Screen Caps from WWF Sunday Night Heat 10-11-98
WWE Smackdown Results for 11/28/14
Thanks to Tristan for the following WWE SmackDown spoilers from tonight’s tapings in Fort Wayne:
* SmackDown kicks off with Big Show on MizTV but Daniel Bryan interrupts to a big pop. Bryan is the General Manager tonight and is putting Luke Harper and Rusev in matches.
* Rusev retains his United States Title in a 20-man battle royal with the rest of the roster. Rusev was forced to do the battle royal for not saying the Pledge of Allegiance on RAW.
* Nikki Bella defeated Emma. Nikki cut what was said to be a very good promo. AJ Lee came out after and attacked Nikki and Brie Bella.
* Ryback defeated Seth Rollins by disqualification when Kane interfered. Kane beat on Ryback with a chair.
* Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods debuted as A New Day and defeated Curtis Axel, Heath Slater and Titus O’Neil.
* Backstage promo from Bray Wyatt talking about Dean Ambrose.
* Backstage segment with Daniel Bryan. He announces Kane vs. Ryback in a Chairs Match for TLC.
* Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper is next with the Intercontinental Title on the line. Ziggler ended up winning by count out but Harper retains. Harper swung the title belt at Ziggler after the match but Ziggler hit a Zig Zag and celebrated to end SmackDown.
CM Punk Breaks His Silence, Talks Leaving WWE, HHH Hatred, And More!
Credit Mike Johnson & PWInsider
Here are the highlights of the CM Punk interview on Colt Cabana’s “Art of Wrestling” podcast, which may very well be the best in-depth interview with a top WWE personality all year. Please note these are just some major highlights.
Before you read these highlights, I highly advise you to check out the original interview as I think all would be best served by listening to this in Punk’s own voice at www.ColtCabana.com. In case the site is down, you can go to iTunes.com and subscribe to Cabana’s podcast at this link to get the episode. You will hear a MUCH more detailed version of these discussions on Cabana’s podcast.
Punk made it clear that he’s the happiest he’s personally been in many years and that at times, he will come off bitter while discussing what happened, but it’s “OK to be bitter” and that’s part of going through the process of dealing with everything and that his appearance wasn’t meant to be an attack on WWE, but a discussion of what his led to his departure.
Highlights:
*The most amazing thing to come out of the interview is that Punk didn’t quit WWE – he was fired. While he left the company in January, he was told weeks later by Vince McMahon via text that he was suspended for two months. The next day, Vince told stockholders that Punk was on a “sabbatical.” When the suspension ended, no one in WWE contacted Punk. When Punk reached out asking where royalties that were owed to him were, he got a run-around from WWE until he received termination papers informing him he was in breach of contract on his wedding day. So, they fired him on his wedding day in June 2014, which Punk said was “going too f***ing far.” Punk claimed the company tried to find him in “retro-breach” in June, instead of claiming he breached his deal back in January 2014.
*Punk said he left WWE the day after The Royal Rumble for one main reason: his health. During the podcast, Punk went into great, esquisite detail about the last several months in the company, which includes Punk being so injured that he’s working with broken ribs (thanks to Ryback), a concussion (which he ignored after WWE medical asked him if he was OK to go on a European tour, so he toughed it out, which he noted was his own mistake) and injured knees. During the November tour, Punk was getting so sick that he was puking and dry heaving every night after wrestling, had a fever for months and had no appetite. WWE medical had given him so many antibiotics by that he pooped himself in the ring on Smackdown all while watching his checks shrink. Punk described it as the worst he ever felt in his life and being unable to sleep because he was so sick. This went all the way through the end of his WWE run.
*At the Royal Rumble, Punk suffered a concussion early on and still worked the entire match. The next day, he passed the company’s concussion test (which he described as “bullsh**) while texting Colt Cabana and wearing headphones. WWE then told him he passed the test but they wanted him to go run the ring ropes to check him again. At that point, Punk demanded they just decide he has a concussion and admitted that until then he was just trying to deny he was hurt and tough it out.
