WWE sacrificed 28 wrestlers and backstage talent on Wednesday all in the name of WWE’s stock.
That sounds crude, but it’s true.
WWE announced today that 28 individuals were fired. More full-time employees would be furloughed or laid off and construction on the company’s new headquarters has halted as well. The savings for WWE is about $4 million per month, they bragged in a press release.
That $4 million per month sounds like a lot … until you realize WWE has $90 million in cash on hand and has upwards of $500 million available if they maximized everything and extended all of their credit lines.
The cuts were, of course, blamed on coronavirus.
But make no mistake about it, these cuts were made for one reason and one reason only … to protect WWE’s stock price. The moves were made to protect profit margin. It affected a lot of lower-card talents, some of whom...
That sounds crude, but it’s true.
WWE announced today that 28 individuals were fired. More full-time employees would be furloughed or laid off and construction on the company’s new headquarters has halted as well. The savings for WWE is about $4 million per month, they bragged in a press release.
That $4 million per month sounds like a lot … until you realize WWE has $90 million in cash on hand and has upwards of $500 million available if they maximized everything and extended all of their credit lines.
The cuts were, of course, blamed on coronavirus.
But make no mistake about it, these cuts were made for one reason and one reason only … to protect WWE’s stock price. The moves were made to protect profit margin. It affected a lot of lower-card talents, some of whom...
- 4/16/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
Happy Rusev Day! We all chipped in and got WWE fans an exclusive sneak peek of the pro wrestler having a “Drop the Mic” rap battle against “Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban.
“You are not Jeff Bezos/you’re just an imposter/who looks like Charlie Sheen banged Frankenstein’s Monster,” the WWE Superstar raps of his wealthy tech-investor opponent.
The lyrics were much, much better than the flow. Please don’t “Rusev udrya, Rusev machka” us, Bulgarian Brute.
Also Read: Aj Styles Signs New WWE Contract - and Gets a Puppy (Photo)
Rusev, who in an earlier round had to stomach the Dallas Mavericks owner referring to his wife Lana as a “mail-order bride,” then spits that he asked to battle “Mr. Wonderful” — Kevin O’Leary from “Shark Tank” — and ended up with “Mr. Wonder Bread” instead. Ouch, we guess.
In response, Cuban boldly called the man who could...
“You are not Jeff Bezos/you’re just an imposter/who looks like Charlie Sheen banged Frankenstein’s Monster,” the WWE Superstar raps of his wealthy tech-investor opponent.
The lyrics were much, much better than the flow. Please don’t “Rusev udrya, Rusev machka” us, Bulgarian Brute.
Also Read: Aj Styles Signs New WWE Contract - and Gets a Puppy (Photo)
Rusev, who in an earlier round had to stomach the Dallas Mavericks owner referring to his wife Lana as a “mail-order bride,” then spits that he asked to battle “Mr. Wonderful” — Kevin O’Leary from “Shark Tank” — and ended up with “Mr. Wonder Bread” instead. Ouch, we guess.
In response, Cuban boldly called the man who could...
- 3/20/2019
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Babies on the brain! When it comes to Lana's career, she is determined to do what it takes to get ahead. However, when it comes to her personal life, there are some things that she'd rather keep on the back burner. On this week's episode of Total Divas, Lana deals with Rusev's desire to start a family, even though she is just starting to get her career together. "It's time to expand the Rusev family," Rusev shared. "Use your eggs and create a new human life." Fortunately for Lana, her husband understood her desire to put off starting a family for a little bit. "I just am not sure if I want children right now," Lana shared. "Obviously...
- 12/7/2017
- E! Online
Lana is not looking to become a mom anytime soon! In this clip from Wednesday's all-new Total Divas, Lana and hubby, Rusev, butt heads over babies. While Rusev is ready to welcome a little baby wrestler into the ring, Lana is focused on perfecting her own moves. "I am basically not ready to have children," Lana revealed. Rusev wasn't here for the baby talk, especially in front of their friends. "Don't talk in front of them about this," Rusev scolded. The awkward moment quickly got stranger when Lana suggested that Nia Jax carry their baby. "If you want a child right this very second, I can have Nia carry it for me," Lana suggested. But...
- 12/5/2017
- E! Online
How do you stay cool when the temp's over 100 degrees? Bikini beach day!! That's what WWE superstar Lana did while the rest of the city was melting. Lana was rollin' solo in Santa Monica -- no sign of her husband, Rusev ... but we're not complaining. The model/reality star/singer -- real name Cj Perry -- is also an actress and appeared as one of the Bellas in "Pitch Perfect" and "Pitch Perfect 2." By the way,...
