Fantastic

What a mess... Still, I suspect Punk would have known something like this may have happened. It'll probably get thrown out, but if Amann does have something to go on, they'll probably come to some kind of settlement outside of court.

WWE was actually all right when they had tons of titles in play, even with a less than massive roster, at least during the times noted below: WWE in 2001, just after the Invasion angle: WWF World Title World Title (WCW title) WWF Tag Team Title WWF Intercontinental Title WWF European Title WWF Hardcore Title WWF Cruiserweight Title WWF Women's Title WWE in early 2008: WWE Championship World Heavyweight Championship Intercontinental Title United States Title ECW Championship WWE Tag Team Titles World Tag Team Titles Women's Title Diva's Title Cruiserweight Title

I haven't watched TNA since 2012 myself. Joe's awesome when he's trying, but I can't help feeling that a lot of the time in recent years that he's just phoning it in, maybe because of his standing in TNA.

Mets is being extremely vague. A "good amount of interest" doesn't mean much - sort of a hedging bets if it goes one way or another. That said, I don't doubt that Trips would have some interest in Joe. I think they can get him to cut weight and regain some of his missed form easily. It's going to come down to Joe figuring whether or not it's his best interest to take a shot should WWE call... It's really now or never for a WWE run for Joe. Same position AJ was in when he quit TNA, except he decided that Japan was where he really wanted to be, and that has worked out extremely well for him. Either way, Joe needs to lose a good 50lbs, he's gained a lot of "bad weight" since 2009 and it shows in his work, he's still fast and good conditioned, but he's not a shade of what he was when he was lighter and stealing the show with AJ, Ki, and Daniels in the X division back in 04-05.

I'd wager that Austin is still on something even now he's not wrestling. Most guys who make a living that involves being on the juice (especially the Pro Bodybuilders), find that when they stop using and move away from their profession that their natural production of testosterone is so shit that they require TRT just to have an element of normality. Then of course, the biggest downside, is that once they come off the juice they lose a shit ton of size and that messes with their heads, so they get their TRT doses upped and some might even end up cruising again alongside their TRT.

That Reddit insider guy was saying earlier that Triple H is interested in giving Joe a NXT tryout.

Aren't ALL WWE employees subject to it? Even if they aren't, regardless, how exactly should anybody take it seriously when as much as 90% of the roster are subverting the policy in some manner or another, not to mention the fact that the boss (the one who chose to implement it) is clearly not leading by example? The Wellness Policy is a huge load of horseshit, it seems the only people who are caught out are those with substance use issues that pose a problem to their work (alcohol, painkillers, somas, etc, which is probably the only good thing) or weren't smart enough to get a valid prescription/mask it effectively when their time to test came up.

Stuff like this is why WWE's wellness policy is a joke. Does anybody seriously believe that a 69 year old can look like this (even if there's a lot of lighting and parlour tricks adding to it) without considerable assistance from AAS?

In 2011, Steve Austin was quoted as saying "I could still wrestle for two years at about 90-95 percent of what I used to give." So why didn't he? This is what bothers me... Austin could easily command a Lesnar style contract (huge salary, perks that break with the norm, a limited schedule, guaranteed PPV main events and a possible title run, etc, etc) to return to WWE in a wrestling capacity. We have to assume that either he doesn't need the money (which is probably not the reason, given the likes of Sting, Taker, Lesnar, etc are all financially set for life, have enormous property portfolios and extensive royalties), isn't actually anywhere near the physical condition necessary to wrestle even one more match, or fears compromising his physical wellbeing should any more in ring activities lead to injuries.

We're probably talking at best, something similar to Punk vs. Taker at Wrestlemania XXIX. Bryan (the Punk in this scenario) would be doing all the hard physical work, taking the big bumps, wheras Austin (the Taker in this scenario) would hit his high spots, work a mostly mat based style with minimal bumps centred around his danger spots (the neck in Austin's case) and rely on crowd reaction and match heat to enhance his shortcomings.

I've heard a lot of rumors about his like for younger women. Whether that extends to actual minors is unknown, but the 93 incident does send some red flags flying.

I did think for a moment that they were teasing a future Lesnar/Michaels match during the build to Lesnar's match with Triple H at Wrestlemania 29.

Shawn Michaels: On one more match: On facing Daniel Bryan: Sounds like HBK struggles to resist the urge to step into the ring again, and could potentially consider it if the right idea comes along... Question is, what is the "right idea"? I've always been under the impression that (come the time) if Michaels is still in shape and healthy, I could see Triple H requesting that Michaels is his final oppoenent when Hunter decides to retire from in ring competition. That has been done before many times, but... They have never met in a one-on-one match at Wrestlemania. It's the one thing missing from Triple H's extensive resume, a singles match on the big stage against the man he considers the greatest in-ring talent of all time. The seeds were strongly planted in 2012 with the whole "Shawn was always better" comment from Undertaker. They've played on that a couple of times since. I believe the crowd have even chanted in when Shawn and Hunter were together in one segment last year. It's the perfect end for a heel Triple H, to get flustered by the idea that "Shawn is better" and to challenge him to come out of retirement so he can prove that "he" and not Shawn is the better man - with his own career on the line.

Yeah, the briefcase needs to go. It's stupid. It should only feature in the actual match, where it's necessary to actually physically retrieve something to win. There is no need for a physical representation of a guaranteed title opportunity at any time/place.

