Category: WWE News

Submitted by Jacob Tallman

– Blake, Murphy and Alexa did the meet and greet. All very nice people. Also ran into Zack Ryder doing his hair in the bathroom before the show.

– Solomon Crowe vs. Uhaa Nation: Uhaa won with a press slam into 2 standing backflips.

– Carmella, Devin Taylor and Cassie vs Alexa, Leena and Newf (???): Alexa, Leena and Newf won when Alexa rolled up Carmella.

– Marcus Louis vs Bull Dempsey: Bull Dempsey won with a sit down splash off the top rope. May have killed the guy. Marcus Louie is trying too hard with this ‘crazy’ gimmick.

– Non-Title Match: Enzo and Big Cass vs. Jason Jordan and Chad Gable vs Tag Team Champions Blake and Murphy: Enzo and Big Cass won with the rocket launcher.

– Jessie vs Women’s Champion Sasha Banks: Sasha won with the Banks Statement.

– Tye Dillinger vs. Braun Stowman: Stowman won with a modified slam. Dillinger continues to be one of the most entertaining superstars in NXT.

– Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder vs. Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder: Mojo and Zack won with the Ruff Ryder. Mojo is annoying.

– Tyler Breeze vs. Baron Corbin: Tyler Breeze won with the beauty shot.

Submitted by Leonard Brand

From the Dow Events Center

– Neville pinned Bo Dallas

– Damien Sandow & Curtis Axel defeated The Miz & Heath Slater

– Alicia Fox & Emma defeated Cameron & Summer Rae

– Dolph Ziggler pinned King Barrett

– Cesaro defeated Erick Rowan by submission

– WWE Tag Team champions Titus O’Neal & Darren Young defeated Big E. & Kofi Kingston

– WWE United States champion John Cena defeated Kane in a steel cage match.

The following is a press release:

STAMFORD, CONN – June 19, 2015 – WWE will turn to Periscope, a new live streaming app, to give fans a look through the eyes of the competitors as the drama unfolds each week during training and competitions leading up to the weekly premieres of the new hard hitting reality series to air on USA Network, WWE Tough Enough. The @WWEToughEnough account on Periscope will also include guest appearances from the show’s host WWE Superstar Chris Jericho®, Tough Enough judges WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan®, WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan® and WWE Diva Paige™, as well as various other WWE Superstars and Divas. 

Starting June 23, WWE Tough Enough will air weekly on Tuesdays at 8/7C on USA Network. Outside of the U.S., WWE Tough Enough airs live on OSN Sports 2 HD across the Middle East and North Africa, Ten Sports in the Indian subcontinent, Cielo in Italy and on YouTube around the rest of the world.

“WWE is already best in class when it comes to utilizing Twitter to engage with their massive global fan base,” said Danny Keens, Head of North American Sports Partnerships at Twitter. “Periscope allows anyone in the world to share and experience live video and now fans of WWE’s Tough Enough can further engage with talent from the show live in real-time. WWE is removing another barrier and allowing fans to have a deeper connection with their favorite WWE stars.”

“This new innovative partnership with Periscope will ensure that WWE Tough Enough never goes off the air,” said Lisa Fox, WWE Executive Vice President, Content. “This daily all-access content will bring our fans closer to the competitors, the action and the drama than in any other reality show.”

WWE Tough Enough combines the can’t-miss excitement of live television with reality-show drama, as WWE hopefuls vie for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the next WWE Superstar or Diva. Unlike anything on television today, the lightning-fast hour of entertainment and competition will include live results every week, giving fans worldwide the power to decide who stays and who goes the very same night.

Every week, the three judges will each nominate one competitor they believe should be cut, and it will be up to the WWE Universe to vote and determine who they feel is “Tough Enough,” to remain in the competition. The competitor with the least number of votes will be eliminated. Throughout the season, each judge will have the ability to save one competitor from being sent home. Ultimately, one man and one woman will be considered “Tough Enough,” with each earning a one-year, $250,000 WWE contract.