That same day, the company began pressuring him about signing visas for future tours and taking a drug test instead of listening to his requests to “f***ing help me” because something was obviously wrong, Punk says he decided to tell Vince McMahon and Triple H he was going home. Punk’s version of this conversation is something to behold as he calmly tears into Triple H for cutting off his momentum in 2011 (Punk goes into great detail on issues with HHH), complains to Vince that he’s stifled Punk’s creativity and tells them both it’s garbage they aren’t considering Daniel Bryan for the main event of Wrestlemania 30, passing him by the way they’ve passed Punk by. He told them he was done and didn’t want to do this anymore. Vince hugged him goodbye in tears and told him he was family, yet he later suspended and fired Punk.
*Punk also told a story of going to WWE’s doctor because he found a lump on his back during the same time period after the November 2013 European tour. The WWE Doctor, identified by Punk as Chris Amann, diagnosed it as a fatty deposit. Punk tells several stories of asking for Amann to cut it out, but Amann says no because it wasn’t hurting Punk. Punk explained WWE docs cut things out of the wrestlers on a regular basis. Amann declined several times to remove it with Punk describing him as “lazy.” The day of the 2014 Rumble, Punk told Amann that it was now badly hurting and purple and bigger. Amann told him he couldn’t do it because Punk had to work the Rumble. After the Rumble, Punk demanded it be cut out and Amann noted that Punk would need to be on antibiotics, to which Punk responded that had been put on antibiotics WWE docs have given him for three months, which is why he pooped his pants.
*After leaving WWE and not feeling any better, his wife AJ Lee had him go to her doctor. Her doctor without knowing who Punk was or any background information, immediately looked at the lump and diagnosed Punk with a MERSA staph infection. The doctor proceeded to squeeze the lump so hard the puss hit the ceiling. Punk said getting it cleaned out was the worst pain in his life and he needed specific medications for the infection so none of the meds WWE had been giving him were any help. So, Punk had been wrestling the last few months of his WWE run with a staph infection in his back, which he stated was ignored and/or misdiagnosed by WWE’s medical staff. When the doctor asked Punk how long he had the lump and Punk told him a few months, the doctor told him, “You should be dead.”
*Punk talked about how badly hurt he was during his most recent WWE run and that on two occasions, he literally came out of surgery (and in one story, was walking out of the hospital following knee surgery) to find out he was being brought back almost immediately. After elbow surgery, he was told he was being brought back to the road and TV to cut promos and after the knee surgery, was told he was being brought back in three weeks to work a TLC match against Ryback. Punk’s version of these stories were enough to really make you shake your head and really need to be heard.
*Punk described his wrestling career as a failure as he failed to get to the main event of Wrestlemania and that he’s come to terms with that as he’s moving on to the next stage of his life. He said that it was ridiculous that so many current roster members have been in the main event and said he needed to get there so he could learn to work at that level and get better and draw more. He said he would hear he wasn’t a draw, but every chance he had, he “shoved it down their f***ing throats.” He said that it all comes down to an “out of touch old man” (Vince McMahon) and his decisions. Punk said he knew he had the best match at Wrestlemania 29 and he was praised for it, but he knew he didn’t get the money that John Cena, Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Rock, and Triple H got for the show.
*Punk said that for anyone complaining he left WWE in a lurch, he didn’t hold WWE up for money and didn’t ask for anything and didn’t walk out in the middle of a storyline. He was chokeslammed by Kane and he was gone. He went home for his health and sanity, although he did note he was frustrated with seeing smaller checks and not getting answers as to how the WWE Network will change the pay scale. Punk noted that everyone was afraid to ask Vince McMahon and even Randy Orton was coming to him asking if he knew anything.
*Punk said that when WWE fired him and issues a breach, he hired a very vicious lawyer to go after WWE to fight the breach and in the end, he got a settlement that gave him everything he asked for “and more.” He said he’s just not allowed to talk about the settlement, but pretty much made it clear he got everything he wanted and noted it was stupid of WWE to even advertise him for the next WWE DVD. He said he is completely done and clear of WWE and they will never, ever have a working relationship ever again. He said they were terrified that as an independent contract for the last ten years, that he would take them to court and ruin their way of doing business. When WWE later asked to issue a joint statement between the two, he told them to “F*** off.”
*Punk talked in details about WWE using the independent contractor status, noting the company does concussion testing to help themselves, not the wrestlers. He noted all the money the NFL Player’s Union is forcing the NFL to pay for old injuries and medical concerns of players and that WWE is doing all this to prevent wrestlers from being able to say that they aren’t. Punk said that if WWE truly cared for the talents, they would allow a union to be created for the talents.
