Wrestling

After 13 seasons playing middle linebacker with the Chicago Bears, eight of which resulted in his making the Pro Bowl, one of which saw him named Defensive Rookie of the Year (2000), and another that saw him named Defensive Player of the Year (2005), Brian Urlacher has retired from the NFL. But what does that have to do with pro wrestling? Well, the folks at TNA decided this was a great opportunity to break out an old clip from one of its shows back in 2004 when Urlacher made an appearance. Here's the description for the clip: Urlacher is a lifelong fan of wrestling, and appeared for TNA in our early years in January 2004, when he answered a challenge from former manager Don Callis and Jonny Fairplay from TV's "Survivor". And here's the glorious video: Dear god, he was awful. Kelly Kelly runs the ropes better than Brian Urlacher. As a lifelong Bears fan who watched every single down Urlacher ever played -- and only ever purchased one jersey, his number 54 -- I would like to wish him well in whatever he does in the future. Thanks for the great memories.

WWE Taping NXT Tomorrow WWE is holding a set of NXT tapings tomorrow in Winter Garden, FL. If you are attending the tapings and would like to send in a spoiler report, please email us by clicking on the submit news box below. Was Mark Henry Injured Heading into Extreme Rules? As we reported yesterday, Mark Henry appeared to have tweaked his shoulder during his bout with Sheamus at Extreme Rules this past Sunday, and WZ reader Wade Conway has sent in the following house show account, noting that Henry appeared to be injured heading into the PPV: I saw your post about Mark Henry being hurt at Extreme Rules, however, he was apparently already hurt before the PPV. I attended the house show in Evansville, IN the night before Extreme Rules, and the main event was Henry, Big Show and Ryback vs Cena, Orton and Sheamus. During the 15 minute match, Henry was the only guy not to get tagged in. His only activity was getting hit off the apron at the end of the match. So it appears he was hurt before Extreme Rules, so when he “left” on Raw it was no surprise.

WWE will return to pay-per-view (PPV) on Sun., June 16, 2013, from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, with the inaugural edition of Payback. The idea of the show seems to be something similar to what Backlash used to be, an event featuring a gaggle of rematches from the event before it, which was always WrestleMania. That's why this doesn't make much sense. Are we to expect plenty of rematches from the Extreme Rules PPV that just went down this past Sunday night? It's certainly possible. In fact, the main event is exactly that, what with John Cena defending the WWE championship against Ryback in an ambulance match. We'll see how the rest of the card fills out. In the meantime, here's the poster for the show, featuring Randy Orton. The image below is great and all, but I actually prefer the image WWE used on its site that you see at the top of this page. It just looks cooler hanging from a phantom wall in a dark alley. Yeah, that's actually still pretty sweet. You can click here to print one of your own.

Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Hosted by Alan Wojcik Presented by www.PWMania.comand www.MemLanePromo.comListen Live on Tuesday Nights 9pm ET on www.wildtalkradio.comCheck out the archive athttp://www.wildtalkradio.com/kayfabe/kayfabe052113.mp3Follow Us on Twitter- http://twitter.com/wildtalkradio& http://twitter.com/MyNameIsWojcikLike Us on Facebook- http://facebook.com/wildtalkradionetwork& http://www.facebook.com/KayfabeWrestlingRadio Former multi-time WWF Tag Team Champion and multi-time WWE/F Hardcore Champion “Hardcore” Bob Holly joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. In a nearly 30 minute interview, he discussed his new book and his experiences writing it, pre-WWF fighting days, how MMA would have affected his career if it had come along sooner, his time as “Spark” Plugg and experiences with Auto Racing, how he got to the WWF and his time in Smokey Mountain Wrestling with Jim Cornette, does he regret his choices in the Tough Enough 2 Finals decision and his thoughts on Tough Enough alumni and current TNA X Division Champion Kenny King, his thoughts on the Tough Enough experience and if it hurt or helped wrestling, the laundry list of major injuries he’s sustained wrestling and if it’s just part of the wrestling business, his role reversal match between himself and Carlito, his participation in the TNA ‘One Night Only: Hardcore Justice 2’ PPV plus much more.   On writing the book: “It never occurred to me that it was a bad idea. The only thing that occurred to me, the whole 18 months it took to write this, is nobody’s gonna want to read my book; nobody’s gonna want it. I mean, I was just a midcard guy, you know, and it was like ‘Who is going to want to read my story? I mean, there’s nothing exciting about me.’ So, that’s what ran through my mind, and then after we edited it over and over because we’d send it back to ECW Press and then they’d send it back and we’d have to edit and do this and do that to it and after reading it many times over; every time we read it over, it was still interesting. So that’s when it occurred to me, ‘Hey, maybe people will find this interesting.’ Because, every time a read a chapter, it still captivated me and it still does; when I pick up my book and see what somebody had read and they talk about it and I go back and look at it, I end up reading the whole chapter again. And that’s what made me think that maybe people will want to buy this and read it. So, it was a lot of work too, but it was fun and it had its times where it reminded me of certain bad times and stuff like that. But, it was a good experience, it really was.”   His pre-WWF/E days and his bar fighting past for money : “You know, it’s funny because when I was writing that part, it was like it brought back; you’re not going to believe this, and you’re going to think I’m full of it, but it was fun to me. Those were exciting times to me because I’m the kind of guy that likes a challenge and I would go into bars and it’s like; ok, I find the toughest guy in there and I’d want to put up money to fight the guy. I just found it, the thrill of the fight, exciting to me and to this day I still do because I won’t turn down a challenge to anybody and I find myself. When the whole MMA/UFC thing came along and it’s like if that came around when I was a little bit younger, I think I would have ended up going that direction because I love the thrill of the fight; I love the challenge, no matter who it is I end up fighting with. So, when I look back on that, those were fun times for me; I had really enjoyed that and I made money doing that. It’s an odd way to make money, but it was what I had to do to survive. And that’s why I look at it like ‘Yeah, that was exciting to me’.”   His experience with Auto Racing: “Well, the thing about auto racing is you gotta know all the right people. I raced at a local level and then, when I got into the WWE and I got to know the right people and I got connected with Hermie and Elliot

It's amazing what being away from technology can do for your information intake, and what you seem to miss out on. I'm catching up on news, and while the recent tornado is sad, one comment bugged me and provoked some thought. I forgot exactly where it was, but someone made a comment about WWE possibly being insensitive about the tornado by letting a tornado tag match take place at Extreme Rules, which also featured Brock Lesnar's F-5 finisher, another reference to a natural disaster. I know we live in an overly PC world, but really? It's a match type; it would be like someone asking the Miami Hurricanes to change their name after a storm hit in Florida. You want to pick on someone for being insensitive? Find a better case, because WWE isn't at fault here. The other big news coming out of WWE this week is the genesis of Micha... Curt(is) Axel. Paul Heyman's endorsement of the former Nexus member is a nice rebranding and a good way to bring someone back on TV. If you know me, you know my stance on debuts and vignettes, and this one works. Axel was a shocker, and many people already knew he was talented, but he lacked direction in WWE after a failed push. If I remember correctly, his team with David Otunga (speaking of, where the hell is he?) consisted of Otunga's flexing, and McGillicutty... umm... he wore a backwards hat for awhile. Not exactly helping him. I saw a bit of what he did on NXT and was impressed, but he kind of sat in limbo for awhile. I'm glad someone is getting this chance to be a 'Heyman Guy', and now that it's Axel, I'm glad he was rebranded and Heyman is recognizing his heritage. Michael McGillicutty was a terrible name. I probably would have gone with something else, like Joe/Joseph Hennig, but I like the nod to his family, and it's different. Looking forward to seeing what he does next. My scaled back schedule over the past few months didn't really allow me much time to watch any Impact Wrestling programming (save for watching Lockdown) so I'm looking forward to resuming normal coverage here on Wrestlezone tomorrow night. While I haven't really watched full episodes consitently, I have seen enough clips to like what I have been missing. Getting past the 'why is Sting in the main event' talk, I really think TNA will have a good summer moving forward. AJ Styles is a modern day Crow Sting, and I think they get it right this time, not like the BS finish at Starrcade 1997. Matt Morgan never lost, he passed out in his match against Sting, so I don't think that's finished. Bully Ray has been awesome, and Aces and Eights has been used better than some factions over the past few years. I'm glad I'm getting back in the thick of things and this week's 'live' episode should be good. Speaking of TNA's summer plans, I think it will be interesting to see what both top companies do going forward this summer. Last year, WWE got off to a good start with Daniel Bryan and CM Punk pairing together, but the rest wasn't very memorable. While I do miss seeing 'Mr. Excitement' John Laurinaitis on TV, the program with him and Big Show and John Cena was terrible. This year, they look to be in a much better position with several new talents at the top of the card, or near it. Like them, TNA looks to be in a different position than last year, although it might not be as drastic. One the highlights of my summer (as far as wrestling is concerned) was how good TNA's Slammiversary and Destination X were. There are less pay-per-views now, but I think TNA will put more emphasis on making better summer shows when they know they can build on their numbers a bit. Whatever the case, with WWE and TNA, I'm excited to get back into regularly watching wrestling for the first time in awhile.