- 10/25/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
There's always next season! Nikki Bella received an amazing offer on Wednesday's episode of Total Divas. The WWE superstar was offered a spot on Dancing With the Stars, which she was so excited about. But Nikki has been working on her WWE comeback since getting cleared by her doctor and throughout the episode she debated whether or not she wanted to focus on her comeback or doing DWTS. So what did she decide? "I'm…I'm gonna pass," Nikki told her agent. "I know it's an amazing opportunity, but I just…I really want my comeback to be in that ring and nowhere else." Meanwhile, Lana and Rusev traveled to Bulgaria for their second wedding. But...
- 4/27/2017
- E! Online
On tonight’s Total Divas, WWE superstar Lana is left fuming when Rusev fails to mention the finer details of the intricacies of a Greek Orthodox christening tradition — and the episode almost becomes a Greek tragedy. A second and more traditional wedding is on for Rusev and Lana after their splashy Malibu one. But will the wedding go down without a finishing move on the relationship? It’s time to get serious as an Orthodox christening is in order for Lana. Except for the fact that Rusev gave her no real rundown on what she was to expect. You can feel the awkward...read more...
- 4/26/2017
- by April Neale
- Monsters and Critics
Lana is not pleased with Rusev on tonight's episode of Total Divas. The couple is in Bulgaria for their second wedding ceremony with Rusev's family and friends when things get extremely tense between Lana and Rusev. In this clip from the episode, Lana gets upset during her christening. "Today I'm getting christened in the Greek Orthodox Church," Lana says. "I'm not exactly sure what's happening, Rusev mentioned that I'm just gonna have a little water on my head and that's basically it." But when things happen that she wasn't expecting, Lana becomes upset with Rusev for not giving her the heads up. Watch Lana become angry with Rusev in the Total Divas...
- 4/26/2017
- E! Online
"Seriously, what is your problem?" Lana threatens to call the cops on Renee Young and Trinity Fatu on tonight's Total Divas. Lana, Renee, Trinity and Rusev are away on a trip to attend a charity event when things get extremely tense between everyone. In this clip from the episode, Renee and Trinity are having some late night fun in the pool. But when they wake up Lana, she's less than pleased. "Why are you being so loud? I'm sleeping and now my heart's racing because you keep on waking me up," Lana says. "What are you 65?" Renee responds. "I'm gonna call the cops if you guys don't quiet it down," Lana warns them. Renee then...
- 4/19/2017
- E! Online
Well the road to Wrestlemania continues for the WWE with the Raw-exclusive pay-per-view Fastlane, one of the companies lesser PPV’s… For most fans this is just the WWE spinning it’s wheels while waiting for the biggest event in the wrestling calendar.
Taking place at the Bmo Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Fastlane opens with a video package showing all the big matches: Owens vs Goldberg, Bayley vs Charlotte, and Reigns vs Strowman. So we know right there that the only titles possibly changing hands in this event will be either the Womens Title or Universal Championship – Gallows and Anderson surely to retain given the non-focus on their match.
As always Spoilers if you haven’t seen the PPV yet…
Opening Fastlane is Samoa Joe vs Sami Zayn in a match that is sure to Not live up to the fantastic Nxt rivalry the pair had prior to their subsequent call-ups.
Taking place at the Bmo Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Fastlane opens with a video package showing all the big matches: Owens vs Goldberg, Bayley vs Charlotte, and Reigns vs Strowman. So we know right there that the only titles possibly changing hands in this event will be either the Womens Title or Universal Championship – Gallows and Anderson surely to retain given the non-focus on their match.
As always Spoilers if you haven’t seen the PPV yet…
Opening Fastlane is Samoa Joe vs Sami Zayn in a match that is sure to Not live up to the fantastic Nxt rivalry the pair had prior to their subsequent call-ups.
- 3/7/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
WWE has a long standing tradition of not shaking things up too much right before Wrestlemania. With Smackdowns pay-per-view Elimination Chamber done two weeks ago the biggest change in that show was Cena losing the title to Bray Wyatt. Raw's final exclusive pay-per-view played out like everyone thought it would with only one title changing hands. When Stephanie McMahon and Triple H don't bother to show up on camera and leave Mick Foley in charge it shows that even the head brass didn't want to shake things up. Now for the next 29 days everything will be set for Wrestlemania with only a couple questions still to address.