*Punk also noted that he was to star in “12 Rounds 2” while he was WWE champion. When signing the paperwork, he noticed the filming dates were the same as a WWE European tour and Triple H. Triple H told him that was not the case but he will look into it. The next day, WWE announced Randy Orton would star in the move with HHH never calling Punk to inform him of the change because, as Punk said, “He thinks I’m a piece of sh**.” Punk said it was indicative of the lack of respect he was shown by those in the company.
*Punk said wrestling Ryback took “20 years off his life” and talked in detail about how badly hurt he was working with, as Punk described him, “Steroid guy.”
*WWE was afraid he was going to TNA, but his lawyer told WWE that he despises wrestling now and will never wrestle again.
Yoshi Tatsu Suffers Broken Neck During Match With AJ Styles
New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced via their official web page that former WWE Superstar Yoshi Tatsu will not compete in the rest of the promotion’s World Tag League tournament. In a tweet posted earlier today, Tatsu elaborated on the injury, stating that tests have revealed that he has broken two bones in his neck. He added that he believes the injury was sustained during a match with AJ Styles for NJPW’s November 8 “Power Struggle” show. Video from that match is posted above (Check out the Styles Clash at around 20:13).
In a subsequent tweet, he also indicated that he is in a lot of pain these days and that he cannot sleep, adding that this is the first time in his life that he has needed to be hospitalized.
NJPW has indicated that changes to the tournament card are forthcoming.
WWE Main Event Results 11/25/14
– Tonight’s WWE Main Event opens up with new WWE Tag Team Champions The Miz and Damien Sandow coming out. The Miz brags about the titles and they’re interrupted by Los Matadores.
Los Matadores vs. The Miz and Damien Sandow
Michael Cole and Byron Saxton are on commentary. We get the bell for this non-title match. The Miz starts off and gets taken down early. Matadores with a 2 count. The end comes when Sandow comes in to a big pop and hits the Skull Crushing Finale on one of the Matadores. Miz tags in and steals the pin for the win.
Winners: The Miz and Damien Sandow
– Renee Young tries to interview Fandango but he’s busy staring at Rosa Mendes.
– Still to come, Kane vs. Dean Ambrose. We go to commercial.
Adam Rose vs. Fandango
We come back and “the new and improved” Fandango makes his entrance. He dances with Rosa Mendes. Adam Rose and the Rosebuds are out next. Fandango shows a more aggressive side and keeps control of Rose. The Bunny tries to get involved again but gets knocked off the apron and it backfires. Fandango gets the win with the top rope leg drop.
Winner: Fandango
– We get a look back at RAW and Survivor Series.
– There’s a backstage segment with Layla throwing pumpkin pie in Natalya’s face. Tyson Kidd held Natalya back.
Layla vs. Natalya
We go to the ring and out comes Layla and Summer Rae. Natalya is out next with Tyson Kidd and she’s upset. Natalya unloads on Layla until Layla nails a kick. Layla slams Layla’s head into the mat now for a 2 count. Natalya ends up coming back and getting the win with a Sharpshooter.
Winner: Natalya
Kane vs. Dean Ambrose
We come back and Dean Ambrose makes his way out after Kane. We get a look at RAW with Bray Wyatt and Ambrose. Kane takes Ambrose to the corner and works him over. Ambrose turns it around and hits a tornado DDT for a 2 count. Ambrose with a neckbreaker and an elbow drop for 2. Ambrose controls most of the match but Kane looks to come back with a chokeslam. Ambrose blocks and they go to the floor. Ambrose takes out Kane but gets sent into the apron. Kane brings it back in the ring for a superplex but Ambrose counters. Ambrose knocks Kane to the mat and hits a big elbow for 2. Ambrose goes back to the top but Kane drops him on the way down for a 2 count. More back and forth until Ambrose gets the win with a roll up.
Winner: Dean Ambrose
– Main Event goes off the air with Ambrose heading up the ramp and Kane throwing a fit in the ring. Cole hopes everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving.
