The Wrestling Newsgroup

Michael Paris overcomes obstacles to graduate college, build career as TNA wrestler Zema Ion 

CHARLESTON, West Virginia — More than six years after entering West Virginia University, Michael Paris got his advertising degree this month. And for as long as he can, he doesn't plan to use it.

Not while he's traveling the globe for TNA wrestling, which signed him in June 2011 as alter ego Zema Ion, a hair-obsessed Filipino supermodel.

"Right now I'm having the time of my life living my dream...

While promoting WWE 13, Steve Austin spoke about how John Cena would have thrived in the Attitude Era and more. Here are the highlights…

On Working With Bret Hart: Man, working with Bret Hart was some of the most fun matches I've ever had in my life. There was Chicago and WrestleMania 13, over in South Africa, in Germany — and Bret had a pretty good stronghold over in Germany. Man, I loved working with Bret. I've got a lot of respect for Bret as a person, and everything he did as a pro w...

Return to Raw was a dream come true By Tommy Dreamer

This past Monday, I made my surprise WWE return on the company’s flagship show Monday Night Raw.

What appeared, on the surface at least, to be a long-planned return for The Extreme Original Tommy Dreamer to his Philadelphia faithful was anything but, actually.

Here, exclusively for my faithful readers, is a behind-the-scenes look into my return.

I’ll start with last weekend, when I did my usual independent wrestling shows. I worked ...

From Cactus Jack to Mankind to Dude Love, three-time WWE Champion Mick Foley has played many roles in his career. However, none of those personas or accomplishments mean as much to him as being able to honor America’s servicemen and women as himself at WWE’s annual Tribute to the Troops, airing tonight on USA Network at 9 PM ET.

We spoke to the Hardcore Legend—and hardcore Marvel fan—about the importance of this event and what Marvel heroes he’d bring to the show.

Marvel.com: S...

Kayfabe Wrestling Radio
Check out the archive: http://www.wildtalkradio.com/kayfabe/kayfabe121812.mp3

One half of the legendary tag-team “The Rock N’ Roll Express” Ricky Morton joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. In a nearly 30 minute interview, he discussed how the ‘Rock N’ Roll Express’ came together, facing the Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane and Steve Keirn), working for Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett in Memphis back in the day and how he got started in wrestling, the diffe...

In spring 2006, devoted fans of ECW were shocked by the news: The promotion that went bankrupt in 2001 was making its return. They were more surprised by the brand name attached to the announcement: WWE. To say hardcore fans were cynical about the introduction of ECW as WWE’s third brand would be an understatement.

There were plenty of questions being bandied about ahead of ECW’s official relaunch at One Night Stand 2006. How extreme would the brawlers be allowed to get in a WWE ring? Wo...

Jerry Lynn recently spoke with Tony Z, Eddie and Matt at Shining Wizards about his career and more heading into his match at ROH Final Battle. Check out the highlights:

On his run with WCW and the creation of Mr. J.L: "Brad Rheingans had ties with them, and he had asked me to come to his camp and help train the session he had at the time, and I asked him "It's been seven years, what do I have to do to get a break?" And Brad said, "Well, it's all changed, it's TV now, you have to come up with...

Self-Defense Tips From WWE Divas' Eve Torres

Eve Torres is an engineer-turned-professional wrestler whose talents include solving Rubik's Cubes, weathering broken noses, and applying her own fake lashes. Still, the WWE Divas champ found herself vulnerable when a group of guys ganged up on her at a gas station while she was on the road solo. She's since learned to protect herself through Jiu-Jitsu-based techniques and is sharing her self-defense tips to help keep you safe.

Embrace Girl Powe...

Kayfabe Wrestling Radio interview with Nigel McGuinness

Former ROH World Champion, TNA star and current ROH “Matchmaker” Nigel McGuinness joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. In a nearly 30 minute interview, he talked about the creation of his documentary “The Last of McGuinness”, using Eddie Edwards as a cameraman for the project, his thoughts on some calling him a ‘modern day ROH legend’, does he hope wrestling will return more towards wrestling and away from gimmicks ...

Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Interview with Michael Elgin

ROH star, 2011 ‘Survival of the Fittest’ winner and AAW Heavyweight Champion “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. In a nearly 20 minute interview, he talked about missing the 2007 Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup due to injury, what it is like returning from a severe injury back into the ring, his first ROH run back in 2007 and what he learned from it, his strength training what is on his ‘no eat’...