Rich Swann & Akira Tozawa def. The Brian Kendrick & Noam Dar (Kickoff Match)
Courtesy of WWE
This was supposed to be one of the most entertaining Kickoff Matches in a while. Instead it fell flat mainly because the cruiserweight division isn't strong enough yet...
Rich Swann & Akira Tozawa def. The Brian Kendrick & Noam Dar (Kickoff Match)
Courtesy of WWE
This was supposed to be one of the most entertaining Kickoff Matches in a while. Instead it fell flat mainly because the cruiserweight division isn't strong enough yet...
- 3/6/2017
- by Michael Connally
- LRMonline.com
Nikki Bella just received the "worst email" ever. On Wednesday's Total Divas mid-season finale, all of the WWE stars were on edge over the brand extension. And after Nikki was cleared by her doctor and started training again in the ring, she hoped she would be included in the draft. But while at Lana and Rusev's wedding, Nikki learns that she "can't" be a part of the draft and doesn't understand why. "It just doesn't make sense," she said. Take a look at the recap to see what else Nikki had to say about not being a part of the draft and find out what happened moments before Lana and Rusev tied the knot! 1. Nikki Gets Her Final Cat...
- 1/26/2017
- E! Online
Lana and Rusev's wedding day is here…but is Lana ready to call it off? On tonight's mid-season finale of Total Divas, Lana admits that she's "really disappointed" in Rusev just minutes before she's supposed to walk down the aisle. After receiving mini elephant statues from Maryse and The Miz as a wedding present, Lana is reminded that she was going to get real elephants to surprise her husband on their special day because he loves them. "It's actually starting to remind me that I was gonna get elephants for my future husband," Lana says. "And he wouldn't even get me a wedding gift of an arch." Lana continues, "We're getting married...
- 1/25/2017
- E! Online
Lana broke down in tears on Wednesday's Total Divas. On the episode, Lana confessed that she had "fears" and "concerns" about her upcoming wedding to WWE's Rusev. And on top of that, Lana bumped into her ex, actor Isaiah Mustafa (who many people may know from the Old Spice commercials!), which made her question the idea of marriage even more. After telling her friends how she's feeling, Lana finally tells Rusev in a tearful conversation about their relationship. "I just get scared, like what if it doesn't work out?" Lana asked Rusev. "People get divorced all the time and I don't wanna get divorced. I don't want my marriage to fail, I get really...
- 1/19/2017
- E! Online
Lana is making a major marriage confession on tonight's Total Divas! In this clip from the episode, Lana is having a talk with Trinity Fatu and Renee Young about Rusev in their Las Vegas hotel room when she asks Trinity about her marriage to Jon Fatu. "So did you ever have second thoughts?" Lana asks. When Trinity tells her she didn't, Lana asks, "You never were like, 'Maybe I don't want to get married?'" Trinity again replies that she didn't and Renee asks Lana, "Why, do you feel like that?" Lana, who is set to tie the knot with Rusev very soon, takes a long pause and then replies, "Gulp!" She then explains, "All these...
- 1/18/2017
- E! Online
On Tonight’s Total Divas, Lana has a serious case of wedding jitters. As Lana’s big day approaches, the Florida-born WWE wrestler — sometimes known as The Ravishing Russian — confesses to a case of cold feet, worrying that forever with one man is a long time. In Las Vegas, the blonde beauty (real name Catherine Joy Perry) is in hair and makeup getting ready and asks about Naomi’s wedding as she brushes out her locks. Lana, who is acting quiet as she worries about tying the knot to fellow WWE wrestler Rusev (real name Miroslav Barnyashev), asks Naomi: “So, you didn’t...read more...
- 1/18/2017
- by April Neale
- Monsters and Critics
"Rusev is not budging at all!" WWE stars Rusev and Lana are about to get married, but before they tie the knot Lana's friends Renee Young and Trinity Fatu want to throw her a bachelorette party. The only problem is, Rusev doesn't want Lana to have one and he lets that be known in this clip from tonight's Total Divas. "Alright, spill it, what is it you don't like about the bachelorette party? Talk to me," Renee says. "I don't know, why? Like what is the point?" Rusev asks. Renee explains, "Well it's like a celebration, right? Is it like you don't want strippers around Lana? You don't want her to just go wild?" Rusev says he...
- 1/18/2017
- E! Online
If there's one thing that's certain in a business that's all "Never say 'Never'" it's that wrestlers don't tend to stay retired.