Cody Rhodes Practice National Guard Question WWE has posted the following video: New Jack Shoot Interview Live on iPPV Tonight The following has been sent to WZ: Are you ready to watch LIVE and Uncensored the most outspoken professional wrestler of all time? Get ready and fasten your seat belts because RFVIDEONOW.com is sitting down for the final shoot interview of all time with the legendary hardcore extreme icon New Jack live on IPPV!!!! You all have seen his other notorious shoot interviews that made New Jack the king of the shoot interviews and he was after all our first shoot interview of all time. Now over 15 years later New Jack takes the throne for the final interview to look back at his entire career and answer some final questions. You can be sure we will be talking about Smokey Mountain Wrestling, ECW, drugs, ring rats, stabbings, balcony dives, shooting in the ring on his opponents, blood, guts and so much more!!! You will not want to miss this shoot interview of a life time and it will be live on IPPV!!!! To cap it off New Jack demanded that we show his final match ever with Necro the Butcher that has to be one of the wildest, bloodies matches of all time including his in ring fare well speech!!!! Fans will also be able to submit their own questions that the original New Jack will answer live on IPPV. This is the shoot interview of a life time that you will not want to miss!!!! Here are just a few of the topics that we are going to talk about….. Did you make peace with Abdullah the Butcher What happened between you and Extreme Rising when you blasted them over the internet How did you get hurt in Pittsburgh doing the dive and who had to pay for the medical bills You were very outspoken on guys being on drugs at the debut show how did you stay clean You have spoken out about Shane Douglas behind the times when it comes to his booking philosophy can you expand? After Jerry Lawler had a heart attack you expressed on FB that you wished he died. What prompted you to say that and why did you guys have heat. Did anyone in the business reach out to you after you said that. What are your thoughts on Vince Calling you the devil You recently made a comment about CM Punk and WWE creative stealing your idea can you expand on that? How many people asked you if the DVD between you and Balls was a work? Explain how real it was and how did you sneak in the mace? Tell everyone for the first time the idea you had about doing a angle off it with Balls with the fishing trip and hidden cameras… When was the last time you spoke to Paul Heyman on the phone or in person and do you like him as a human being? If there was never a Paul Heyman influence on New Jack where do you think the Gangstas would have been after SMW? If you had to be on a desert island who would you want to be stuck on there with, Paul Heyman or Jim Cornette. Give your reasons... Thoughts on guys like Jake Roberts and Scott Hall getting cleaned up by DDP as we talked about that on the phone and it seemed like you were inspired by it. Talk about what you learned and how each of these teams helped make you a better person in the ring..Rock N Express, Public Enemy, Dudleys, Eliminators If Mass Transit was alive and you were in a empty room with him what would you say to him? Looking back at all the locker room fights with Brian Pillman, Dancing with Dudley, Sandman, Balls, Brian Knobbs and countless others do you regret any of them at all Name Game thoughts looking back and do you have any regrets on what went down and would you change the out come on any of the following names that you had issues with: Mass Transit Brian Pillman Gypsy Joe Brian Knobbs Vic Grimes Chad Austin Balls Mahooney Team 3 D AKA Dudleys Missy Hyatt You were going to add a new member to the Gangstas why did t

Well, that didn't take long. Unhappy with the creative direction of the promotion in the lead up to the historic WrestleMania 29 pay-per-view (PPV) extravaganza that took place on April 7, 2013, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Vince McMahon, who was reportedly creating a toxic working environment at the time, future endeavored then head writer Eric Pankowski. His replacement, Adam Rudman, only managed to last six weeks. Indeed, according to a report from SEScoops.com, which has since been confirmed by multiple sources, Rudman was let go by Stephanie McMahon, apparently last Friday. Here's what PWTorch.com had to say about it: According to sources, when Redman was first hired six weeks ago, once people met him, they did not think he would last in WWE. The consensus was that Redman was a bad fit in WWE because he did not have knowledge about pro wrestling. The idea that WWE frequently hires writers to work for its company in high ranking positions who have little to no knowledge of professional wrestling is so rich. Rudman, though, is likely little more than a scapegoat as opposed to being the actual problem. I'll let you Cagesiders decide who the actual problem is here.