Would WWE realistically do a cash in at Wrestlemania? Why not? WWE likes to pride itself on the motto that "anything can happen in this business". Anything that can happen, however unlikely, usually does: - We thought they'd never end The Streak, Vince decided it was time last year. - Ultimate Warrior and WWE hated each other, Warrior swore he'd never do business with them again. Last year he made amends with Vince and accepted invatation into the HOF. - Bruno Sammartino had similar feelings... - Bret Hart was screwed by WWE, publicly blamed them for the death of his brother and said he'd never step foot in a WWE ring again. By 2006, he'd made up with Vince McMahon, and accepted a place in the HOF. Come January 2010, he's standing in a WWE ring and buried the hatchet with Shawn Michaels. Hell, at present Bret is an ambassador for the company! - Nobody thought anybody, least of all Daniel Bryan, was beating Cena for the title in 2013 without some booking fuckery. He went over at Summerslam 2013, 1-2-3 clean, in the middle of the ring. - A female (Chyna) won a top (relatively speaking) male singles titles on three separate occasions, and drew. - Vince McMahon, despite never having been a wrestler and with limited performance skills, became arguably the greatest heel in the history of WWE, upon deciding that he wanted to be an on screen performer. - Nobody thought ECW would ever exist again, WWE revived it with initial success in 2006.

So, New Beginning was today:

I agree that MITB has become more of a cheap heat device for heels. But I don't think they should get rid of it or modify the concept to include a 24hr notice. Really, I think more faces need to win the briefcase and cash in honorably, but to their advantage, such as cashing in for a a match in front of a hometown crowd or modifying the rules to include the stipulation that if the MITB holder gives notice to the champion, that the MITB holder then gets to choose the stipulation of the match. That gives new possibilities: Dean Ambrose might choose a No DQ match or a Street Fight, Bad News Barrett could choose to have some kind of gimmick match at the next UK event w, Daniel Bryan could choose a Submission match, etc ,etc. I also said a while back that it would be cool to add the stipulation that should the WWE title ever become vacant during a time where a wrestler is in possession of the MITB, then that wrestler has a right to cash in and claim the vacant title for themself.

It's the best time to do the Mania cash in. We've known since the very first MITB (the original Mania matches) where they advertised the concept of "the winner of the match will receive a contract that is valid for one year/following Wrestlemania" that a Mania cash in was inevitable and would only be a matter of time. Rollins is in the midst of becoming the top heel of the company, destroying the "big feel good mania moment" and taking it for himself along with the title is the ultimate heel act that would firmly drive him into the aforementioned top heel position. Like his mentor Triple H, before him did at Wrestlemania 2000.

We all know how this is going down, especially if Brock does indeed re-sign with WWE (which people seem to think he will). Reigns pins Bryan to win the title. Brock goes on a rampage, destroys both men, but Bryan in particular (setting the scene for a singles match along the line) recieves the brunt of his wrath for losing "Brock's title". Rollins probably cashes in, although he could cash in the next night on Raw as part of an angle where Heyman turns his back on Lesnar and aligns himself with Rollins after Reigns gets taken out by The Authority or Lesnar.

It does sound like it, but the more I think about it, the more I think it's a good idea. Basically, Brock doesn't have to lose, neither Bryan nor Reigns are in need of the rub or deserving of the rub respectively that comes with being the one to end Brock's undefeated reign of terror. I still think Reigns is winning the match, probably by pinning Bryan and if isn't via a heel turn, then Rollins is probably leaving Mania as champion.

Just heard that Genichiro Tenryu is rumored to be announcing his retirement! I actually didn't think he was that old (65). Definitely one of my all time Puro faves.

I'm interested in whether this stuff posed an issue with Kurt Angle. I remember reading that Angle basically said "no thanks" to ECW when they did the Raven/Sandman crucifix angle. But, the Ministry of Darkness stuff was far more intense IMO. Not only did Taker "crucify" Steve Austin, but they were abducting women (Stephanie and Ryan Shamrock, there may have been a couple more too), setting fire to kid's toys, and hanging Big Bossman.

So yeah, Dave basically confirmed in the latest Observer that not only does NJPW have some kind of big financial stake in NOAH, but that Jado is booking them too... They've been trying to keep it a secret apparently, but Super Crazy said too much during an interview. What does everybody think this means for NOAH, will it transition into NJPW's equivalent of NXT? Or will they keep it running as a separate promotion?

Fuck it... Anybody can have a guess at this stage: Reigns vs. Bryan at Fast Lane ends in a draw. They repeat a triple threat at Mania. Reigns and Lesnar beat each other senseless, maybe in some uber spot outside the ring, leaving Bryan the only man (barely) standing in the ring, he gets the "YES" chant going as Heyman looks on in that way that only Heyman can. But then! Out of nowhere, Adrian Neville, Hideo Itami, and Finn Balor storm the ring and mercilessly beat down Bryan. King of Kings hits and the entire Authority come down lead by Triple H who is furious and pointing fingers at the NXT trio. But it's a swerve, Kane, Big Show, and J&J go and attack the still fallen Lesnar and Reigns, whilst the NXT trio drag Heyman into the ring. Suddenly Heyman breaks into a smile and raises the hands of the NXT trio as Triple H moves in for a handshake. Rollins cashes in on the blessing of Hunter at this point. The announcer says "Ladies and Gentlemen, Seth Rollins is cashing in his MITB contract, thereby inserting himself into this match and it becoming a fatal four way". The NXT trio (who Cole, JBL, etc are basically saying shit like "it's The Shield all over again") hold Bryan down as Rollins deliver the Curb Stomp and gets the 1-2-3 to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Heyman raises Rollins hand and hugs him, suggesting Heyman masterminded the whole thing. The benefits of this? Neither Reigns nor Lesnar have to take the fall, Bryan's decamation gets tremenedous heat on Rollins and The Authority. A new stable - Shield Mark II? - debuts and aligns themselves with The Authority, Heyman turns on Brock and becomes Rollins manager/mouthpiece, and the post-Mania Raw is a fucking heatfest!