Reviews for Rock’s New Film, Knockout Added to WWE Alumni, Ziggler Note

- Embedded below is the latest episode of WWE Behind The Match. In this episode, Dolph Ziggler looks back at his match with Daniel Bryan from Raw earlier this month.
- WWE has added TNA Knockout Tara (f.k.a. Victoria) to their Alumni section at this link.
- The Rock’s latest flick, GI Joe: Retaliation, opened last night to poor reviews. The film is ranking 38% at movie aggregator site RottenTomatoes.com (a 60% is considered good). Out of the 77 reviews counted, 29 have been positive. It is rated much lower than his last movie, Snitch, which scored 57% and is still on the top 10 at the U.S. box office.

Kevin Nash Talks About Being Part of The Streak, WrestleMania Memories & More

The Baltimore Sun has an interview with Kevin Nash. Here are some highlights.
What he’s been doing since his last WWE run: “I’ve been keeping busy. I’ve been making personal appearances as well as doing independent bookings. I’ve been working on a movie project locally with some writers and a production group. It has a good script, and a medium-budget of about $1-to-1.5 million. There’s also a reality show that I’ve been in talks with.
“I also have a legends deal with WWE, so I go in from time-to-time for DVD commentaries, and I sometimes go to developmental (NXT). It gives them an extra set of eyes who doesn’t necessarily get to see the guys as often, and can give them a different perspective.”
WrestleMania memories: “The first Wrestlemania I was involved with was the Michaels/Hall ladder match, when I was Shawn’s bodyguard. I still think that was one of the greatest matches of all time. A year later, me and Shawn were headlining. And then I co-headlined with ‘Taker the next year. I was involved with some great moments in the early-to-mid-90s.”
Being a part of the Undertaker’s streak: “It’s funny because I didn’t believe that there was truly anything special when I wrestled ‘Taker at the time. There was no inkling of a streak or anything. The guys like me that are earlier in the streak are just lucky to be part of the streak. Now it’s such a big thing, and one of the really special things in the business. I really don’t think the streak is ever going to end, and if it was up to me, I wouldn’t ever have it end.”

WrestleMania 29 Arena Structure, WWE Highlights Badass Wrestler Stories, More

- Here is another sneak peek at the WrestleMania 29 arena structure.

- An interesting note worth noting, The Rock’s grandfather, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, was a villain in the James Bond film “You Only Live Twice”.
- WWE has published an article looking at “The Most Badass Wrestler Stories Ever Told” at this link. The article highlights stories on Dr. Death and Rick Steiner saving people from a burning car, Danny Hodge walking away from a car wreck, Vader wrestling with his eye popped out of his head and several other amazing stories.

Undertaker Advertised Post-WM29, Jericho’s Working April 23rd Raw Event?

- The O2 in London is advertising The Undertaker for the Tuesday, April 23 Smackdown TV taping.
“The Undertaker returns! It’s official, WWE SmackDown on 23 April will feature one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time, The Undertaker, in a London exclusive not to be missed. See The Phenom live for the first time in over four years.”
- WWE will tape Raw in London on Monday, April 22nd, and Chris Jericho is listed for the event on WWE’s roster page. Fozzy is scheduled for a European Tour simultaneous to WWE’s bi-annual European Tour. Fozzy has an open-date on April 22nd, allowing Jericho to be part of Raw prior to continuing the Fozzy tour on April 23.

