Author: Wrestling Inc.

Posted on

Big E On What He Envisions His Dream Match To Be At WrestleMania

After The New Day split up during the WWE Draft, Big E found himself defending his honor over and over again as a singles competitor on SmackDown. Just last month, his push took on new heights when he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship and successfully defended it against challengers like Apollo Crews.

This week on Oral Sessions, Renee Paquette asked Big E if his preparation to get to this spot, which has taken him almost eight years to achieve, was justified after winning the IC title.

“I think so, but in the same vein, I’m also someone who just bristles at compliments,” Big E began. “Like, I don’t know if things are going well. But it’s also a weird time because, in wrestling, your fans are your barometer.

“A crowd in Jackson, Mississippi, may respond differently from a crowd in Sacramento, or a crowd in Baltimore. When you can hit all these different towns, and it keeps working, and they’re loud, then that’s when I feel like, ‘Hey, I’ve got something good here. It’s working.’ But now, we don’t have that.”

Although his New Day brothers are now on Raw, he says Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods are still extremely supportive and continue cheering him on in the background towards bigger and better opportunities.

“They’ve always been supportive. I always appreciate that,” he exclaimed. “You know, Woods was out at the time when we first did the singles stuff, but Kofi was there. He was so genuinely happy for me and excited about whatever would come [from it]. I can’t imagine being in a group with two more selfless people, and that’s what I’ve always appreciated. It can be easy in this business to be selfish and just worry about your own push, but I love that we’re so genuinely supportive of each other and our projects in WWE or outside of the company. They were there for me, and I appreciate that!”

When Kofi Kingston became the WWE Champion at WrestleMania 35  just two years ago, the WWE Universe erupted in sheer happiness to see Kingston get his due as the world champion. For Big E, he recalls just how selfless his fellow partner was and how inspiring he became both in and out of the ring.

“I think one of the things I respected was that Kofi…there were times where he could have made it about himself, but he always included the three of us. I really appreciate that,” he complimented. “It was his moment, honestly. We were fortunate enough to be along on the ride. I’m glad we got to do the storyline in the Gauntlet Tag Team match. The reaction to that was really cool, too. Because, you know, in wrestling, it’s always about which faction member is going to screw the other. It was cool ’cause we never really did like real moments of brotherhood and sacrificing for the other, so that was really cool.

“Just seeing how hard he worked in and out of the ring, he was on all the time. He was doing everything [like] media calls, and he always did it with a smile on his face. He never complained. That’s something I’ll always remember. He was constantly going.”

With WrestleMania 37  less than three months away, Big E is gearing up towards where he’d like to be on the main event card. He’s hoping that all his hard work and preparation towards becoming the IC champion will rub off towards an opportunity on becoming a two-belt holder. He mentions to Renee who and what title he’s gunning for on his “Road to Wrestlemania.”

“Roman is clearly…when you get the WWE pecking order, he’s at the very top. Having that match is the biggest moment. I hope we’re at a point in another month or two where I feel like I’m established enough and I’m hot enough where it makes sense [for me to challenge him],” he mentioned. “In the same vein, I have no idea what the plan is. I also want this to feel earned. I think sometimes you can get too much, too soon. It’s also weird to say for someone who’s been around for eight years. Like, I don’t think I just came up, and they just handed me this world title opportunity. But a match with Roman for the world title [would be great].”

You can listen to Big E’s full interview here. If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Oral Sessions w/Renée Paquette with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

The post Big E On What He Envisions His Dream Match To Be At WrestleMania appeared first on Wrestling Inc..

Posted on

AAA Title Match And More Added To MLW Fusion Card

Major League Wrestling has added a AAA World Cruiserweight Title match to the loaded line-up for Wednesday’s MLW Fusion episode.

MLW announced today that AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Laredo Kid will defend his title against Zenshi on Wednesday’s show.

This is the first time that the title will be defended in MLW. Promotion boss Court Bauer said this week’s show is just the beginning of the promotion vs. promotion matches that he promised.

“I promised promotion vs. promotion crossover title matches and this is just the beginning,” Bauer said. “We’re giving you 2 big title fights this week on FUSION that carry a lot of prestige and significance in Mexico and Puerto Rico. I want to thank AAA for sharing our enthusiasm in building a shared universe where we can give fans what they want: fresh, interpromotional clashes.”