TNA Officially Announces First Set Of TV Tapings For Destination America
TNA has announced that they will return to the Manhattan Center in New York City on January 7th, January 8th and January 9th for their debut episodes on Destination America. The following was issued:
Read: Exclusive: TNA Set For More TV Tapings In NYC
IMPACT WRESTLING’S DESTINATION AMERICA TELEVISION DEBUT TO TAKE PLACE AT NEW YORK CITY’S MANHATTAN CENTER
TICKETS FOR THREE NIGHT RUN, JANUARY 7 – 9, ON SALE DECEMBER 5
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 25, 2014) – TNA Entertainment today announced tickets will be on sale beginning Dec. 5 for three consecutive televised events, Jan. 7 – 9, emanating from the legendary Manhattan Center in New York City for IMPACT WRESTLING’s debut on Destination America.
“With the explosive sold-out crowds in New York City this past summer, returning to the Manhattan Center for three huge events as IMPACT WRESTLING debuts on Destination America was an easy decision,” said Dixie Carter.
Tickets for the Jan. 7 – 9 televised events will go on sale beginning Friday, Dec. 5 at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com and by phone at 800.745.3000. Starting at just $20, tickets make great holiday gifts.
For an exclusive pre-sale code follow TNA President Dixie Carter on twitter @TNADixie.
The “OH MY GOD!” Review: ECW In Burlington, Mass. 10/12/96
1996-10-12 at Sports One in Burlington, MA
Champions
World: Sandman
TV: Shane Douglas
Tag Team: Gangstas
We get footage of Tommy Dreamer at the merch table before the show talking to some fans. He’s asked what the next insane bump he plans on taking is and he tells the fans that he is trying to get a scaffold match with the ring full of tables set up but Tod and Paul won’t let it happen.
Tag Team Champions Gangstas vs. Samoan Gangsta Party, ref John “Pee Wee” Moore
New Jack pins Sammy the Silk with the 187 chair shot. 2.22 of the match is here. There is a point in the action where the screen goes blue for a few seconds and it appears to cut forward in the match but it’s hard to tell since it’s just a giant fight.
JT Smith (w/ Little Guido) vs. Louie Spicolli, ref Paul Richard
Spicolli all over Smith to start and he send him to the floor after a few drop kicks and clothesline. Guido stops Louie from getting back in the ring by holding his foot allowing Smith to gain the advantage. Smith with the handspring moonsault for 2. Spicolli ducks a clothesline and hits a german for 2 but can’t follow up on it. Smith hits two spin kicks. Spicolli reverses an irish whip and hits a spin buster for 2. Guido trips up Spicolli and Smith back on top. Spicolli reverses a corner whip. Smith tries to go up and over but Louie catches him and nails the DVD for the win in 5.41. The crowd of course goes wild.
Dudley Boys (w/ Sign Guy Dudley) vs. Erotic Experience, ref Jim Molineaux
Well I expect this match to be the same as their previous two encounters. “Precious” Pat Day talks to Joel Gertner and then Gertner tells us that for the protection of the face of GQ Gorgeous Quartermaine he will now be covering his face with a mask. Oh no! I just checked and the other two matches these guys had each lasted like 15 minutes. I really don’t want to watch this for that long. They lock up and Buh Buh pushes Day to the ground. Day hides in the corner so Buh Buh can’t get to him. They lock up again and we get the same thing. Day tags out. GQ charges and gets tackled twice. GQ crawls into the corner and asks for time out. The crowd chants for Spike. Spike tags in hits a hip toss and drop kick on both man and they bail to the floor. Back in the ring Spike with a snap mare and he rakes the eyes with his boots. Buh Buh tags in and comes off the top with an axe handle to the arm. Buh Buh with a neckbreaker and a cutter for 2. Spike tags in and goes for 3 different types of roll ups getting 2 each time. GQ reverses a corner whip and Spike hits chest first. Day chokes Spike from the apron behind the refs back. Day tags in and hits a dropkick off an irish whip. Day goes for a back drop but Spike gets a sunset flip for 2. Day up quickly and he nails Spike with a clothesline. GQ tags back in and they hit a double spinning back kick. Spike goes for a leapfrog but gets caught mid air and powerslammed for 2. GQ with a top rope leg drop for 2. Double clothesline attempt by the Experience but Spike ducks and hits them both with a drop kick. Buh Buh tags in and cleans house on his opponents. Buh Buh with an avalanche in the corner onto GQ. Then he press slams Spike and throws him into Day for a 2 count. GQ breaks up the pin but then gets nailed with a bossman slam. Day now breaks that pin up. Buh Buh ducks a double clothesline then drops to the ground so Spike so run off him and clothesline the other two. Buh Buh hits a double clothesline of his own. They bail to the floor so Buh Buh throws Spike onto them. Buh Buh hits a power bomb onto Day. Buh Buh sits on the top rope and Spike climbs to his shoulders and splashes off them for the win in .39 I copy and pasted most of this from the previous match. Buh Buh added the neckbreaker and cutter into the match. And the Experience did a double spin kick instead of a double shoulder block every other spot was EXACTLY the same. D-Von attacks after the match with a chair. Big Dick Dudley makes the save and chokeslams the Experience and D-Von bails when it’s his turn. Buh Buh dives over the ropes onto all of them. So next time this match happens I’m just going to give you guys the time of the fall. You can come back to this recap and read about the match if you want since it won’t be any different. Not awful but tired of seeing this. Glad they trimmed down on the rest spots.