The revolutionary WWE Tough Enough App is now available for download.  This app will provide an unprecedented fan experience before, during and after the show by enabling fans to vote for who stays and who goes with results calculated in real-time during the final minutes of each episode.   The app will also include competitor bios and video and social updates as the competition unfolds throughout the week.

The following are results from WWE’s latest NXT TV tapings from Full Sail University in Orlando, FL:

– Uhaa Nation b Johnny Gargano (dark match)

– They did a tribute to Dusty Rhodes before starting the show with everyone on stage, including a very emotional HHH. You can see the open here.

Wednesday, 6/24:

– Hideo Itami said he would be going to the Tokyo show and wanted the winner of the Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor title match. Owens came out and said that wouid be him. He also again denied attacking Itami and wanted Itami to apologize for saying he was a bad person. Itami refused to apologize. Owens threatened him, until Balor made the save. Rhyno then laid out Balor.

– Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady b Jason Jordan & Sylvester Lefort

– Dana Brooke b K.C.

– Zack Ryder & Mojo Brawley b Sawyler Fulton & Angelo Dawkins

– Finn Balor b Rhyno. Owens was on commentary. Owens and Rhyno beat up Balor after the match until Samoa Joe made the save.

Wednesday, 7/1:

– Vaudevillains b Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder

– Baron Corbin b Tucker Knight

– Emma b Carmella

– Tyler Breeze b Tye Dillinger

– Samoa Joe & Finn Balor b NXT Champion Kevin Owens & Rhyno

Wednesday, 7/8:

– Charlotte & NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks b Emma & Dana Brooke. Charlotte challenged Sasha Banks to a tilte match after.  Banks was positioned as a face here, so if/when she starts in WWE, it looks like it’ll be as a face.

– Solomon Crowe b Marcus Louis

– Vaudevillains b Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady to earn a tag team title shot

Most likely much of this show will be highlights from the Tokyo show.

Wednesday, 7/15:

– Jason Jordan & Chad Gable b Elias Sampson & Steve Cutler

– Samoa Joe b Axel Tischer

– Eva Marie said she would be at ringside for the Charlotte vs. Sasha title match and wanted the winner and would make her NXT debut on the next show.

– NXT Tag Team Champions Blake & Murphy b Sawyer Fulton & Angelo Dawkins

– Sami Zayn did an interview and said 2014 was the best year of his career but 2015 has sucked. He said he won’t be back in action until the end of the year, but when he comes back, he will win the NXT title and get his revenge on Owens. He didn’t say he would do both, giving the impression Owens won’t be NXT champion, but it could be taken either way.

– NXT Divas Champion Sasha Banks b Charlotte.  Both hugged when it was over like they were back together as a unit. 

Mike Hayes, the OVW star and war veteran who was in the Tough Enough tryouts but didn’t make the final cut, is going to be hired by WWE after all. 

The WWE released a video Thursday of WWE Senior Director of Talent Development Canyon Ceman telling Hayes that he will have an opportunity in WWE when he feels he’s ready and that the company always honors its word.

Photo: WWE.com

By Steve Khan, WrestlingObserver.com

– Air Date: June 18, 2015 (June 17 in Canada)
– Location: First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY

The Big News:

Sheamus pinned Roman Reigns in a tag-team main event.

Show Recap:

They aired the Dusty Rhodes graphic to applause from the crowd.

Sheamus came out, held up the Money in the Bank briefcase and asked, “How stupid do I look now?” Sheamus said he would be the next World Champion and no one could stand in his way. He replayed video of himself beating up Randy Orton last week on Raw. Sheamus said he would be champion, and acknowledged the possibility of going through Seth Rollins or Brock Lesnar.

Dean Ambrose came out to remind Sheamus that Ambrose beat him on Raw and that Roman Reigns would have the briefcase if not for Bray Wyatt. Ambrose said he could beat Sheamus again and give the contract to its rightful owner. Sheamus mocked Ambrose for not being able to win the big one, which is why he’s always stealing.