New #1 contenders to the MLW World Tag Team Titles will also be crowned on Fusion tomorrow night. TJP and Bu Ku Dao will face Violence Is Forever (Dominic Garrini and Kevin Ku) with the winners earning a title match with new MLW World Tag Team Champions Los Parks.

MLW has also announced that “Filthy” Tom Lawlor will be on Wednesday’s show to address rumors surrounding the upcoming Filthy Island event scheduled for February 17.

The storyline is that Filthy Island is now facing financial woes as big sponsors such as Reebok, Vitamins & Minerals and New Law Offices are pulling out of backing the tropical fighting extravaganza on the beaches of Honolulu. It was noted that the backlash is due to Lawlor helping Los Parks win the MLW World Tag Team Titles from The Von Erichs last week, and Team Filthy attacking ACH outside of his gym just days before ACH challenged MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu, apparently over his affiliation with The Von Erichs.

On a related note, MLW has released the opening video for the Caribbean Strap Match that will air tomorrow night on Fusion. You can watch that video at the end of this post. The match will see IWA Caribbean Heavyweight Champion Savio Vega defend his title against Richard Holliday.

Stay tuned for more on MLW and be sure to join us tomorrow night at 7pm ET for live Fusion coverage. Below is the updated line-up:

* Caribbean Strap Match: IWA Caribbean Heavyweight Champion Savio Vega defends against Richard Holliday

* AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Laredo Kid defends against Zenshi

* Violence Is Forever vs. TJP and Bu Ku Dao to determine new #1 contenders to new MLW World Tag Team Champions Los Parks

* “Filthy” Tom Lawlor will address the Filthy Island rumors

* Appearances by The Von Erichs, Alicia Atout, and more

The post AAA Title Match And More Added To MLW Fusion Card appeared first on Wrestling Inc..

Posted on

John Cena Reportedly Confirmed For WWE WrestleMania 37

Veteran WWE Superstar John Cena is reportedly returning to the ring at WrestleMania 37.

There is no word yet on if Cena will be working Night One or Night Two of WrestleMania 37, or who his opponent will be, but Ringside News reports that Cena is now a 100% lock for The Grandest Stage of Them All this year.

Regarding Cena’s match for WrestleMania 37, one WWE creative source noted, “I don’t think even Cena knows.”

There’s also no word on how many episodes of RAW or SmackDown that Cena will be able to appear on to build to his WrestleMania 37 bout.

It was rumored that Cena was locked in for the next three WrestleMania events, and while he could end up working those shows, he is not booked that far in advance at all, according to the report. WWE recently announced WrestleMania 37 for Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, WrestleMania 38 for April 3, 2022 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, and WrestleMania 39 on April 2, 2023 at SoFi Stadium in Hollywood, CA.

Cena has not been seen since losing the Firefly Fun House Match to “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36 last year.

Stay tuned for more on Cena’s WWE status and WrestleMania 37.

The post John Cena Reportedly Confirmed For WWE WrestleMania 37 appeared first on Wrestling Inc..

Posted on

Details On WWE Network’s Move To Peacock

Big news was made in the entertainment world when it was announced that NBCUniversal’s Peacock network would be the new home of the WWE Network in the U.S. The deal is reportedly for five years worth $1 billion.

On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that he told that all content on the WWE Network will be on Peacock. However, there is no indication as to whether content will be slowly rolled out, but Meltzer said that all hours of WWE Network content should move over on March 18.

It was noted that WWE still owns all the content, and NBC “is renting” WWE content for five years. As previously reported, the Network will continue to operate for users outside of the United States.

Peacock subscribers will not have to pay extra for PPVs. This move differs from UFC and ESPN’s arrangement where ESPN+ subscribers also have to pay for UFC PPVs. It was also noted that Peacock does not own the exclusive PPV rights for WWE PPVs, so fans can still order PPVs in the traditional manner.

It was noted that ESPN is only cutting ties with WWE and not wrestling in general. There is no ban on getting guests from other wrestling promotions like an AEW. In theory, ESPN could bring on a Shaquille O’Neal or Mike Tyson to talk about what they did on AEW, or they could bring on AEW EVP Cody Rhodes for an interview segment.

