FRI UPDATE: Tons of Mania, Lesnar, Mania media, Former diva expecting?, HHH, Hirings, movie news

Friday's News, Notes & Links

 

--Bryan and Lance Storm will be doing a show tonight after the ROH show talking all the latest news.  Bryan and I will be back tomorrow night with notes on all the weekend shows and the latest WrestleMania news, as well as Sunday and Monday nights.  Bryan is in Florida and hosting a get together today before the ROH show in  Fort Lauderdale.  You can check his twitter.  We'll also be doing a ton of audio over the next few days with Mania updates.

 

--There were 2,885 tickets available at Stubhub alone at this writing, almost all under market value and many under $15.  This is a buyers market and not a sellers market as we get down to the wire.  The event is not sold out, but the best bargains are not buying tickets at face value.  There are not a lot of tickets left, but there appear to be more tickets than there is demand for tickets right now so today and tomorrow may be good time for real bargains.    

 

--Regarding Brock Lesnar, he had not agreed to a deal as of a few hours ago.  There are a number of issues, both financial and number of dates, that needed to be worked out.   

 

--We don't have a confirmation that Terry Taylor is officially with WWE but he was at developmental and his name has been rumored for two weeks as being part of the new developmental system.  Brian Wittenstein, who worked underneath Taylor and Bob Ryder in TNA, was also talked of already being in WWE, which was seen by some as a confirmation that Taylor was coming in.

 

--John Cena is hosting a Make-a-Wish Pizza Party for more than 40 children and their families at Jungle Island tonight.

 

--A story in the Palm Beach Post about Dwayne Johnson's college football career including quotes from him, me, his mother and John Cena is at http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/hurricanes/dwayne-the-rock-johnson-has-had-quite-a-2270358.html

 

--Dwayne Johnson short piece at http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/

 

--Mike Tyson talks WWE Hall of Fame at http://espn.go.com/blog/dan-rafael/ talking about how as a kid he would steal money to buy wrestling magazines.  What a charming story.     

 

--C.M. Punk talks about deciding to stay in WWE at http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/

 

--John Cena rips Dwayne Johnson for the same old why doesn't he show up every Monday at http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/03/30/dukes-at-wrestlemania-john-cena-feud-with-the-rock-is-anything-but-scripted/  By the way, despite the title of the radio interview, it is scripted. (thanks to Chuck Carroll)

 

--Edge, Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson are interviewed at http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/03/30/dukes-at-wrestlemania-edge-and-the-four-horsemen-enter-wwe-hall-of-fame/

 

--And more with Edge with Brian Fritz at http://www.betweentheropes.com/587/edge-enjoying-being-just-wrestling-fan-again/

 

--Vickie Guerrero noted she had a surprise party for Michelle McCool and wrote "I'm so excited for her bundle of joy," which sounds like confirmation of the rumors that she is pregnant.

 

--Zack Ryder talks his strategy to get noticed at http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/30/

 

--Results from Fan Axxess yesterday were Ezekiel Jackson b Hunico, Seth Rollins b Dean Ambrose, Usos b Primo & Epico in a non-title match, Bo Rotunda b Antonio Cesaro (thanks to Ty Dawson)

 

--Don't know if that non-title win will lead to a dark match at Mania but at one point Usos vs. Primo & Epico was slotted as a dark match on Sunday.

 

--Seven questions with HHH at http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2012/03/monday-night-raw-star-triple-h-discusses-wrestlemania.html  He talks about the difference between begin a wrestler and an executive.  He said if he could wrestle anyone in history in their prime it would be Buddy Rogers or Ric Flair.

 

--John Cena interview at http://www.betweentheropes.com/592/john-cena-felt-pressure-over-past-year-looking-forward-to-match-vs-rock/

--Dwayne Johnson interview at http://www.betweentheropes.com/594/the-rock-says-john-cena-is-a-fan-of-his-has-wanted-him-back-for-years/

--The Monday through Thursday WWE interviews in the Los Angeles Times site were the most read blog posts on the site each day this week.

 

--Amy Dumas (Lita) is in for WrestleMania activities, as are a ton of former stars and pretty much everyone from the Legends House reality show.

 

--AAA Lucha Libre has inked a deal with Masked Republic to distribute a one hour weekly show.  People interested in the show can e-mail aaatv@maskedrepublic.com

 

--As expected, Hornswoggle will be starring in the WWE Studios movie sequel in the "Leprechaun" series that is being filmed soon.

 

How many North American buys do you expect WrestleMania to do?

Under 500,000 4.2%

501-550,000 0.9%

551-600,000 2.8%

601-650,000 3.3%

651-700,000 7.5%

701-750,000 9.1%

751-800,000 11.0%

801-850,000 12.4%

851-900,000 9.1%

901-950,000 10.1%

951-1 million 12.4%

More than 1 million 19.0%

        That's really surprising to me.  The Trump show only did 825,000 and last year's show did 679,000 and people are talking like this could to more than 900,000.

 

Which show does more North American buys?