Sheamus put the briefcase down and challenged Ambrose to get it, but Kane interrupted. Kane was tired of Ambrose causing trouble so he made a 2-on-1 handicap match so they could take him out like they did Orton. Shouldn’t Kane, the director of operations, at least pretend to be playing fair?

Sheamus & Kane beat Dean Ambrose via DQ

Ambrose was all over them for about a minute but was knocked off the top rope by Kane and they double teamed him. Reigns’ music hit and they awaited his arrival, but Reigns came out through a different part of the crowd, jumped Kane from behind and ran off both guys.

Ambrose and Reigns stood together in the ring. Ambrose wasn’t selling his leg at all. Later, they announced a tag match for the main event.

Backstage, Renee Young asked Reigns and Ambrose about their upcoming match. Reigns ignored the question to threaten Bray Wyatt. Reigns said he doesn’t run, and Wyatt better find Reigns before Reigns finds him. Reigns walked away, so Renee tried to ask Dean a question but he blew her off and followed Reigns. This little bit by Reigns is exactly how he should be presented.

Brie Bella beat Paige via pinfall

The announcers explained that Nikki Bella isn’t at ringside because the Bellas wanted to prove that they don’t need help. With the referee distracted, Alicia Fox pushed Paige off the top rope, and Brie won with an X-Factor. Afterwards, Fox posed with both Bellas on the stage. Nothing match.

They replayed Kevin Owens powerbombing Machine Gun Kelly. They also showed Owens’ Twitter apology, explaining that The Authority made him apologize. Backstage, Renee asked Owens to explain why he powerbombed MGK. Owens said he already apologized, but acknowledged that it never would have happened if John Cena’s buddy MGK didn’t touch him first.

Renee asked why Owens didn’t defend his title against Dolph Ziggler. Owens said it didn’t matter, because he won anyway. Owens then made Renee repeat the fact that he beat Ziggler. Owens said he doesn’t need to pander like Cena, and likes it when guys earn a title shot.

Cesaro interrupted and said all he doesn’t see Kill Owens Kill, he hears Talk Owens Talk. He challenged Owens to a match and touched his chest, making it clear he touched Owens first, like MGK. Owens smirked. This was good.

Dolph Ziggler (w/ Lana) beat Bo Dallas via pinfall

They replayed Lana twisting her ankle, but of course she was walking around fine here. Bo told Lana that if he saw Ziggler’s dating profile pop-up, he’d swipe left and keep looking for a real man. He said somebody better would come along if she bo-lieves. Ziggler won quickly with a Zig-Zag. Lana kissed him and Rusev freaked out backstage.

Neville beat Xavier Woods (w/New Day) via pinfall

Woods immediately knocked Neville down with a forearm and stomped him at least 20 times in a row. Neville came back with a corkscrew plancha to the outside. Big E and Kofi Kingston were about to go after him, but the Prime Time Player ran out. After a quick brawl outside, Neville won with Red Arrow. This segment was a waste of time.

Seth Rollins came out and called himself the biggest star in the company, the champion and the future of the industry. Rollins said he’s always under intense scrutiny and everything he does gets magnified for the world to see. Indeed.

Rollins said he never gets thanked and all anyone wanted to know were his thoughts on Brock Lesnar. Rollins was shocked to see Lesnar, but he realized that this is what he needs. After beating Orton, Reigns and Ambrose, he needs to beat Lesnar to cement his legacy.

Rollins said Lesnar stepped into the ring on Raw but did nothing, because he remembers WrestleMania, and Rollins would’ve knocked Lesnar’s teeth down his throat if he tried something. Rollins ended by saying he’s looking forward to facing Lesnar at Battleground.

Backstage, Ambrose told Reigns he can’t wait to rip Sheamus’ stupid braids out of his face. Reigns wasn’t paying attention. Ambrose got his attention and told him not to worry about Bray. Reigns told Ambrose not to mention Bray. Reigns said they would take care of business tonight, and then Reigns needed to get home.