The last time the WWE Royal Rumble was in San Antonio, Texas (which happens to be his hometown), "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels successfully defended his World Heavyweight Title against Sycho Sid. The following Thursday, he famously vacated the Championship citing that he'd "lost his smile."
Well, if you saw Hbk on last night's WWE Monday Night Raw, you saw that the man is definitely smiling a lot these days. With the Rumble being back in San Antonio, and with him showing up to deliver some Sweet Chin Music to Rusev last night, Michaels was asked if there's a chance he could be one of this year's "Surprise Entrants" into the Royal Rumble match.
Here's what Hbk said:
"Well, I certainly may come by and visit. But, you...
The last time the WWE Royal Rumble was in San Antonio, Texas (which happens to be his hometown), "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels successfully defended his World Heavyweight Title against Sycho Sid. The following Thursday, he famously vacated the Championship citing that he'd "lost his smile."
Well, if you saw Hbk on last night's WWE Monday Night Raw, you saw that the man is definitely smiling a lot these days. With the Rumble being back in San Antonio, and with him showing up to deliver some Sweet Chin Music to Rusev last night, Michaels was asked if there's a chance he could be one of this year's "Surprise Entrants" into the Royal Rumble match.
Here's what Hbk said:
"Well, I certainly may come by and visit. But, you...
- 1/10/2017
- by Mario-Francisco Robles
- LRMonline.com
WWE: Roadblock-End of the Line is in the books. As a night that promised to close the chapter on some feuds on the Raw brand, for the most part the event didn’t disappoint. Here are the results of the matches and my thoughts.
Rusev vs Big Cass (Kickoff Show Match)
As I dreaded, this match was a dud thanks to Rusev. I could honestly care less about his character. While Lana is definitely a lovely woman, looks can only take you so far in the pro wrestling business. The entire setup for the match seemed stolen from 1980’s era wrestling. The only entertaining part of the match was the usual great mic work from Enzo before the match started. Thankfully it was over pretty quick. Lana distracts Enzo who gets taken out by Rusev. Big Cass checks on his friend only to get counted out. Big whoop. The...
Rusev vs Big Cass (Kickoff Show Match)
As I dreaded, this match was a dud thanks to Rusev. I could honestly care less about his character. While Lana is definitely a lovely woman, looks can only take you so far in the pro wrestling business. The entire setup for the match seemed stolen from 1980’s era wrestling. The only entertaining part of the match was the usual great mic work from Enzo before the match started. Thankfully it was over pretty quick. Lana distracts Enzo who gets taken out by Rusev. Big Cass checks on his friend only to get counted out. Big whoop. The...
- 12/19/2016
- by Tim Jousma
- LRMonline.com
This Sunday on the WWE Network, Roadblock: End of the Line, a Raw exclusive special event, will air. As of this writing, there are seven matches advertised for the show. I’ll discuss the lineup for the show as well as who I think should win.
Kevin Owens vs Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship
Roman Reigns has been in a tough spot for a while now. It’s clear based on how he’s been booked the past couple years that the WWE see money in his future. They want him to be the next big attraction. Yet the audience had not taken the bait, more often than not booing him out of the building. He’s not a bad performer at all in my opinion. The biggest issue I have with him is his lack of charisma. He’s boring on the mic. Not everyone has the...
Kevin Owens vs Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship
Roman Reigns has been in a tough spot for a while now. It’s clear based on how he’s been booked the past couple years that the WWE see money in his future. They want him to be the next big attraction. Yet the audience had not taken the bait, more often than not booing him out of the building. He’s not a bad performer at all in my opinion. The biggest issue I have with him is his lack of charisma. He’s boring on the mic. Not everyone has the...
- 12/18/2016
- by Tim Jousma
- LRMonline.com
All Renee Paquette ever wanted was to be a comedic TV host, like Chelsea Handler, Ellen DeGeneres or Jimmy Fallon. While her career hasn’t gone exactly as planned, the Canadian now known as Renee Young has quite a growing small-screen resume, nonetheless. Young is arguably WWE’s top reporter and the host of “SmackDown Live’s” after-show, “Talking Smack.” And this season, she’ll debut as one of three new cast members on spinoff reality series “Total Divas.” Joining her on the E! show are Lana and Maryse, who are married to WWE Superstars Rusev and The Miz, respectively.