The post Details On WWE Network’s Move To Peacock appeared first on Wrestling Inc..

Posted on

WWE Superstar Spectacle Results, Wrestler Misses Show, India PC Plans, Great Khali

WWE’s first-ever Superstar Spectacle event aired today on the WWE Network, and in India on local TV to celebrate Republic Day in the country.

The event featured Jinder Mahal returning to the ring after being out of action with a knee injury since May 2020. WWE Champion Drew McIntyre also wrestled his first match since being out for two weeks with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

WWE Superstar Spectacle also featured several Indian talents in action. The goal of Superstar Spectacle was to drum up enough buzz for there to be a weekly WWE show in India, perhaps something like a WWE NXT India brand. The Superstar Spectacle tapings, held last Friday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, featured Jinder hyping the ThunderDome crowd to encourage them to cheer and tweet their support for a potential weekly show in India.

NXT Superstar Kavita Devi was originally announced for the show but she did not appear. WWE aired a video package on Devi and Cole noted that she was back in India dealing with family, but would be with us in the near future. Devi signed with WWE in 2017 and is the first Indian female pro wrestler to work for the company.

English commentary for Superstar Spectacle was done by Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Sharoz Ali. There was also commentary done in Hindi. The broadcast opened up with Triple H narrating a video package that talked about the WWE Universe in India, WWE’s past and present connections to India, and the importance of the country to WWE.

WWE did a good job of promoting the Indian talents who worked Superstar Spectacle. A video package on each Superstar aired before their match, and generally they were booked for strong in-ring performances.

Cole did mention on commentary that WWE has a goal of launching a Performance Center in India some time in the next few years.

Below are full results from Superstar Spectacle, along with clips from the show:

* NXT Champion Finn Balor defeated Guru Raaj with Coup de Grace and 1916. The story was that Raaj was the underdog challenging the veteran, Balor, who was too much for him in the end. Balor shook Raaj’s hand after the match in a show of respect

* Rey Mysterio, Ricochet, Giant Zanjeer and Dilsher Shanky defeated Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura, King Baron Corbin and SmackDown Tag Team Champion Dolph Ziggler. Shanky and Zanjeer are both proteges of former World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali, and were booked as strong big men. The match ended with Rey hitting a splash from Shanky’s shoulders, onto Cesaro for the pin

* AJ Styles defeated Jeet Rama. The 40 year old Rama has been with NXT since 2015 and his success in India was played up during this match, billing him as a veteran who could hang with AJ. The match ended after Omos saved AJ from a superplex. Rama fell to the mat and AJ followed up with the Phenomenal Forearm for the pin. There was a show of respect from AJ to Rama after the match

* The New Day’s Xavier Woods and WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E came to the ring for a Bhangra dance segment with The Street Profits. A “Spinning Canvas” group of dancers joined them

* A video from The Great Khali aired with the former World Heavyweight Champion wishing everyone a Happy Republic Day

* Sareena Sandhu and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Charlotte Flair defeated Bayley and Natalya. It was noted on commentary that Sandhu trained with one of Bayley’s original trainers. Sandhu was not as experienced as the other Indian talents, but she got the pin on Natalya after Flair hit Natalya with Natural Selection as Natalya had the Sharpshooter on Sandhu. This was billed as a big upset win for Sandhu. Charlotte and Sandhu did the Flair strut after the match

* A video package on NXT’s Kavita Devi aired. She has been with WWE since 2017 and is the first Indian female pro wrestler to wrestle for the company. Devi was previously announced for Superstar Spectacle but Cole said she was in India tonight dealing with family, and would be with us in the near future

* WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair came to the ring and talked about how it was an honor to be here and to be in front of so many fans from India. Flair wished everyone a Happy Republic Day and introduced the main event

* Indus Sher and WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defeated Jinder Mahal and The Bollywood Boyz in the main event. Jinder interrupted Flair, but Drew’s entrance interrupted Jinder’s promo. Drew ran his former 3MB partner down on the mic and said this was about the fans in India, not Jinder. Drew then introduced Indus Sher, saying he’s created his own Three Man Band (3MB) of Destruction for tonight. Saurav Gurjar and Rinku Singh of NXT’s Indus Sher were booked as a strong, dominant tag team. The finish saw Indus Sher put The Bollywood Boyz away after Drew and Jinder went at it

Superstar Spectacle then went off the air with the Indian talents in the ring celebrating with McIntyre and Triple H as pyro went off and music played. The replay can be viewed now on the WWE Network.