NXT Champion Kevin Owens beat Cesaro via pinfall – Non-Title

Cesaro hit a suicide dive and almost landed on his head. That was scary. He followed with a running uppercut. After a break, Cesaro battled out of a chinlock and hit a beautiful springboard uppercut. Owens came back with a tornado DDT, but Cesaro followed with a side Death Valley driver.

Owens used a release German and cannonball for two. Cesaro used uppercuts and a high dropkick, but Owens crotched him on the ropes and hit the pop-up powerbomb for the win. Good match.

They aired a segment called “Miz at the Movies” which consisted of Miz burying Big Show and his new movie. I was ready to hate this, but Miz was really good.

They announced that the Dusty Rhodes special will air again following SmackDown. Jerry Lawler said it was an honour to host it. Byron Saxton said Dusty had the ability to make everyone feel like they were the most important person in the room. They aired the tribute video.

Sheamus & Kane beat Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose via pinfall

The heels beat up Ambrose forever until Reigns made the hot tag. Ambrose took out Kane with a rebound clothesline, but was knocked out by Sheamus. Reigns hit Sheamus with a superman punch.

Bray Wyatt appeared on the screen singing “I’m a little teapot,” holding a picture of Reigns and his daughter. This distracted Reigns so Sheamus got him with a Brogue kick for the win.

After the match, Bray was on the screen laughing. He wished Reigns a happy Father’s Day and told him to run. The lights went out, and when they came back on, the picture of Reigns and his daughter was in the ring next to Roman. Reigns looked worried and the show ended.

Final Thoughts:

Owens and Cesaro was worth watching, but this was otherwise every SmackDown we’re used to seeing, and the quiet Buffalo crowd didn’t help.

RIP Dusty.

By Kenneth Nida, kennethnida@wrestlingobserver.com

After a montage of clips showing the two day training camp, we are introduced to several contestants including Mike, a wrestler with a prosthetic leg. Booker T enters the ring in front of the contestants and introduces Lita and Billy Gunn. 40 people were chosen from the 11,154 videos that were submitted. Lita mentions that the contestants come from various walks of life including an alligator wrestler, fitness models, MMA fighters, and boxers. Billy Gunn explains that there will be various eliminations until 13 contestants remain; 7 men and 6 women will qualify for the show.

The panel interviews each contestant and asks them why they are tough enough and what separates them from the others. The first person declares they are the “… strongest mother**cker here”. “Mr. Ass” Billy Gunn tells him that speaking that way in front of women is offensive, while Booker T is more concerned if he can back up his words with actions. The contestant then brags about how he’s been giving kids German suplexes against their will since he was 15, claiming he has proof of this. I don’t think WWE’s Be A Star campaign would approve.

Other highlights include someone who doesn’t have a favorite match, someone who doesn’t know why they are tough enough, and someone who is asked what their favorite joke Lance Storm told. We also get an exotic dancer flat out admitting they aren’t familiar with the WWE when asked what the WWE means to him.

Mike tells his story of serving in Afghanistan and being the only person to survive an IED attack on a Humvee, in which he lost a leg. Next is Zamariah “ZZ”, an alligator wrestler from Bayou Beouf, Louisiana who entertains all the judges. After the introductions they show various drills being performed, which are much more difficult than some were prepared for. Nick, a powerlifter, is sent to the ER with shortness of breath and chest tightness. The panel discuss who should be eliminated, and make their selections. Day 1 concludes with 10 eliminations, in addition to the 2 who were eliminated for medical reasons.

Day 2 starts with the Kingdom twins withdrawing from the competition, giving the reason that they “… felt their time was wasted” and that they didn’t like how the judges spoke to them. Additional footage of training is shown, followed by the arrival of Paul Levesque who walks by someone puking in a trash can. Mike takes the day off, after the previous day’s training caused his prosthetic to open wounds in his leg. We’re then introduced to Kahlil, a former running back for the NFL. He rubs people the wrong way with his cocky attitude, but shows a lot of charisma. Next is Ashley, a pro wrestler from Oakland who has a very unique look, and is more like Lita than your typical WWE Diva.