The opening segment of "Wrestling Reality 1 on 1 with Justin LaBar" on TribLIVE sports radio in Pittsburgh on Tuesday featured me talking about my reaction to Curtis Axel's debut and why the name was a perfect choice.

SOME GUYS GOT IT, AND YOU KNOW IT Some guys got it, and you know it. Curtis Axel has got it. Excellent debut on Raw. The alignment with Paul Heyman lends credibility. But the booking was confusing. Bad? Not sure. But confusing. Axel didn’t concuss Triple H. He followed up on damage done by Brock Lesnar the night before. Right away, Axel is piggybacking, and he’s piggybacking on Lesnar, a guy who isn’t often there. Axel comes off as a proxy. The proxy usually gets beat so the top guy won’t have to. Like the weak link in a gang. Bobby Eaton always did the job in the Dangerous Alliance. Axel still looked strong, if disturbingly like Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. I predict a bright future, if he’s used right. Even Axel’s dad wasn’t foolproof. Curt Hennig had to become Mr. Perfect before his career blossomed. WWE has a strong base of young talent: Axel. Bray Wyatt. Of course, The Shield. Tyson Kidd, when he heals and if WWE ever takes him as seriously as it should. I’m coming around on Big E Langston (but that’s a terrible name). But, as always, talent can be diluted if misused, or underused. This isn’t Japan, where even Kenta Kobashi waited his turn. Marks can’t un-see damage done. The best bet is always shooting new blood straight to the top, as with The Shield. To do that, WWE has to sacrifice those who just haven’t worked out, and must do so decisively. Trading wins is the bane of modern-day booking. Nobody gets hurt gratuitously, but nobody gets helped enough. When I look at Curtis Axel, I’m struck that many second- and third-generation wrestlers want to break into the business despite wrestling-related tragedy befalling their fathers. After everything Cody Hall has seen, why on earth would he want to enter the business? I guess we all want to follow our fathers. No matter what. NOTE TO ARIES: YOU WIN In the end, Austin Aries got away with it. Aries didn’t get fired or suspended. I don’t believe for one second Aries got fined or apologized. Nothing happened in the public eye. Not on television, not on Impact’s web site, not even on Twitter. Christy Hemme has not acknowledged an apology. Why should Impact, or Dixie Carter, be trusted to do the right thing? The vocal minority shouted down the sensible majority. The wrestling media, scared of killing the golden goose, fell right into line. The great Meltzer said Aries wasn’t guilty of overt sexual harassment. The hell he wasn’t. Spike TV’s David Schwarz called it sexual harassment. Re-enact that little drama in a cubicle at a corporation, and that guy gets fired instantly. You can tell it’s been a long time since the great Meltzer worked in the real world. In the end, this little byplay generated more heat for me than it did Aries. That’s OK. I know what Aries is. So does Carter. So do you. We all know what Impact is, too: An indie fed with TV. But when the other indie fed (with worse TV) was confronted with an untoward situation thanks to the homophobia of their world champion, it did the right thing. Kudos to ROH. Follow Mark Madden on Twitter: @MarkMaddenX

Upcoming Mick Foley Comedy Tour Dates According to RealMickFoley.com, the following are upcoming dates and locations for Mick Foley's comedy tour: -5/29 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at the Comic Strip -5/30 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at the Laugh Shop -6/2 in New York City at Carolines -6/6 in Bellmore, New York at the Brokerage -6/9 in Syracuse, New York at the Funny Bone -6/13 in Asheville, North Carolina at the Grey Eagle -6/19 in Dayton, Ohio at the Funny Bone -6/20 in Newport, Kentucky at the Funny Bone Video Preview for Impact Tomorrow; Will Styles Join Aces & Eights? The following video preview has been released for tomorrow's Impact Wrestling broadcast: