Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Brock Lesnar Book Launched
Death Clutch: My Story of Determination, Domination, and Survival by Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman, easily one of the most anticipated wrestling-related books of the years, has been officially released today. The book is being positioned as the one time Brock is letting the reader behind the curtain and into his life for the first and only time. Lesnar covers his amateur wrestling career, his WWE run (noting that he signed because he was offered more money than he had ever seen before), the run, his decision to leave, breaking into MMA, his health and more.
Jimmy Hart Talks Randy Savage
WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart, a long time colleague of “Macho Man” Randy Savage, appeared on Busted Open with Doug Mortman and Dave LaGreca, which airs Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sirius 92 and XM 207. Highlights from his interview are as follows:
Hart on how is the Poffo family holding up in the wake of Randy’s passing?: “I think since three days since it happened, pretty darn good. Lanny’s always been great. I think what they decided to do too, because I got so many calls from everybody wondering where the funeral is going to be… I know you know it by now too, going to be cremated of course. His ashes are going to be spread on his property. Now, the reason I’m saying this, and its already out there anyhow… Lanny confirmed it too… where his dog Hercules passed away and was buried.
“I think just a little private deal is going to be for Randy’s family, I don’t think he wanted something very very big and that’s kind of the way he was. When he did charities, he never went out there and told people about it or anything and I think donations are going to be sent in in his name are going to be in Tampa for one of the children’s foundations here. I think they’re doing pretty well for it just happening three or four days ago.”
Hart on the relationship between Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan: “I don’t think it was as bad as sometimes people make it out to be because in the wrestling business, there’s always a little angle right around the corner where people can work together and make a ton of money. I think it ended up pretty well. I think when Hulk was going in to the hospital for one of his operations with his back, Randy happened to be at the same place. He stepped in to the room, said hello to Hulk and everything else.
“At the end, everything was pretty well being put back together again. Sometimes people make more of it than what it really is sometimes but being on this end and hearing a little bit of the scuttlebutt here and there, it was almost like a big wrestling angle. Randy was great, there will only be one Macho Man ever ever, colorful and did some great things nobody ever really knew about because he was so private.”
Hart on how is the Poffo family holding up in the wake of Randy’s passing?: “I think since three days since it happened, pretty darn good. Lanny’s always been great. I think what they decided to do too, because I got so many calls from everybody wondering where the funeral is going to be… I know you know it by now too, going to be cremated of course. His ashes are going to be spread on his property. Now, the reason I’m saying this, and its already out there anyhow… Lanny confirmed it too… where his dog Hercules passed away and was buried.
“I think just a little private deal is going to be for Randy’s family, I don’t think he wanted something very very big and that’s kind of the way he was. When he did charities, he never went out there and told people about it or anything and I think donations are going to be sent in in his name are going to be in Tampa for one of the children’s foundations here. I think they’re doing pretty well for it just happening three or four days ago.”
Hart on the relationship between Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan: “I don’t think it was as bad as sometimes people make it out to be because in the wrestling business, there’s always a little angle right around the corner where people can work together and make a ton of money. I think it ended up pretty well. I think when Hulk was going in to the hospital for one of his operations with his back, Randy happened to be at the same place. He stepped in to the room, said hello to Hulk and everything else.
“At the end, everything was pretty well being put back together again. Sometimes people make more of it than what it really is sometimes but being on this end and hearing a little bit of the scuttlebutt here and there, it was almost like a big wrestling angle. Randy was great, there will only be one Macho Man ever ever, colorful and did some great things nobody ever really knew about because he was so private.”
George Animal Steele on why Savage is not in WWE HOF
WWE Hall of Famer George “The Animal” Steele, a former colleague of “Macho Man” Randy Savage, appeared on Busted Open with Doug Mortman and Dave LaGreca, which airs Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sirius 92 and XM 207. During the interview appearance, he gave his opinion on why Savage has not been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
“That’s been said a lot of different ways, and there’s been a lot of different things said that are not true necessarily,” Steele said.
“I think that what happened with Randy, when his career was winding down with the WWF, Vince McMahon just loved Randy. After all everything Randy had done and he took him under his wing, and he wanted Randy after the ring was over with for him, he wanted him to be our spokesperson. He was traveling with Vince all the time. Randy was almost like a son, they were really tight. And then one day, we were at a TV meeting, and we got word that Randy, without calling Vince, had left and jumped to the WCW. I had never seen Vince McMahon broken before, he was crushed. It hurt him big time and I don’t think he ever got over that. I think that’s the real problem to be honest with you.
“I heard all this other stuff that I think is garbage when it comes to Randy and relationships with daughters and all that stuff… I don’t think that’s anywhere’s close to the truth.”
“That’s been said a lot of different ways, and there’s been a lot of different things said that are not true necessarily,” Steele said.
“I think that what happened with Randy, when his career was winding down with the WWF, Vince McMahon just loved Randy. After all everything Randy had done and he took him under his wing, and he wanted Randy after the ring was over with for him, he wanted him to be our spokesperson. He was traveling with Vince all the time. Randy was almost like a son, they were really tight. And then one day, we were at a TV meeting, and we got word that Randy, without calling Vince, had left and jumped to the WCW. I had never seen Vince McMahon broken before, he was crushed. It hurt him big time and I don’t think he ever got over that. I think that’s the real problem to be honest with you.
“I heard all this other stuff that I think is garbage when it comes to Randy and relationships with daughters and all that stuff… I don’t think that’s anywhere’s close to the truth.”
TNA Announce 2012 UK Tour
TNA UK tour 2012 first wave of dates announced
By Phil Allely
TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting has been announced as one of the main big name stars to feature on the company’s Maximum Impact IV UK Tour next January.
This will mark Stings first appearance in the UK in over a decade. Alongside ‘The Icon,’ Olympic hero Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Mr Anderson, Matt Morgan, Bully Ray, Mexican America and Knockout Velvet Sky are all lined up for the dates in Nottingham, Manchester and London from January 26-28 2012.
With TNA’s growing fan base in the UK and the popularity of its flagship TV show Impact Wrestling on cable channel Challenge, the re-branded organisation will as they have in the past endeavour to give the UK fans the cream of the crop of their roster. Ensuring the match quality is of the very highest standard. Previous tours have featured such names as RVD, Angle, Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley amongst others. Having living legend Sting as a part of Maximum Impact IV will surely see these new dates sell-out rapidly.
Tickets for the shows go on sale at 10am on Friday June 3.
Visit www.gigsandtours.com or www.ticketmaster.co.uk for more information on tickets.
Thursday 26 January Nottingham Capital FM Arena 0844 412 4624
Friday 27 January Manchester MEN Arena 0844 847 8000
Saturday 28 January London Wembley Arena 0844 815 0815
Further European dates will be announced soon.
By Phil Allely
TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting has been announced as one of the main big name stars to feature on the company’s Maximum Impact IV UK Tour next January.
This will mark Stings first appearance in the UK in over a decade. Alongside ‘The Icon,’ Olympic hero Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Mr Anderson, Matt Morgan, Bully Ray, Mexican America and Knockout Velvet Sky are all lined up for the dates in Nottingham, Manchester and London from January 26-28 2012.
With TNA’s growing fan base in the UK and the popularity of its flagship TV show Impact Wrestling on cable channel Challenge, the re-branded organisation will as they have in the past endeavour to give the UK fans the cream of the crop of their roster. Ensuring the match quality is of the very highest standard. Previous tours have featured such names as RVD, Angle, Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley amongst others. Having living legend Sting as a part of Maximum Impact IV will surely see these new dates sell-out rapidly.
Tickets for the shows go on sale at 10am on Friday June 3.
Visit www.gigsandtours.com or www.ticketmaster.co.uk for more information on tickets.
Thursday 26 January Nottingham Capital FM Arena 0844 412 4624
Friday 27 January Manchester MEN Arena 0844 847 8000
Saturday 28 January London Wembley Arena 0844 815 0815
Further European dates will be announced soon.
Was Mania VII the deadliest PPV ever?
Was Mania VII a Deadly PPV?
By Phil Allely
Over a quarter of the performers taking part in the WWE's Wrestlemania VII PPV event have died due to unnatural causes according to popular publication The Wrestling Observer. In the wake of the tragic death of Macho Man Randy Savage last week, it has now been noted that 14 of the 51 wrestlers at Wrestlemania VII have died in the past 20 years. Many of those deaths have been attributed to drug use/abuse, or an associated condition in some way. Over that period such stars as Savage, Miss Elizabeth, Andre the Giant, Hawk, the British Bulldog, Mr Perfect, Crush and many more have passed away due to a heart attack or drug overdose. Savage was the only one of the 14 who was over the age of 50 by their death. Of course whilst drugs, steroids and alcohol can play a huge part in the life of a grappler (especially during the 1980s-190s) thats not always the cause of their downfall, Dino Bravo was famously fatally gunned down and 'Texas Tornado' Kerry Von Erich his own life. No other form of sports entertainment has this mortality rate as high as this. Its a sobering thought that when vieiwng retro shows like Mania VII to note how many of our heroes never even reached their 50s or see thier legacy unfold.
Figures such as this are why now TNA and the WWE have such stringent drug tests and much more to ensure their workers are fit and well enough to perform in the ring.
By Phil Allely
Over a quarter of the performers taking part in the WWE's Wrestlemania VII PPV event have died due to unnatural causes according to popular publication The Wrestling Observer. In the wake of the tragic death of Macho Man Randy Savage last week, it has now been noted that 14 of the 51 wrestlers at Wrestlemania VII have died in the past 20 years. Many of those deaths have been attributed to drug use/abuse, or an associated condition in some way. Over that period such stars as Savage, Miss Elizabeth, Andre the Giant, Hawk, the British Bulldog, Mr Perfect, Crush and many more have passed away due to a heart attack or drug overdose. Savage was the only one of the 14 who was over the age of 50 by their death. Of course whilst drugs, steroids and alcohol can play a huge part in the life of a grappler (especially during the 1980s-190s) thats not always the cause of their downfall, Dino Bravo was famously fatally gunned down and 'Texas Tornado' Kerry Von Erich his own life. No other form of sports entertainment has this mortality rate as high as this. Its a sobering thought that when vieiwng retro shows like Mania VII to note how many of our heroes never even reached their 50s or see thier legacy unfold.
Figures such as this are why now TNA and the WWE have such stringent drug tests and much more to ensure their workers are fit and well enough to perform in the ring.
Desmond Wolfe Interview Highlights
British wrestling star Desmond Wolfe has traded clotheslines for punchlines in an attempt to get his career back on track.
The former Maidstone Grammar School pupil – real name Steven Haworth – has not been seen on television since last September, and has now turned his attention to writing comedy while he awaits a return to the spotlight.
Wolfe, 33, who stars for America’s number two grappling promotion TNA (Total Nonstop Action), told Kent News he had been keeping himself busy during his time away from the ring.
He said: "I’ve been up to lots – auditioning for various things, writing and working hard on my physique.
"The sitcom was based on an idea a friend had. It’s about a kid from Brixton in south London who gets forced to take a job doing meals on wheels in Brixham, Devon. I’m ready to pitch it if there’s any interest. I’m also acting in a community theatre play called Everybody Loves Opal, which was first performed on Broadway in the 1960s.
"It’s a very different performing art than wrestling, but being used to having an audience watch me has helped."
Wolfe, who grew up in Staplehurst, made his TNA debut in October, 2009, and quickly established himself as a headline act.
But just hours before he was due to appear on a big pay-per-view event last September, Wolfe was mysteriously sent home for "personal reasons" and has not been seen on television since.
The chemistry graduate has suffered a catalogue of injuries in the ring, and the rumour was this had put paid to Wolfe’s promising career. But the now-resident of Louisville, Kentucky, said fans should not believe everything they read on the internet.
He added: "I can’t get into the details of my absence here and now, but there have been a few different plans to bring me back in the last few months, none of which materialised. I’m hoping for something soon though."
Meanwhile, Wolfe’s fellow Kent grappler Douglas Williams is continuing to enjoy success in TNA.
Williams, 38, who lives in Sevenoaks, has won five championships in less than three years, and is currently one-half of the British Invasion tag team with former Gladiators star Nick ‘Oblivion’ Aldis.
The former Maidstone Grammar School pupil – real name Steven Haworth – has not been seen on television since last September, and has now turned his attention to writing comedy while he awaits a return to the spotlight.
Wolfe, 33, who stars for America’s number two grappling promotion TNA (Total Nonstop Action), told Kent News he had been keeping himself busy during his time away from the ring.
He said: "I’ve been up to lots – auditioning for various things, writing and working hard on my physique.
"The sitcom was based on an idea a friend had. It’s about a kid from Brixton in south London who gets forced to take a job doing meals on wheels in Brixham, Devon. I’m ready to pitch it if there’s any interest. I’m also acting in a community theatre play called Everybody Loves Opal, which was first performed on Broadway in the 1960s.
"It’s a very different performing art than wrestling, but being used to having an audience watch me has helped."
Wolfe, who grew up in Staplehurst, made his TNA debut in October, 2009, and quickly established himself as a headline act.
But just hours before he was due to appear on a big pay-per-view event last September, Wolfe was mysteriously sent home for "personal reasons" and has not been seen on television since.
The chemistry graduate has suffered a catalogue of injuries in the ring, and the rumour was this had put paid to Wolfe’s promising career. But the now-resident of Louisville, Kentucky, said fans should not believe everything they read on the internet.
He added: "I can’t get into the details of my absence here and now, but there have been a few different plans to bring me back in the last few months, none of which materialised. I’m hoping for something soon though."
Meanwhile, Wolfe’s fellow Kent grappler Douglas Williams is continuing to enjoy success in TNA.
Williams, 38, who lives in Sevenoaks, has won five championships in less than three years, and is currently one-half of the British Invasion tag team with former Gladiators star Nick ‘Oblivion’ Aldis.
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