Press Release: WWE and Diddy Join Forces for WrestleMania

- WWE issued the following today:
WWE® AND SEAN “DIDDY” COMBS JOIN FORCES
STAMFORD, Conn., March 28, 2013 – WWE today announced a partnership with Sean “Diddy” Combs, featuring a live performance at WrestleMania 29® on Sunday, April 7 by the three-time Grammy Award winner and entertainment powerhouse. Combs will also co-host the Superstars for Sandy Relief party with WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon as a part of the WrestleMania® Week festivities and serve as an ambassador for WWE’s Be a STAR anti-bullying initiative.
Emanating live from MetLife Stadium, Combs will perform a medley of songs in front of more than 70,000 fans in attendance with millions watching worldwide on pay-per-view. Diddy-Dirty Money’s highest charting single, “Coming Home,” from the acclaimed album Last Train to Paris is an official theme song of WrestleMania 29 and will be integrated throughout the show.
The Superstars for Sandy Relief party, co-hosted by Combs and McMahon with special guest Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg kicks-off WrestleMania® Week on Thursday, April 4 at Cipriani Wall Street. The charitable fundraiser is part of WWE’s efforts to unite the sports and entertainment worlds and provide fans the opportunity to bid on unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. As a part of the online auction, Combs is offering the opportunity to be an intern for a day at his world-renowned entertainment company Bad Boy Records and learn what it takes to manage today’s top artists. All proceeds will benefit The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.
Combs will also serve as an ambassador for Be a STAR, an anti-bullying initiative co-founded by WWE and the Creative Coalition to encourage young people to treat each other with tolerance and respect. In addition, through Combs’ association with the Invisible Bully clothing line, he will continue to encourage individuals to put an end to bullying and contribute to Invisible Bully’s mission to stand for something or fall for anything.
“WrestleMania is one of the biggest spectacles in the world and I’m looking forward to performing in front of millions on April 7,” said Combs. “I’ve always been a fan of WWE and I’m excited to support these two important causes, Superstars for Sandy Relief and the Be a STAR anti-bullying initiative.”
WrestleMania 29 airs live on pay-per-view Sunday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. ET from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

Sean Waltman Tweets on Incident Where He Tore His Anus

Sean Waltman has responded to the incident that took place over the weekend where he tore his anus. Here is what he wrote on Twitter:
Sorry its taken so long to thank everyone. I’ll be getting out of hospital today.Thank U Jerry Lynn. If it wasnt for U there would be no me
Thank u everyone for the kind wishes & some funny 1 liners Im sure were hard to pass up. If u cant laugh at yourself, who canu laugh at?
The video doesnt do justice to the severity of the situation. the turnbuckle wasnt covered & my landing should have been 45 degrees.
I ended up landing hard & horizontal. The turnbuckle ripped me another new a hole. I kew it right away, U can see me tell ref “tore my ass!”
Sorry for typo. I ewent to after party brieflly, but had to leave as blood starting gushing. Hotel looked like a murder scene. So much blood
Im typing in the dark. sorry for typos. Hotel security called ambulance & Dr Morken @ HCMC performed sphincterplasty to save me from having
to have a colostomy bag. It hard not to laugh. So feel free to find it humorous. I did almost bleed out, before ambulance got there.
I did the x factor from the top rope & 1 through a table after it happened. My concern was Jery getting the proper send off, Not my butthole
@MJCANDANCE It happened once befoer a few yrs back w Jay Bradley. Thats why I knew what happened this time.
@MJCANDANCE If i woud have lost anymore blood, I would have bleed completely out & needed a blood transfusion. Or died. Barely made it
@MJCANDANCE Colostomy is in the dictionary, but its when a person needs a bag put in there ide or stomach to go poop into.
@shaungt Why not. Its not my 1st near death experience anyway. Plus, how can you not chuckle about a story lke this?
Brighter side of things. will start taking applications for my school. Beginners need to be in shape.
@steveporterjr I’ll still be at my appearance for FUW in Tampa on Saturday. Im advertised, so not missing it. Cant wrestle however.

News on Tonight’s Impact Wrestling Tapings

TNA returns live on Impact with “Open Fight Night.” Also TNA will tape next week’s episode from Jonesboro, Arkansas.
As part of tonight’s theme, Jeff Hardy is scheduled to call out a member of Aces & Eights. This will be part of a two-week promotion for Hardy getting his TNA Title re-match against Bully Ray on the April 11 Impact episode.
Also advertised for the event is the latest on “brooding” AJ Styles, how Sting will react to Hulk Hogan chewing him out the last weeks on Impact, and Hogan continuing his battle with Aces & Eights.
No matches have been announced in-advance since the matches will be created from the open call-out storytelling format.

