personally! Check out this year's rising star in person, after he won this year's Royal Rumble and now gets ready to head to WrestleMania!!


Wrestling Legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper In Fancypants Movie...

Fancypants is a 2011 film directed by Joshua Russell and starring Patrick Gleason, Roddy Piper, and Robert Carradine. Featuring Nick Turturro, Richard Kind, and introducing Jackson Dunn.

It is a comedy/drama about a professional wrestler who is afraid of conflict in real life. He is nearing the end of his career and finds out he has one fan left in an 8-year old boy, who hides a secret that will change Leo's life forever. The film was shot entirely on location in Chicago.

The film won Best Feature at the 2011 Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was an official selection at the 2011 Seattle True Independent Film Festival.

Roddy Piper is also rumoured to be one of the house-mates in upcoming WWE reality TV show, 'Legends House'.


The Four Horsemen Including Ric Flair To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame 2012; Jim Ross Tweets ...

Last week...Ross on Ric Flair’s Birthday: Happy Birthday to Ric Flair. Naitch called me this past week to catch up. He’s got a great opportunity with Coca Cola’s energy drink along with his state lottery work. I went on You Tube and checked out Ric’s TV commercials for the lotteries he promotes and they were hilarious.

Some of my fondest memories in the business involve Ric Flair and I’m so blessed to have been able to broadcast not only many Ric Flair bout but @ShawnMichaels bouts over the years, too as they are widely considered the two, best, all around pro wrestlers ever. That’s a debate that will rage on until the end of time but no one can intelligently say that Naitch and HBK aren’t on an abbreviated list of the best ever.


WWE Smackdown Did Mohegan Sun Arena In Land Based Casino...

No, the WWE doesn't own a casino anymore, but from time to time it does perform in the gaming and entertainment complexes.

The WWE Smackdown TV cameras returned to Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday, May 22 at 7 p.m and it was all broadcast on Australian TV via FOX on Foxtel.

The Main Event was Randy Orton (son of Cowboy Bon Orton) VS Daniel Bryan VS Sheamus aka "The Great White) in a "Triple Threat Match" for the World Heavyweight championship belt.

Other WWE Superstars included The Big Show, Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes, Ted Dibiase, Santino Marella and the Diva's (wrestling babes).

Fans, don't forget WWE WrestleMania 28 is just around the corner, and the sports entertainment company also has an Australian tour locked down for August and September of 2012.

Impact Wrestling (formally known as TNA Wrestling), is also set to tour New Zealand (and likely Australia) in about 6 or 12 months, and wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett recently thanked TV host Rove McManus in a very public way via Twitter, so where there's smoke, there's usually fire - even in professional wrestling.


WWE Legends House Will Get At Least One Non Wrestler Celebrity...

In the only confirmed WWE Network show, Legends’ House, looks like it will feature some celebrity involvement as legendary actor Adam West, famous for his roles as Batman and, more recently, lending his voice as “Mayor Adam West” on Family Guy, was pictured with the cast of Legends’ House, appearing with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, “Mean” Gene Okerlund, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Howard Finkel, Hillbilly Jim, Tony Atlas, Pat Patterson, and Jimmy Hart. The photo also shows P cat Dolls singer, Ashley Roberts, who is slated to be hosting the show, while Adam West will be a guest star on one of the episodes. Comedian Jeff Dye from the MTV show, Money from Strangers, also filmed some footage for the show, but his role is unknown. The Media Man agency tips high ratings will follow the show, but some other commentators are not quite as sure. Don't change your dial wrestling fans. This will be reality TV like never before, and tons of laughs are in store for those of you who stick with it. For a taste, check out the WWE YouTube channel where many other WWE shows are being broadcast, such as the famous 'Long Island Story' by Zack Ryder.


The Rock 'hyped' to star in NZ-shot movie...

Hollywood actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is "hyped" about starring in a blockbuster to be filmed in New Zealand later this year.

The former pro wrestler is heading down under to star as Hercules in American film director Brett Ratner's upcoming epic by the same name.

Johnson told his 2,226,466 Twitter followers he is looking forward to the new action role.

"Hyped to become HERCULES and bring the mythology to life. #TilDeathOrGlory," he tweeted today.

The man mountain, standing at 6 feet 5 inches (195.58cm), spent a brief period of his childhood in Auckland with his mother's family.

He attended Richmond Road Primary School before returning to the United States with his parents.

Hercules is based on the 2008 Radical Publishing comic Hercules: The Thracian War, written by Steve Moore.

Variety Magazine says filming on the MGM flick is set to start in October.

Johnson has emerged as one of Hollywood's leading action stars with a string of films including Fast Five, G.I Joe: Retaliation and Faster.


'Road Warrior' Animal Says Sting Isn’t An Icon Unless He Passes Through WWE...

WWE Hall Of Famer Road Warrior Animal, who hosts Extreme Pro Wrestling Radio on 100.3 KFAN in Minneapolis, Minnesota, broadcast during a recent show that he doesn’t think Sting is a wrestling icon until he passes through WWE.