WWE Ryback interview: 'My goal is to blow John Cena out of the water'

Ryback has had a hell of a 2012. The old Nexus man struggled with injuries in the past, but over the last 12 months has stormed his way back into contention.

His year was set to end with a WWE Title match against CM Punk, but a bad case of knee-knack sadly meant that was not to be. Ryback's response? FEED. ME. MORE.

So, Ryan Reeves has joined Team Hell No (Kane and Daniel Bryan) for a TLC [Tables, Ladders and Chairs] ma...

HIGH-FLYING TNA superstar AJ Styles has promised fans he will never change the wrestling style that made him famous.

AJ has wowed TNA fans for the last decade and had world-famous adrenalin-fuelled encounters with the likes of Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle and perennial rival Christopher Daniels.

He is now 35 but still wowing in the ring each week on Impact Wrestling, told SunSport: “You know I feel you pick your time and place to do crazier stuff and I do that.

“I pick my spots and use them w...

Christopher Daniels recently spoke about the Fallen Angel character, the TNA X-Division and more. Here are some highlights…

His pursuit of acting and winding up in wrestling school: "My wife and I moved to Chicago to try and get into theater, and I was doing children's theater because it was the only place where I could make money. And I joked with her that if this didn't work out (acting), I'd probably be a pro wrestler, because I grew up as a fan, and half-heartedly dreamed about it but ...

You On Demand CEO says PPV marketing experience, Chinese demand for low-cost entertainment and industry partnerships are the formula for breaking into a traditionally tough market.

Shane McMahon is best known for his role as a former top executive and occasional wrestler in the WWE, but these days he has his sights trained on China.

On Monday, McMahon spoke in New York at the 40th annual Global Media and Communications Conference -- his first investors conference, he said -- and gave a pitc...

Bret Hart recently spoke with The Altoona Mirror about tonight's Big Time Wrestling show and more. Check out the highlights:

On the Wrestling Audience Changing In The Late 1990s: "Wrestling was everything for everyone. Then it turned to concentrating on certain audiences in the late 90s when the wrestling fans were cheering bad guys, and it wasn't any fun anymore. Grandpa and grandma weren't going anymore. It wasn't a family atmosphere. It was guys with beer guts and rednecks; they weren't g...

Bret Hart Q&A
December 7, 2012

The following questions were asked to Bret Hart during his interview with the Mirror but were not used in the print edition of the story.

Q: Growing up in a family centered so much on pro wrestling, did it ever enter into your mind that you might want to do something other than wrestle?

A: "I always had sort of a fascination with wrestling; it was always there," Hart said. "It was always there that I could always be a wrestler kind of thing. I was the biggest ...

Bully Ray recently spoke with Busted Open Radio about his relationship with Brooke Hogan, his thoughts on heels vs. babyfaces and more. Check out the highlights:

On his relationship with Brooke Hogan: "I'm not even sure you can call us friends, because we have only known each other for a short period of time. When the whole Aces and Eights went down and I came to Hulk, I came to Sting, I tried to help out TNA because I thought the whole situation was wrong. Hulk just kept giving me the cold ...

Star-Ledger documentary 'The Bottom Rope' looks at independent wrestlers far from WWE glory

Danny Inferno stands in the center of a wrestling ring, microphone in hand.

Sweat drips from Inferno’s tasseled black hair down a 6-foot-1, 250-pound frame stuffed inside black wrestling briefs. The word "heel" is sprawled across the back.

"I respect everything you’ve done, and I want to go into this match man vs. man," growls Inferno, 35, pointing his heavily taped fist at Marty Jannetty.

T...

Ring of Honor World TV Champion and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Campion Adam Cole joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. In a nearly 30 minute interview, he talked about his victory at Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s “Battle of Los Angeles”, facing Kevin Steen and beating him for the PWG World Title, the environment around Joey Ryan’s last PWG match, the confrontation with Matt Hardy at “Death before Dishonor X” and their upcoming match, his thought on former “Future Shock”...

Booker T recently spoke about his All-Star Clinic, Kingston vs. Barrett at TLC and more. Here are the highlights…

The reason for him creating his first-ever "All-Star Clinic" and what the experience is going to be like for those who take part in it this Friday in Houston: "It's going to be a seven-hour clinic that is going to provide three different perspectives from guys (MVP & Devon) who have actually been there. A lot of times these young guys who try to get into the business go to inde...