Below are several photos and clips from Superstar Spectacle:

(Photo Credit: WWE)

The post WWE Superstar Spectacle Results, Wrestler Misses Show, India PC Plans, Great Khali appeared first on Wrestling Inc..

Posted on

Ryback To Consult Attorney Over Mark Henry War Of Words

Former WWE Superstar Ryback says he’s going to talk with his attorney about potential legal options for the recent public debacle with WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry.

As noted, Ryback and Henry went back & forth over Twitter and Busted Open Radio earlier this month. You can click here for a recap of the lengthy statements from both wrestlers.

The Big Guy tweeted this week and claimed he was slandered by The World’s Strongest Man. He previously accused Henry of cutting a “paid advertisement” for WWE. Ryback now says he will be talking to his attorney about potential options.

“Going to be speaking with my attorney concerning my options for the recent @wwe @themarkhenry @bustedopenradio situation of outright slander. Luckily enough people know me to know the truth, but can’t sit back and allow WWE to further do this. Thanks for the support,” Ryback wrote.

Henry has not addressed the latest tweet by Ryback, but we will keep you updated. You can see Ryback’s full tweet below:

The post Ryback To Consult Attorney Over Mark Henry War Of Words appeared first on Wrestling Inc..

Posted on

Vince McMahon And Edge Notes From Last Night’s RAW

WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon was not in attendance for last night’s Royal Rumble go-home edition of RAW, according to Ringside News. While Vince was not at the venue, he was in regular communication with Triple H, Bruce Prichard and Kevin Dunn as they were in charge this week, and he was making tweaks to the show.

Last night’s RAW marked the second show in a row that Vince has missed as he also missed Friday’s Superstar Spectacle and SmackDown taping. As noted before, Vince’s older brother Rod McMahon passed away last week.

WWE Hall of Famer Edge was also not at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg for last night’s RAW show, according to PWInsider. The pre-recorded promo announcing Edge’s ring return for Sunday’s 30-Man Royal Rumble Match was filmed inside the wrestling ring that he keeps on his property in North Carolina.

For those who missed it, you can see the promo from Edge in the video above.

The post Vince McMahon And Edge Notes From Last Night’s RAW appeared first on Wrestling Inc..

Posted on

Arn Anderson Reveals Recent Battle With COVID-19

To start off his recent episode of his podcast ARN, WWE Hall of Famer and AEW coach Arn Anderson, 62, opened up about his battle with COVID-19. Anderson stated that he had previously been tested three times, and all three tests came back negative. However, he detailed his experience with COVID-19 where he was in bed for a week and experienced hallucinations.

“I got really really sick a couple of weeks ago for about 10 days,” Anderson revealed. “Thank God it was during the period we were off in AEW, and I wasn’t exposed to anybody and quarantined in my house. I know the symptoms vary from person to person and age group, but let me tell you, I got sick as hell. It scared me to death.

“I was in the bed for probably a week. I couldn’t drink anything. I couldn’t eat anything. I was hallucinating. I was looking at my ceiling, and I saw ice forming on my ceiling. I had one day there for a minute where I couldn’t catch my breath. It was a lot of things I hadn’t experienced in my life that scared me to death.”

Anderson took the time to tell his podcast listeners similar remarks that President Joe Biden has stated where while there is a vaccine out, the pandemic could get worse due to the flu season. Anderson urged his audience to encourage everyone to take the proper precautions against COVID-19 like wearing a mask and social distancing. He also encouraged his audience to be nice to the people around them and help out others if they can.

“So what I want to do is reiterate to everybody out there, guys, this thing is bad,” Anderson said. “It’s really bad, and it varies from person to person. We have not 1000% turned the corner in this getting better. If anything, we’re getting into that peak season where people are starting to talk flu and all that.

“So I’m begging you, as a member of our family (his podcast audience), tell everybody you know, wear a mask, do the social distancing, just take care of yourself in general. Try not to get a cold, try not to get the flu. If you don’t have to go somewhere, don’t, and I know there’s a huge huge hangover in this country with all of our nurses, and doctors, and police officers and you name it, everybody out there on the frontlines have been pulling 80-90, I’m sure 100 hour shifts, so do something for those people.