“Sting is not in the same league as guys like Triple H, Stone Cold, The Rock. Sting will never be considered a legend or icon until he lets his pride go and joins WWE. He needs to bury his personal issues and just get into the WWE. Sting has to come over to the WWE to be that guy, it’s a bigger stage. Impact is one thing, the WWE is a way bigger thing,” Animal said.

Animal also takes credit for Sting’s arrival to the National Wrestling Alliance in 1987.

“The NWA was looking for a spot for Sting and I said make him a brother in paint and then Sting joined us (Road Warriors) in our six-man matches,” he said.

On the best singles worker of all time, Animal said, “Easily, (Ric) Flair!”


The Rock Dwayne Johnson To Star In Pain and Gain (2013)

A pair of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong.

Director: Michael Bay
Writers: Scott Rosenberg (screenplay), Christopher Markus (screenplay)

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Mark Wahlberg and Ed Harris

Johnson is also set to appear in the following:

Ciudad (pre-production)
2013 Snitc* (post-production)
2012 G.I. Joe: Retaliation (post-production)
Arabian Nights (pre-production)
Sinbad (rumored)
2013 Empire State (pre-production)
2013 The Fast and the Furious 6 (pre-production)


Paul "Mr Wonderful" Orndorff recovering from cancer...

Wrestling legend Paul Orndorff recently spoke with Arda Ocal of The Score and revealed that he is now cancer free. Orndorff is one of the greatest wrestling heels of all time and was a tough as nails competitor, who drew huge money in the WWE with the likes of Hulk Hogan and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper circa 1984 to the mid 90s. We would like to see Orndorff in a pro wrestling video game and featured more often in WWE news. How about you?


Tattoo & Body Art Expo Sydney; Art, Bikes, Oddities, Pro Wrestling and more...

It may have been billed Sydney Tattoo & Body Art Expo, but tattoo's were the bread and butter of last weekend's excitement out at Homebush, and we were excited about catching pro wrestling AWF style, plus the "jail cell" action thanks to the folks at Snake Charmer.
We were told that about 5,000 passed thru the gates today (Saturday), such is the popularity of tatts and bodyart in Sydney, Australia. There were a lot more tattoos than regular bodypainting.

Most of the stall holders were really friendly, and most invited the positive media attention also.

The pro wrestling thanks to Greg "TNT" Bounds and his stable of brawlers was one of the highlights for us, as it provided some exciting action to fill out that day. We witnessed an impressive wrestling match between Ben (Iron Jay) Coles VS Gladiator Apollo, that featured both technical wrestling and brawling. After the match they both shook hands, did some off the record interviews and posed for photos (which came very naturally for them).

Back to the regular stalls...

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin from WWE fame would have been proud to hear that skulls were on display (not real ones as far as we know, but quite a few hardcore bikers were on site). There was lots of body jewellery and detailed masterpieces, on many parts of the human body. We saw hundreds of tattoos and piercings, some of which were a bit scary looking.

The customised skateboards and skatedecks at NSP were ultra cool, and it was great to see that they were raising money for some kids that had been doing it tough, so we took some pictures of their cool creations and made a modest donation.

It was the fourth annual Show and more than 300 Australian and international artists strutted their stuff, and they will be doing the same again Sunday (tomorrow).

Big thank you to the organisers of Sydney Tattoo & Body Art Expo, and especially the great folks at AWF Wrestling and Snake Charmer for the excellent performances which we captured.

Maybe WWE megastar John Cena is right when he implies Rocky has gone Hollywood. Aw well, its all entertainment.

DVD release date for WWE's "Bending the Rules" movie ...

After a brief theatrical release for WWE Studios's "Bending the Rules" movie last weekend, WWE is scheduled to release the movie on DVD/Blu-ray systems on March 27. WWE has re-released the trailer for the movie, which stars Edge, and will be released the week of WrestleMania.


WrestleMania 28 Predictions...

Media Man has been thinking of running a SP (starting price) book on WrestleMania winners and losers! Yes, we know the matches are pre determined, but there's only a handful of people in the world who would know the outcomes, such as WWE top brass Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, the wrestlers participating and the referees.

Our tips

John Cena over The Rock

Sheamus over Bryan Danielson

The Undertaker over Triple H

Chris Jericho over CM Punk

The Big Show over Cody Rhodes

Team Teddy VS Team Johnny

Media Man's pro wrestling tipsers also advises to expect one or two surprises, including more action in the ring than expected with Shaun Michaels aka "The Heartbreak Kid" (ref for The Undertaker VS Triple H) and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who likely won't be able to contain himself at the biggest event on the pro wrestling calendar. It would be pretty cool to see Dusty Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes (aka Goldust) get involved in Cody's match, but that's on the wish list. We would like to see "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka also get involved, but there's not even a rumour about that.

Keep checking Street Corner and the Media Man blog network for more on these developing news stories and more.

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