- 11/16/2016
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
WWE superstar Rusev wasn't picture perfect with a black eye ... but that didn't stop him and Lana from saying "I do" again -- this time in Rusev's home country of Bulgaria. You'll recall Lana and Rusev planned 2 weddings -- a romantic ceremony in Malibu back in July and now over the weekend. They went all out ... Lana's dress was a whopping $75k. We're told the lace alone was a cool $15k. Check out...
- 9/5/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
So, we are heading quickly towards WWE’s second May PPV, Extreme Rules, and there are lots of rematches from Payback likely to happen at that show. I hope this doesn’t mean the product will be stale for the next month or so, but we shall see.
Raw (9th May 2016) Results: Baron Corbin defeated Dolph Ziggler R Truth beat Fandango Paige beat Charlotte Sami Zayn defeated The Miz Sin Cara pinned Rusev Roman Reigns & The Usos beat Aj Styles, Anderson & Gallows by Dq Kevin Owens defeated Zack Ryder The Dudleys beat The New Day Big Cass versus Chris Jericho went to a no-contest
This week’s Raw opened with Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel. Big Cass interrupted and got a very strong response from the fans. He faced off verbally with Jericho before challenging Y2J to a match. I’m glad WWE have chosen to keep Cass on Raw since Enzo’s accident,...
Raw (9th May 2016) Results: Baron Corbin defeated Dolph Ziggler R Truth beat Fandango Paige beat Charlotte Sami Zayn defeated The Miz Sin Cara pinned Rusev Roman Reigns & The Usos beat Aj Styles, Anderson & Gallows by Dq Kevin Owens defeated Zack Ryder The Dudleys beat The New Day Big Cass versus Chris Jericho went to a no-contest
This week’s Raw opened with Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel. Big Cass interrupted and got a very strong response from the fans. He faced off verbally with Jericho before challenging Y2J to a match. I’m glad WWE have chosen to keep Cass on Raw since Enzo’s accident,...
- 5/16/2016
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
So, we just had WWE Payback and now we enter a new week of WWE… Let’s go.
Raw (2nd May 2016) Results: Cesaro and Kevin Owens wrestled to a no-contest Tyler Breeze pinned Goldust Big Cass & The New Day beat The Dudleys and The Vaudevillains Emma beat Becky Lynch Rusev won a Battle Royale to become number one contender to the Us Title Aj Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson beat Roman Reigns & The Usos
Raw opened this week with Shane and Stephanie talking about being co-runners of Raw. Stephanie gave Shane a photograph of Vince and Shane together as a peace offering. The two appeared to agree to work together. Kevin Owens interrupted and demanded a match for the Intercontinental Title. Cesaro then came to the ring to ask for the same thing. Shane announced that the two would have a match with the winner being the number one...
Raw (2nd May 2016) Results: Cesaro and Kevin Owens wrestled to a no-contest Tyler Breeze pinned Goldust Big Cass & The New Day beat The Dudleys and The Vaudevillains Emma beat Becky Lynch Rusev won a Battle Royale to become number one contender to the Us Title Aj Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson beat Roman Reigns & The Usos
Raw opened this week with Shane and Stephanie talking about being co-runners of Raw. Stephanie gave Shane a photograph of Vince and Shane together as a peace offering. The two appeared to agree to work together. Kevin Owens interrupted and demanded a match for the Intercontinental Title. Cesaro then came to the ring to ask for the same thing. Shane announced that the two would have a match with the winner being the number one...
- 5/8/2016
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
We are quickly approaching WWE Payback, and this week will be the “final sell” before the PPV. Let’s see what WWE can offer to get us to watch their annual May event.
Raw (25th April 2016) Results: Aj Styles pinned Sheamus Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows beat The Uso’s in their Raw debut Sami Zayn beat Rusev Apollo Crews defeated Stardust Natalya beat Emma Baron Corbin and Damien Sandow went to a no-contest Roman Reigns defeated Alberto Del Rio
After some solid shows recently, Raw seems to be in a transitional stage, like something bigger is planned and they are waiting it out. This episode of Raw wasn’t as solid in the ring compared to some recent episodes, and the promos didn’t really make any real explosions to sell Payback, but there is enough going on to make things interesting as we head into the PPV on Sunday.
Raw (25th April 2016) Results: Aj Styles pinned Sheamus Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows beat The Uso’s in their Raw debut Sami Zayn beat Rusev Apollo Crews defeated Stardust Natalya beat Emma Baron Corbin and Damien Sandow went to a no-contest Roman Reigns defeated Alberto Del Rio
After some solid shows recently, Raw seems to be in a transitional stage, like something bigger is planned and they are waiting it out. This episode of Raw wasn’t as solid in the ring compared to some recent episodes, and the promos didn’t really make any real explosions to sell Payback, but there is enough going on to make things interesting as we head into the PPV on Sunday.