“Do something nice for a stranger. Do something nice for a family member. If you can afford to make a house payment for them, or a car payment or take them grocery shopping. We are in a situation here that’s unprecedented, and if we don’t look after each other, as citizens, it’s not gonna get done.”

Anderson also revealed that his last test showed that he had the antibodies that shows that he did have the coronavirus. However, he reiterates that he did not ever test positive. He encouraged everyone to work together to get through the pandemic.

“This past Wednesday morning, all of a sudden, I had the antibodies for having COVID, which meant I had had it, but at no point did I test positive for it,” Anderson explained. “So what was going on in my bedroom for a week was absolutely COVID, and it was brutal. It was hard to deal with because all I could do — you go days without drinking water hardly because you can’t get it down.

“You go a week without food. It’s tough, so all I’m asking is listen to some common sense. Go the extra mile. For those of us that can do it, do something nice for a stranger. Do something nice for a family member. Do something nice for a friend and let’s get this thing knocked out.”

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit ARN with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

The post Arn Anderson Reveals Recent Battle With COVID-19 appeared first on Wrestling Inc..

Posted on

Matt Cardona Announces New Version Of “Z! True Long Island Story”

Matt Cardona (fka Zack Ryder) is bringing back a new podcast version of his popular “Z! True Long Island Story” YouTube series that was a major hit several years ago during his WWE run.

Cardona and Brian Myers (fka Curt Hawkins), who are both currently working for Impact Wrestling, have announced an extension of their Major Wrestling Figure brand – their new Major Pod Network.

The launch includes two new original podcast series – the “MC! True Long Island Story” show to premiere on Wednesday, February 17, and the “Extreme Conversations with Brian Myers” show to premiere later this year.

“Thanks to our fans, the 30-minute podcast we started in August 2018 has turned into a brand. We have a YouTube channel, merchandise, action figures, live shows, and more,” Cardona said in a press release. “Our fans demanded more content, and we will give it to them with The Major Pod Network!”

A teaser promo for Ryder’s new podcast show can be seen above. The official press release included the following description of the show, which notes that Cardona will explain the controversy regarding WWE’s involvement in the original “Z! True Long Island Story” series and how he lost the rights to it:

“This podcast will be a deep-dive into Cardona’s groundbreaking YouTube series, ‘Z! True Long Island Story,’ which pioneered the use of social media to develop a wrestling character and promote storylines–a practice now typical across professional wrestling companies. Cardona, along with co-host Sterling and occasional guests from the show’s history, will rewatch all 100 episodes of “Z! True Long Island Story” and discuss the concept behind the series. Each week, they will tackle one episode, providing a behind-the-scenes look at scripting, casting, and production–all while placing it in the broader context of Cardona’s career and the wrestling business at the time. And of course, Cardona will go in-depth into the controversy regarding WWE involvement in the show and his eventual loss of rights to the series.”

Stay tuned for more on the new projects from Cardona and Myers. You can read their announcement with full details below:

Professional Wrestlers Matt Cardona and Brian Myers Launch Podcast Network and 2 New Original Series

Professional wrestlers Matt Cardona and Brian Myers (formerly known as Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins, respectively) are launching their own podcast network, The Major Pod Network, to expand upon the success of their flagship show, The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast, and its several media platforms. The launch includes two new original podcast series that will be must-listens for any professional wrestling fan.

Over the past three years, Cardona and Myers—along with producer Mark Sterling—have built a strong following for The Major Wrestling Figure podcast, its merchandise, and its YouTube, Twitch, and Patreon channels through their passionate discussions of wrestling figures, collectibles, and memorabilia. As lifelong wrestling fans and collectors, the trio’s mission is to share their love for professional wrestling, collecting, and nostalgia. The Major Pod Network builds upon that vision by expanding to six podcasts total and broadening the brand’s scope to other collectibles and topics beyond wrestling. As part of the network’s launch, The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast’s existing YouTube and Twitch channels will now carry The Major Pod Network name, to reflect the broader mix of content to come.