WrestleMania 74.0%

Jones vs. Evans 26.0%

 

What was the best of these WrestleManias

13 3.8%

14 2.9%

15 0.7%

16 1.1%

17 56.0%

18 5.6%

19 11.4%

20 10.6%

21 1.8%

22 0.9%

23 1.1%

24 4.2%

 

Best of these WrestleMania matches

Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin 49.6%

Benoit vs. HHH vs. Michaels 10.5%

Austin vs. Rock II 8.2%

Bret Hart vs. Michaels 5.7%

Hogan vs. Rock 5.7%

Edge & Christian vs. Hardys vs. Dudleys 4.8%

Michaels vs. Jericho 4.7%

Angle vs. Lesnar 3.3%

Angle vs. Benoit 2.8%

Austin vs. Rock I 2.0%

Austin vs. Michaels 1.4%

Guerrero vs. Angle 1.2%

 

--Lots of John Cena fans at Miami Airport.  A big "Let's go Cena" chant when Lita landed.

 

--The WWE guys are all trying to pal around with Mike Tyson.

 

--WrestleMania odds from the U.K.'s William Hall Agency

John Cena -125

The Rock -110

 

HHH +350

Undertaker -500

 

C.M. Punk -200

Chris Jericho +150

 

Daniel Bryan +225

Sheamus -300

 

Cody Rhodes +110

Big Show -150

 

Randy Orton -400

Kane +325

 

--Odds for tonight's Ultimate Fighter fight were

Myles Jury -285

Al Iaquinta +225

 

--Mike Tyson was on Piers Morgan on CNN last night talking about his Vegas one-man show.  Morgan mentioned the WWE Hall of Fame in passing but neither talked about it.

 

--Results from last night's Dragon Gate USA/CZW show in Miami Beach:  Mike Monroe & Trevor Reed b Wayne Van Dyke & Maxwell Chicago, Johnny Vandal b Maxx Stardom, Joey Saint b Shawn Prime, Low Ki b Bobby Fish, Ricochet b Mike Cruz, Samurai Del Sol (who will be appearing tonight as well) b Masato Yoshino, Cima & Masaaki Mochizuki b Scott Reed & Caleb Konley, Pac b AR Fox, Akira Tozawa & Uhaa Nation & BxB Hulk b Johnny Gargano & Chuck Taylor & Rich Swann and Sami Callihan & Arik Cannon & Pinkie Sanchez, Danny Havoc b Lucky Thurteen in an Ultraviolent death match, D.J. Hyde b Drake Younger in an Ultraviolent death match 

 

--There will be tons of WWE first-run video on Youtube today and for the rest of the weekend.

 

--The ESPN Radio station in Raleigh on Thursday talked about the 25th anniversary of  WrestleMania III doing lots of trivia from the show.  They played audio of the Hogan vs. Andre finish and pushed that Andre was living in North Carolina at the time.  Andre lived in Ellerbee, NC on a ranch at that time and until his death six years later.

 

--A tour of the Canary Islands this weekend by the European based Nu Wrestling Evolution promotion that included Bobby Lashley, Chris Masters and Carlito was canceled due to issues in Spain, because it would have been difficult due a transit strike to get from Spain to the Canary Islands for the show.

 

--It will be interesting to see if this can help the gate, but yesterday's San Jose Mercury-News ran a story on the Lucha Libre USA show on the front page of the paper, as did the Contra Costa Times.  I can't remember WWE ever getting a front page of the paper story except involving Owen Hart or Chris Benoit, let alone Roy Shire. 

 

--Bret Hart was on Newstalk 1420 WHK in Cleveland at http://www.divshare.com/download/17161653-600    

 

---Court Bauer and Konnan did a podcast at www.MLW.com talking Vince McMahon, Vince competing with UFC, Scott Hall, Rey Mysterio and politics in wrestling among other topics.

 

--The Sting signing a new contract on Dixie Carter's twitter yesterday was all storyline with the idea he's no longer G.M. so has to sign a new contract to be a wrestler.  He has a contract in place until the end of the year and has not signed a new deal.

 

--Ken Resnick will be appearing on the Traditional Championship Wrestling show on 4/7 in Fort Smith, AR at the Convention Center headlined by Cheerleader Melissa vs. Mickie James plus Boink the Clown, Matt Borne, trying to avoid legal issues. Chris Cruise handles the announcing for this group.

 

--ICW tonight in Miami at the Polish American Club at 1250 NW 22nd Ave. in Miami for $15 starting at 8 p.m. tonight with Stevie Richards headlining a show that also includes Jesse Neal and Christina Von Eerie.  There will also be an after show meet and greet with Tammy Sytch, Kevin Sullivan and Gangrel.  

 

--DDP predicts who will win the upcoming major MMA fights at http://angrymarks.com?articleID=17617  Ian McCall also talks about  his next fight at http://angrymarks.com/?ArticleID=17502

 

--DOA Curtain Call on 4/22 at 4 p.m. in Portland, OR at the University Park Community Center.

 

--Wild Bill's Fight Night on 4/7 in Duluth, GA.  They will have a Combat Sports EXPO in the parking lot all day, a bikini contest at 5 p.m. and fights at 8:30 p.m.  Expo is open to all ages. Fights are open to those 18 and older.

 

--UWC TV show this week is at http://www.youtube.com/UWCWrestlingVideos