- 5/1/2016
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
This week we stay on the road to Payback in the aftermath of WrestleMania season. The roster has been shuffled up a little and some new faces are plodding around Raw, Smackdown and Nxt. Let’s see what this past week brought us, shall we?
Raw (18th April 2016) Results: Chris Jericho beat Sami Zayn via pinfall Enzo & Cass beat The Dudleys to advance to the finals of the Tag Team Tourney Baron Corbin crushed Fandango The New Day and Cesaro defeated Sheamus, Rusev, Del Rio & The Miz Natalya, Becky Lynch, Paige & Sasha Banks beat Charlotte, Summer Rae, Naomi & Tamina The Vaudevillains beat The Usos to advance to the finals of the Tag Team Tourney Apollo Crews squashed Heath Slater Dean Ambrose beat Kevin Owens
This week’s Raw emanated from the United Kingdom. While not on par with last week’s very good show, this week had some good parts,...
Raw (18th April 2016) Results: Chris Jericho beat Sami Zayn via pinfall Enzo & Cass beat The Dudleys to advance to the finals of the Tag Team Tourney Baron Corbin crushed Fandango The New Day and Cesaro defeated Sheamus, Rusev, Del Rio & The Miz Natalya, Becky Lynch, Paige & Sasha Banks beat Charlotte, Summer Rae, Naomi & Tamina The Vaudevillains beat The Usos to advance to the finals of the Tag Team Tourney Apollo Crews squashed Heath Slater Dean Ambrose beat Kevin Owens
This week’s Raw emanated from the United Kingdom. While not on par with last week’s very good show, this week had some good parts,...
- 4/26/2016
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
WWE.com
Congratulations to Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev) and Lana (Catherine Jo Perry)!
Monday morning, the news broke on TMZ that the longtime couple – who first became an item in Nxt – are engaged to be married. While WWE’s handling of the situation on Monday’s Raw (Rusev was beaten and emasculated in a puzzling segment) seemed less than well-intentioned, hopefully the happy couple can look forward to years of personal and professional success.
Rusev and Lana aren’t the first on-screen/off-screen wrestling couple and they won’t be the last. For many years, men and women who have been paired up on television – and who have subsequently spent much time together – have fallen for each other and ended up tying the knot (sometimes at the expense of other relationships). Other times, things have happened in the opposite order – husband and wife pairs who are already married are put together on TV,...
Congratulations to Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev) and Lana (Catherine Jo Perry)!
Monday morning, the news broke on TMZ that the longtime couple – who first became an item in Nxt – are engaged to be married. While WWE’s handling of the situation on Monday’s Raw (Rusev was beaten and emasculated in a puzzling segment) seemed less than well-intentioned, hopefully the happy couple can look forward to years of personal and professional success.
Rusev and Lana aren’t the first on-screen/off-screen wrestling couple and they won’t be the last. For many years, men and women who have been paired up on television – and who have subsequently spent much time together – have fallen for each other and ended up tying the knot (sometimes at the expense of other relationships). Other times, things have happened in the opposite order – husband and wife pairs who are already married are put together on TV,...
- 10/14/2015
- by Scott Fried
- Obsessed with Film
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is focused mainly on movies these days, but he's still got what it takes to kick some butt in the wrestling ring! On Monday, the 42-year-old wrestler-turned-actor proved just that when he made a surprise return to WWE Raw at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Much to delight of the cheering fans, the Rock took on Rusev, a controversial anti-American character played by Miroslav Barnyashev, and Lana, Rusev's equally controversially manager who is played by C.J. Perry. Before issuing a proper smackdown, though, The Rock recounted his journey back to New York. Speaking in third person, he told his Russian adversaries, "The Rock went to the Bronx so he could show respect to the...