“Thanks to our fans, the 30-minute podcast we started in August 2018 has turned into a brand. We have a YouTube channel, merchandise, action figures, live shows, and more,” Cardona says. “Our fans demanded more content, and we will give it to them with The Major Pod Network!”

The Network is especially excited to announce the Feb. 17 launch of a new original podcast series, MC! True Long Island Story. This podcast will be a deep-dive into Cardona’s groundbreaking YouTube series, “Z! True Long Island Story,” which pioneered the use of social media to develop a wrestling character and promote storylines—a practice now typical across professional wrestling. Cardona, along with co-host Sterling and occasional guests from the show’s history, will rewatch all 100 episodes of “Z! True Long Island Story” and discuss the concept behind the series. They will tackle one episode each week, providing a behind-the-scenes look at scripting, casting, and production—while placing it in the broader context of Cardona’s career and the wrestling business at the time. And of course, Cardona will discuss in-depth the controversy regarding the WWE’s involvement in the YouTube show and his eventual loss of rights to the series.

The Network is also thrilled to announce the launch of another new original podcast series, Extreme Conversations With Brian Myers. Each episode of Extreme Conversations explores a historic moment from classic ECW, with interviews from the very wrestlers involved and other insiders—while weaving in Myers’ own memories. In the pilot episode, Myers discusses ECW’s infamous Heat Wave 2000 event and the brawl that broke out between rival promotions. Former ECW wrestlers Francine, Justin Credible, Nova, and Steve Corino share their memories of the chaotic night. This pilot episode is already available, and more episodes will be released later this year with a bingeable, short-season format.

The flagship Major Wrestling Figure Podcast, MC! True Long Island Story, Extreme Conversations With Brian Myers, and the Network’s three other podcasts—Figure Wrestling Federation, Off the Hop Rope, and The Game Marks Podcast—will each have their own feed wherever podcasts are found. For more information or interview requests, contact majorpodcast@gmail.com.

The Major Pod Network’s full slate of podcasts includes:

* The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast: Join Matt Cardona (former WWE Superstar Zack Ryder) and Brian Myers (former WWE Superstar Curt Hawkins) as they talk about one of their favorite hobbies—collecting wrestling toys! Each week these two wrestlers chat about the latest news, upcoming releases, toy history, vintage collecting, and much more! As lifelong wrestling fans and wrestling memorabilia experts, they have plenty to say about the world of wrestling collectibles. They started the obsession as kids and continued it through adulthood, and now as professional wrestlers, they have their own figures and merchandise, plus an insider’s look at the wrestling figure business. If you collect anything wrestling, this is the podcast for you! For more information: https://majorwfpod.com or @majorwfpod on Twitter.

* MC! True Long Island Story: This podcast will be a deep-dive into Cardona’s groundbreaking YouTube series, “Z! True Long Island Story,” which pioneered the use of social media to develop a wrestling character and promote storylines–a practice now typical across professional wrestling companies. Cardona, along with co-host Sterling and occasional guests from the show’s history, will rewatch all 100 episodes of “Z! True Long Island Story” and discuss the concept behind the series. Each week, they will tackle one episode, providing a behind-the-scenes look at scripting, casting, and production–all while placing it in the broader context of Cardona’s career and the wrestling business at the time. And of course, Cardona will go in-depth into the controversy regarding WWE involvement in the show and his eventual loss of rights to the series. Launch date: Feb. 17, 2021.

* Extreme Conversations With Brian Myers: Each episode explores a historic moment from classic ECW, with interviews from the very wrestlers involved and other insiders—while weaving in Myers’ own memories. In the pilot episode, Myers discusses ECW’s infamous Heat Wave 2000 event and the brawl that broke out between rival promotions that night. Former ECW wrestlers Francine, Justin Credible, Nova, and Steve Corino share their memories from the chaotic night. This pilot episode is available now, and more episodes will be released later this year. Find episode 1 here.

* Figure Wrestling Federation: The Figure Wrestling Federation podcast is the wrestling entertainment every fan has ever dreamed of. In season 1, wrestling stars Brian Myers and Matt Cardona draft Attitude Era wrestling figures—such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and other iconic superstars. Each week they “book” and present wrestling shows for their respective brands, called “Thrill Zone” and “Turmoil,” in their battle for brand supremacy! Tune in each week for their Wednesday night wars presentation, which leads to a blowout “pay-per-view” event. Season 1 will soon be available in full and free wherever you can find podcasts.