George Barrios, Chief Financial Officer, of WWE, presented for the company at the UBS 40th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference. 

Here is what Barrios said regarding the WWE Network....

"The other thing we talked about is a potential for WWE network and over the last four or five quarters, we have seen significant investments both in CapEx and OpEx in the network and showed some of that before and how that has been a drag on earnings in the short run. We believe there is an op...

Can you imagine Angelina Love as a tomboy? Believe it or not, Love grew up in Canada “slightly tomboyish,” she said, and dates her love for pro wrestling to age 7.

“My sister and I were always into sports and such, but wrestling was my thing,” said Love, who will take part in one of the main-event matches at Top Rope Pro Wrestling’s New Year’s Chaos on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington.

Love will take on Katie Lea Burchill at Chaos, the first time...

Show: Interactive Wrestling Radio featuring The Interactive Interview courtesy of www.wrestlingepicenter.com
Guest: Stevie Richards
Date: 12/5/12
Your Hosts: Patrick Kelley, James Walsh, & Nick Noel

In a rare interview with a wrestling site Michael Manna, known to wrestling fans as Stevie Richards, addresses a lot of topics from throughout his career as well as brings us up to speed on what he is doing in addition to tearing it up in Extreme Rising in the title tournament right now. Plus, he ha...

TNA CONFERENCE CALL RECAP

-Chris Thomas opened the call by hyping Thursday's Impact Wrestling and this Sunday's Final Resolution PPV before turning it over to questions.

-AJ was asked about his first match with Christopher Daniels and AJ said it was at a NWA anniversary show where he first met and wrestled Daniels. He said since then they have been best of friends and bitter enemies.

-AJ said it is difficult to continue to raise the bar with matches with Daniels, especially after their las...

SMYRNA, Ga. - Self-proclaimed “firebug” Jake “The Snake” Roberts burns yet another pile of brush outside a palatial suburban Atlanta home that doesn’t seem to fit in with the more modest houses nearby.

“A couple of them look like crack houses -- that’s why I’ve already been over there twice,” Roberts jokes.

A few minutes before, his “new alcohol” -- coffee -- was delivered to him by 25-year-old perennial foil Louie Benson, and Roberts is quick to “thank" him for his ...

Under the Ring interview with Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Laid back and quick with a story, whether it was for aspiring wrestlers or one of the many fans who showed up to his autograph signing at Hudson Valley Marketplace on Sunday, Michaels is at peace with where he is in life.

Michaels agreed to a brief interview on short notice. Special thanks to the event’s sponsors, Northeast Wrestling and Collector’s Realm for their accommodation. Y...

The mansion Stu Hart ran Stampede Wrestling from, trained and tortured wrestlers in the infamous "Dungeon" and raised his family has been designated a "heritage site", the equivalent of a landmark, and will be preserved for future generations. The home is being given that distinction due to its unique structure as well as its importance in local culture.

According to his autobiography "Lord of the Ring", Stu Hart purchased the mansion in 1951. It had originally been used as a home for orphan...

Mick Foley joined The Big Mosh and "The Chairman of the Board" Todd Vincent for an interview Monday Night Mayhem, Highlights from the interview....

How he wanted to have his latest book ("A Most Mizerable Christmas") stand out from his previous releases: "It is a story based on my own son, who as a three-year old, told me he didn't need anything from Santa, no matter how much I tried to prod him. When I approached the WWE about the idea of doing it, I knew the book market had changed a lot, ...

Kharma Talks WWE, Her Release, Return to Wrestling, Divas, TNA and More!

In her first exclusive interview since being released by WWE, the star known as Kharma, Amazing Kong and Awesome Kong speaks to Diva Dirt about her time in WWE, her departure from the company, her return to the ring, her plans to star in a reality show and much, much more.

For Kia Stevens, WWE had always been the dream. Since starting her career in the dojos of Japan, to breakout success in TNA as Knockouts Champion, W...

While the initial plan was to release the forthcoming documentary on Extreme Championship Wrestling by Christmas, Producer John Philapavage confirmed  that they have chosen to delay the release of the film until early 2013.

"I always side with quality over quickness, " said Philapavage. "There are several factors to this slight delay, not the least of which is that we made the decision during the Kickstarter campaign to put two versions on the DVD release, and that takes more time. We’re a...