- 10/7/2014
- E! Online
By the time you read this, Summerslam will be over, and either John Cena or Brock Lesnar will be WWE champ. We will also all be a bit closer to the release of WWE 2K15. Over the weekend, WWE released the full initial roster list for the game, and to save you some clicking, I've included the entire list below (courtesy of WWE.com)
Aj LeeAlberto Del RioBad News BarrettBatistaBig EBig ShowBooker TBray WyattBrie BellaBrock LesnarCameronCesaroChris JerichoCM PunkCody RhodesCurtis AxelDamien SandowDaniel BryanDarren YoungDean AmbroseDolph ZigglerErick RowanFandangoGoldustHulk HoganJack SwaggerJey UsoJimmy UsoJohn CenaJustin GabrielKaneKevin NashKofi KingstonLuke HarperMark HenryNaomiNatalyaNikki BellaR-TruthRandy OrtonRey MysterioRic FlairRob Van DamRoman ReignsRybackSantino MarellaSeth RollinsShawn MichaelsSheamus“Stone Cold” Steve AustinStingSummer RaeTaminaThe MizThe RockThe UndertakerTitus O'NeilTriple HTyson KiddXavier Woods
It's a pretty comprehensive list. While it includes pretty much all the usual suspects, there are a few noteworthy exceptions, Paige and Alexander Rusev being the most noticeable. They have both had...
Aj LeeAlberto Del RioBad News BarrettBatistaBig EBig ShowBooker TBray WyattBrie BellaBrock LesnarCameronCesaroChris JerichoCM PunkCody RhodesCurtis AxelDamien SandowDaniel BryanDarren YoungDean AmbroseDolph ZigglerErick RowanFandangoGoldustHulk HoganJack SwaggerJey UsoJimmy UsoJohn CenaJustin GabrielKaneKevin NashKofi KingstonLuke HarperMark HenryNaomiNatalyaNikki BellaR-TruthRandy OrtonRey MysterioRic FlairRob Van DamRoman ReignsRybackSantino MarellaSeth RollinsShawn MichaelsSheamus“Stone Cold” Steve AustinStingSummer RaeTaminaThe MizThe RockThe UndertakerTitus O'NeilTriple HTyson KiddXavier Woods
It's a pretty comprehensive list. While it includes pretty much all the usual suspects, there are a few noteworthy exceptions, Paige and Alexander Rusev being the most noticeable. They have both had...
- 8/18/2014
- by Matthew Mueller
- GeekTyrant
The highly anticipated WWE 2K15 roster has allegedly leaked online. The big news is that Cm Punk is in the game, alongside a range of Nxt stars. There’s 92 wrestlers in total, including Mick Foley who had been in doubt after not signing a WWE legends deal earlier this year.
The leak surfaced on GameFAQs, where it was claimed that the list came from the August edition of Game Informer Magazine. The post has since been removed.
The official roster reveal will be on August 16th in Los Angeles. 2K will be working in partnership with WWE’s SummerSlam event which takes place on the same weekend. That timing ensures maximum publicity for the video game’s content.
Is there any validity to this apparent leak ahead of time? The list certainly looks plausible. Punk’s contract may have expired, but he would have been under a deal when production of the game started.
The leak surfaced on GameFAQs, where it was claimed that the list came from the August edition of Game Informer Magazine. The post has since been removed.
The official roster reveal will be on August 16th in Los Angeles. 2K will be working in partnership with WWE’s SummerSlam event which takes place on the same weekend. That timing ensures maximum publicity for the video game’s content.
Is there any validity to this apparent leak ahead of time? The list certainly looks plausible. Punk’s contract may have expired, but he would have been under a deal when production of the game started.
- 7/30/2014
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
The WWE is getting the smackdown from some fans after two "Russian" characters ripped Americans for blaming Russia for the MH17 tragedy. Right before Alexander Rusev's pay-per-view bout last night ... his manager Lana teased hecklers with a very thinly veiled reference to the Malaysia Airlines crash, saying ... "You blame Russia for current events?" Lana added that America is to blame for "war-mongering in Afghanistan and Iraq." Of course, the whole bit was scripted --...
- 7/21/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
WWE Extreme Rules 2014 see the action from the Izod Centre New Jersey, where John Cena continues his feud with the Wyatt Family taking on Bray in a steel cage match. Evolution take on the The Shield in the battle of the the old and new factions and Kane goes back behind the mask to challenge Daniel Bryan for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, plus much more.
Extreme Rules Pre-show Match – WeeLC Match – Hornswoggle vs. El Torito (a DVD/Blu-ray Extra)
What the hell is a WeeLC match, you may ask. Well, I asked the same damn thing. Is it a match in which combatants can use chairs, ladders and urine to defeat their opponents? No, it isn’t, though that sure would have been a spectacle. The WeeLC match is WWE’s way of amusing itself with puns. This is a midget TLC match in which no holds are barred.