Bill Alfonso vs. Tod Gordon, ref John “Pee Wee” Moore
Alfonso jumps Gordon as his way to the ring. They fight, Alfonso bleeds. Alfonso wins in 3.22 after Taz comes down and punches Gordon. Mikey comes in fights Taz and tells the ref what happened. Wait it’s ECW why does it matter how he won?
Tag Team Champion Kronus vs. Pitbull #2, ref Paul Richards
Kronus jumps Pitbull as he slides into the ring and puts him down with a clothesline. Pitbull goes to the floor and Kronus planchas down onto him. Kronus sends Pitbull into the guardrail and charges. Pitbull back drops him into the crowd. Quickly back to ringside and into the ring after each man takes a few chair shots. Kronus with a powerslam for 2. Somersault leg drop but Pitbull no sells it and hits a clothesline. Pitbull hits a spin kick in the corner. Kronus comes back and hits the handspring elbow and then comes off the second rope. Pitbull catches him with en elbow in the stomach and then hits a super fall away slam for a quick win in 5.03. Kronus attacks after the match and TV Champion “The Franchise” Shane Douglas and Francine come down to the ring to help out. Shane hits Pitbull with the belt busting him open. They hit a spike piledriver on the belt trying to injure the next of Pitbull. Unexpected finish there. Pretty boring match. Fans boo Pitbull.
Too Cold Scorpio vs. Doug Furnas, ref Jim Molineaux
Very little happens for the first five minutes of the match. Furnas with some arm work and then he misses a corner charge and falls out of the ring. Scorpio follows. Back in the ring Scorpio with a power bomb and he goes up top and hits a leg drop for 2. Scorp with a belly to back and leg drop. Scorpio sends Furnas into the corner and charges but Furnas comes out with a clothesline. Power slam and an overhead belly to belly each get 2 counts for Furnas. Furnas goes for a rana but Scorpio power bombs him out of it for 2. Scorpio goes up top and hits a splash for 2. Moonsault for 2. Furnas ducks a spin kick and throws Scorp in a german that flips him all the way over to his stomach. Superplex is blocked, Scorpio with a super front suplex and he comes off the top with a knee to the chest of Furnas. Tombstone is followed by a 450 splash for the win in 10.31. I wanted to like this but it was pretty terrible.