* Off the Hop Rope: This nearly 3-year-old podcast will be relaunching with a new format as it joins The Major Pod Network. This watch-along podcast is a gem for any fan of wrestling and wrestling nostalgia—especially those who rewatch iconic matches while holding a beer. It’s a time-honored tradition to enjoy a brewski with your wrasslin’, and hosts/wrestlers Mark Sterling (producer of The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast), “Top Shelf” Troy Nelson, and Nick Stapp believe you should be drinking the perfect beer with the perfect match. In the show’s new format, each season will cover a historic period or theme in wrestling history—it could be the rise of Stone Cold Steve Austin, or a look back at other legendary wrestlers or infamous feuds. In each episode, the co-hosts will rewatch a match from the period in focus, and carefully select the perfect beer to go with it—enlightening fans not only on wrestling lore, but of some tasty brews to discover. Steve Austin’s Broken Skull IPA while watching Stone Cold versus Bret Hart in their famous 1997 “I Quit” match from Wrestlemania 13? Oh hell yeah. For more information: Check out @offthehoprope on Twitter or find it on Apple podcasts or wherever you can find podcasts.

* The Game Marks Podcast: Join George Feis and Johnny Clash each week as they do a deep dive into the good, the bad, and the awesome of wrestling video games. Do your favorite games stand the test of time, or are you playing them with nostalgia goggles? Listen each week as George and John let you know if they would “Play It Forever,” or if it’s just a “Future Endeavor.” New episodes are available every Monday, wherever podcasts can be found. For more info: Check out @GameMarksPod on Twitter, or find it on ‎Apple podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

The post Matt Cardona Announces New Version Of “Z! True Long Island Story” appeared first on Wrestling Inc..

Posted on

Roman Reigns Comments On His On-Screen Future With Paul Heyman

WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns recently spoke with Brent Brookhouse of CBS Sports to promote Sunday’s Last Man Standing match against Kevin Owens at the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

Reigns also discussed his relationship with Paul Heyman. Reigns talked about how Heyman is a pleasure to be around, and how Heyman really has been there for him.

“He’s just a pleasure to be around,” Reigns said of Heyman. “Not only that, to be able to work with him? A lot of people just look at him as this creative genius and someone who is masterful on the microphone. But, the attention to detail is in every area, from anything that I need. This man has gotten me towels from the hotel to make sure they’re big enough, to picking me up custom steaks from the butcher last week. This guy does not cut his corners, he really is all hands on deck.

“It’s not just what he does from a creative standpoint or on camera, and he’s the greatest of all time with what he does in promoting and selling his athletes and how much demand he puts on the matches he’s involved in. He really does anything under the sun to make sure that the talent he’s working with is completely comfortable and focused on what they’re doing. It’s been a pleasure to work with him.”

It was noted that with Reigns and Heyman on TV, Heyman’s swagger is gone for the most part as he is usually seen desperately looking to please Reigns, while fearing his wrath. Their off-screen relationship is “wildly different” but Reigns said it’s quickly built to the point where he can’t see a place in the future where he does not have Heyman by his side, even if they’re not paired on TV.

“If something happens and we’re no longer on screen together, I don’t think I’ll ever want to work without him one way or another,” Reigns said. “Even if we’re not a pairing on television anymore, I will still want and need him at television to work with me. Even throughout the week. We’ll start texting throughout the week to get ideas and figure out the message we want to get across. It’s a weekly battle where we don’t always get our way, but we try our best to do that. It’s definitely a really neat scenario as far as brainstorming and creative spitballing in trying to push the envelope and create the most sophisticated narrative every week.

“We say it every week: attention to detail. Those details are what make the product and hook people. We don’t want to insult our audience and make them think we feel they’re stupid; we know they’re not. Especially our hardcore fanbase, they’ve been watching professional wrestling and sports entertainment for a long time, they’ve seen it all. So we constantly think about what we can do to be different. What we can do to be better. And what we can do to achieve greatness every single week.”

The post Roman Reigns Comments On His On-Screen Future With Paul Heyman appeared first on Wrestling Inc..