Extreme Rules Pre-show Match – WeeLC Match – Hornswoggle vs. El Torito (a DVD/Blu-ray Extra)
What the hell is a WeeLC match, you may ask. Well, I asked the same damn thing. Is it a match in which combatants can use chairs, ladders and urine to defeat their opponents? No, it isn’t, though that sure would have been a spectacle. The WeeLC match is WWE’s way of amusing itself with puns. This is a midget TLC match in which no holds are barred.
- 7/16/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
To celebrate the release of Wrestlemania 30 on DVD and Blu-ray from 9th June we have one pair (two tickets) to the WWE live tour event at the Newcastle Metro Radio Arena this Thursday (15th May) to giveaway!
The WrestleMania Revenge tour event kicks-off at 7.30pm and will see stars Randy Orton, Kane, The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose), Ryback, Curtis Axel, WWF Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett, Rob Van Dam, Big E, Fandango, Jack Swagger, Fandango, Mark Henry, Sin Cara, Alexander Rusev, WWE Divas Champion Paige, Cameron, Naomi and many more tearing down the house at the Metro Radio Arena.
Currently advertised for the live event is a Daniel Bryan vs Kane main event in a Last Man Standing Match but with Bryan revealing on WWE Raw last night that he will be undergoing surgery on Thursday, it’s unlikely he would make the event. Also currently...
The WrestleMania Revenge tour event kicks-off at 7.30pm and will see stars Randy Orton, Kane, The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose), Ryback, Curtis Axel, WWF Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett, Rob Van Dam, Big E, Fandango, Jack Swagger, Fandango, Mark Henry, Sin Cara, Alexander Rusev, WWE Divas Champion Paige, Cameron, Naomi and many more tearing down the house at the Metro Radio Arena.
Currently advertised for the live event is a Daniel Bryan vs Kane main event in a Last Man Standing Match but with Bryan revealing on WWE Raw last night that he will be undergoing surgery on Thursday, it’s unlikely he would make the event. Also currently...
- 5/13/2014
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Previously on: It's "Wrestlemania" season, and all eyes are on the upcoming "granddaddy of them all" in New Orleans. Still, Daniel Bryan continued going after Triple H, while the crowd hated the planned main event of Batista vs. Triple H.
The big news: Bryan may be going to the main event, after all. He hijacked "WWE Raw," along with nearly 100 supporters who flooded the ring and ringside area, demanding a match with Triple H.
Security couldn't clear the ring, and The Authority attempting to start a match did nothing. In the end, Triple H was forced to give in, after a lot of ugly yelling from Stephanie McMahon, including yelling over and over that she "owns" Bryan.
With his match assured, Bryan took things one step further. If he beats Triple H at "Wrestlemania," he gets placed into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Orton and Batista.
Just like that,...
The big news: Bryan may be going to the main event, after all. He hijacked "WWE Raw," along with nearly 100 supporters who flooded the ring and ringside area, demanding a match with Triple H.
Security couldn't clear the ring, and The Authority attempting to start a match did nothing. In the end, Triple H was forced to give in, after a lot of ugly yelling from Stephanie McMahon, including yelling over and over that she "owns" Bryan.
With his match assured, Bryan took things one step further. If he beats Triple H at "Wrestlemania," he gets placed into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Orton and Batista.
Just like that,...
- 3/11/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Previously on: The crowd loves Daniel Bryan, The Shield and The Wyatt Family. They hate practically everyone else, which is making for a very bizarre "Wrestlemania" buildup. Thankfully, The Undertaker returned, which lit up the crowd,. Hulk Hogan did too, but was far less effective.
The big news: The main draw of the show wasn't anything that happened on the episode, but rather what didn't: Cm Punk is still gone. As expected, the first "WWE Raw" from his hometown of Chicago, since he walked out after the "Royal Rumble," was pretty insane.
Right away, the show started with loud and clear Punk chants and they never ended. That's why it was a surprise when his music his and his face appeared on the video screen. It was all a clever ploy by Paul Heyman though, which is just mean. Heyman had many nice things to say about Punk, but it...
The big news: The main draw of the show wasn't anything that happened on the episode, but rather what didn't: Cm Punk is still gone. As expected, the first "WWE Raw" from his hometown of Chicago, since he walked out after the "Royal Rumble," was pretty insane.
Right away, the show started with loud and clear Punk chants and they never ended. That's why it was a surprise when his music his and his face appeared on the video screen. It was all a clever ploy by Paul Heyman though, which is just mean. Heyman had many nice things to say about Punk, but it...
- 3/4/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
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