“Dangerous” Devon Storm vs. Johnny Smith (w/ TV Champion “The Franchise” Shane Douglas & Francine), ref John “Pee Wee” Moore
Shane gets on the mic before the match. He has an injured hand and can’t wrestle so Smith is doing it for him. Douglas jaws with a fan at ringside and all of security joins him. Smith out wrestles Storm for the first two minutes. Crowd is all over Shane for not wrestling tonight. Storm now fucks up on a head scissor and lands on his head. Then Smith trips on him. Smith suplexes Storm from the apron to the floor. Nice looking swinging neckbreaker back in the ring. Smith works over the arm with a few submissions. Storm makes a come back and hits a suplex and somersault dive to the floor. He sits Smith in a chair and jumps off the apron with a diving clothesline. Storm with a super rana for 2. Smith hits a powerslam for 2 then comes off the top rope with a missle drop kick followed by a clothesline for 2. Piledriver gets 2. Storm comes back with a spring board leg lariat but then he misses a top rope moonsault. Smith hits the tiger bomb to finish it off in 13.01. Douglas shakes Smith’s hand but then punches him. Shane whips Smith into the ropes and Francine was standing on the apron and fucking eats it. This was clearly not a planned spot. Pitbull attacks Douglas to make the save. Douglas is busted open with the belt. Some wrestlers come from the locker room to break them up. Buh Buh Ray Dudley catches a back elbow by accident and his bleeding from the nose right away. He looks very glass eyed. Aside from the two blown spots it was decent. Could have cut out some of the arm submissions as that ate up a lot of time. Fun brawl at the end with the pull apart and Francine nearly dying.
Taz (w/ Bill Alfonso & Team Taz) vs. Mikey Whipwreck, ref Jim Molineaux
Taz hits the ring but Mikey takes him down with a hip toss and rop kick. Taz goes to the floor Mikey follows with a plancha. Back in the ring Mikey goes for a clothesline but Taz hits a tbone to take over. Taz is pissed because Mikey stuck his nose in Alfonso’s business earlier. Mikey hits a second rope drop kick after taking a few minutes of punishment. Mikey hits a bulldog and then dives onto Team Taz. Mikey misses a top rope splash onto Taz. Taz hits a nice looking wheel barrel slam and then locks in the tazmission. Mikey quickly submits and the match is over in 5.13.
Perry Saturn vs. Sabu, ref Paul Richards
Arm drags to start both men go for a drop kick at the same time. They shake hands and the crowd approves. Sabu flips out of a back drop attempt and spin kicks Saturn to the floor. Baseball slide follows that sends Saturn into the crowd. Sabu with a triple jump dive into the crowd. They brawl a bit and Sabu sets up a table and tries to do a triple jump to put Saturn through it but he slips on the chair plus the table falls off the apron. Saturn misses a right hand by about 5 feet. They set up another table but this time Saturn launches himself back into the ring and meets Sabu mid air with an elbow. He crotches Sabu on the top rope and then springboards with a clothesline sending both men crashing to the floor. Saturn wont let Sabu back in the ring so Sabu gets a chair and nails him with it. Triple jump leg drop for 2. Saturn with a german with a bridge for 2 and he locks in a camel clutch as the crowd chants for a table. Northern lights but Sabu sneaks out at 2. Saturn hits a flacons arrow then goes up top for a splash but that only gets 2. Sabu comes back with a springboard moonsault for 2. Saturn quickly cuts him off and gets a fishermens suplex for 2. After a superkick Saturn again goes up top. This time he comes off with a real nice looking leg drop and again Sabu kicks out. Sabu crotches Saturn on the top rope and climbs the turnbuckle but Saturn falls off. Sabu goes up top but Saturn slams him off. Saturn going up a third time now and he lands his elbow for 2. Saturn goes to the apron and tries to suplex Sabu out of the ring through the table. Sabu blocks it and hits a tornado DDT from the apron through the table on the floor! Back in the ring Saturn hits a top rope drop kick for 2. Sabu with a rana. Triple jump standing moonsault for 2. Saturn tries to come back but Sabu reverses a corner whip and then hits a bulldog and the triple jump moonsault to get the victory in 15.57. They shake hands and hug after a hard fought match. That was fun with some nice spots in it.
Tommy Dreamer & World Champion Sandman (w/ Beulah) vs. “Primetime” Brian Lee & Stevie Richards (w/ Blue Meanie & Super Nova), ref Jim Molineaux & Paul Richards
Lee is limping and taking a lot of time stretching out his legs while Sandman and Dreamer make their entrance. Lee and Richards jump Sandman and knock Dreamer off the apron and the fight is on. Sandman pairs off with Sandman and Lee with Dreamer. They brawl all over the place. At the end Lee hits a chokeslam on Dreamer and then goes for another one. Dreamer with a small package gets the win in 9.31. After the match Dreamer and Sandman get beat down until Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy makes the save. Beulah DDTs Meanie.
My thoughts on the show…
Recommended show. The brawls were fun and a real good match between Saturn and Sabu to check out.