Joshua, otherwise known as “The Yeti” and who formerly played for the Green Bay Packers, is introduced. Next is Daria, an MMA fighter with the nickname “The Jersey Devil”. When asked if she’s in a relationship, she takes the opportunity to come out as a lesbian. Following that is Gabi, a bikini model from Brazil. She’s very outspoken, and brags about saying whatever she wants. This doesn’t impress the judges. Patrick, from Washington D.C., talks about how WWE helped him get through rough times growing up.

Stephen, a bodybuilder, cuts a promo on the judges for comments made during training. Mike then re-joins the training after being inspired by his competitors. All the other contestants cheer and encourage him. Chris Jericho then joins the panel in the ring for the final eliminations at the camp. He briefly speaks about it being a whole new world for the contestants, before Mike asks to speak. Mike thanks everyone for the experience and friendship, but declares that his body cannot keep up with the competition and bows out.

At the end of eliminations, two male contestants and two female contestants remain. Between the men, Kahlil is chosen over Stephen, and Ashley is chosen over Samantha. Ashley calls her father with the news that she made it. However the next day it is revealed that after some additional testing, she may have a dangerous heart condition. She is eliminated from the competition and follows up with a cardiologist; she’s obviously broken up about the news. Lita meets with her and tells her that after she figures out her health, she can come back to the performance center. It is also announced that Khalil did not pass all of his mandatory evaluations, and is also eliminated.

Paul Levesque chooses Gabi to replace Ashley and ZZ to replace Khalil in the competition. He then congratulates all the people that made it. The show closes with various people speaking about Mike and how impressed they were with his drive and accomplishments, as well as contestants reflecting on how it feels to have become a part of Tough Enough. The final 13 are Alexander, Hank, Joshua, Mada, Patrick, Tanner, ZZ, Amanda, Daria, Dianna, Gabi, Giorgia, and Sara.

Here are the spoilers for this week’s WWE Smackdown, airing Wednesday in Canada and Thursday in the U.S.:

– Sheamus came out and said that now that he’s the Money in the Bank winner, nobody is going to be able to stop him. Dean Ambrose then came out and said that Roman Reigns was going to win the match and the only reason Sheamus won was because Bray Wyatt interfered.  They argued and it looked like Sheamus would put up the briefcase against Ambrose, but instead, Kane announced a Kane & Sheamus vs. Ambrose handicap match.

– Kane & Sheamus b Dean Ambrose via DQ when Reigns made the save. This led to a tag team match as the main event later in the show.

– Brie Bella b Paige when Alicia Fox interfered.

– Renee Young interviewed Kevin Owens. Owens said it was John Cena’s fault for what happened to Machine Gun Kelly. He also said he wasn’t doing an open challenge this week. Cesaro came out and wanted a match with him.

– Dolph Ziggler b Bo Dallas. Lana and Ziggler were kissing after with Rusev watching. Poor guy.

– Neville b Xavier Woods. The other New Day members went to interfere, but they were held off by the Prime Time Players.

– WWE Champion Seth Rollins was out for an interview. He said that he never gets thanked for all he’s done for the company, and he needs to beat Brock Lesnar to cement his legacy and become the diamond that HHH said.

– NXT Champion Kevin Owens b Cesaro. Said to be a great match with a pop up power bomb finish.

– Kane & Sheamus b Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns when Wyatt distracted Reigns.

Coming the day after WWE Money in the Bank and even with the game 6 of the NHL Stanley Cup finals (Chicago/Tampa Bay) as competition, WWE RAW ratings were way up this week to 4.10 million viewers — a whopping 15 percent increase from last week.

The strength was really in the second hour, and not for the third hour reveal of Brock Lesnar as Seth Rollins’ next WWE World Championship contender. By the way, the Stanley Cup final game on NBC did 7.59 million viewers.

The three hours were:

• 8 p.m. 4.10 million
• 9 p.m. 4.25 million
• 10 p.m. 4.00 million