CM Punk Talks Getting Over, Paul Heyman’s Mic Skills & More

CM Punk was interviewed by Mark Madden earlier today. Here are some highlights from the interview.
You don’t need a win or a title to stay over with the fans. Is that a blessing or a curse?
I think it’s a curse.
Madden said Punk is the “best talker out there” yet he’s paired with Paul Heyman, who is also a great talker. Madden asked how that’s not overkill.
Punk said he’s not sure if he’s the best talker out there and an argument could be made that Paul Heyman is the best. Punk said the friendship that he and Heyman have off-screen really shines through in their work together.
When you were in my studio years ago you agreed that you were not a wrestling lifer. Do you still feel that way or have you become a safer?
No I don’t want to be a lifer. I just feel like I’m one of those guys that gets bored easy. So what’s the next mountain?

Elijah Burke Talks Inspirations, ECW Run with The New Breed & More

hris Featherstone of Pancakes and Powerslams got the chance to interview former WWE, ECW and TNA wrestler Elijah Burke. Here are some highlights from the interview.
On his inspiration to pursue pro wrestling: “Watching NWA growing up in Florida… and seeing the likes of ‘The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, the Horseman, Rock and Roll [Express] and all those guys. All credit goes to my dad… after church services we would go home and eat Sunday dinner and wait for 6 o’clock, 5 o’clock wrestling to come on.”
Wrestlers he competed against early in his career that became stars today: “CM Punk, [but] everyone who I feuded with were already established individuals… I had feuds with Tommy Dreamer and Ballsy Mahoney (God, where is he? Ballsy, give me a call)… when I got to TNA – the guys such as Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles. Great, great guys I really enjoyed working with.”
His WWE debut with Sylvester Terkay: “He was the most gentle, misunderstood giant that there could possibly be. [He] was one of the coolest and gentle and kind-hearted guys I think I’ve ever been around in the business… good guy, great guy.”
On his ECW run with The New Breed: “‘Pope’ was pretty much still a rookie… to be in that position and to have Vince McMahon anoint me, ordain me, have confidence in me to be the “leader” of the group… was a high point at the time definitely in my career (and is)… I think we did what we had to do to make it work.”
On his match at WrestleMania 23: “I went up to the Undertaker in the locker room… and was so taken back and in such awe about what was about to go down, I just had to thank him… While I was talking to ‘Taker, I couldn’t do nothing but bust into tears like a little 15-year-old girl meeting Justin Bieber… and ‘Taker grabbed me and said ‘this was it is about… we love to see this… enjoy the moment.’ I’ll never forget it… Tears rolling down my eyes, he said that this lets me know that you want it.”
His departure from WWE: “Creative changes – that’s exactly what is was. You could be the most talented guy in the world, and the greatest self-promoter (look at Zack Ryder), but if there is someone who has a pen or pencil in higher places that does not recommended you or are not pulling against you, they have the power of persuasion that can work against you.”

HTM Says Jannetty Needs Help, Three 6 Mafia at WrestleMania?, More

- The Honky Tonk Man is trying to get someone to setup an Indiegogo project for former WWE star Marty Jannetty, who apparently needs surgery. Honky Tonk tweeted:
“Just talked to Marty Jannetty. I saw his ankle. Needs surgery ASAP. To proud to ask for help.. A real man in need. Can we help?”
- The Rock and John Cena are both booked for The Today Show on April 3rd, the Wednesday before they face off at WrestleMania 29.
- Chris Jericho’s black eye on Monday’s RAW actually came from the SmackDown match with Jack Swagger that was taped on March 19th.
- There was talk of bringing in rap group Three 6 Mafia to do Mark Henry’s theme song at WrestleMania 29 this year but apparently the idea was dropped.

WWE Hiring Hispanic Writer, 2013 HOF Losing Money, Sin Cara Update

- As of this past week, Sin Cara still wasn’t cleared to wrestle. As noted, he suffered a concussion in the March 11th match against Jack Swagger.
- In response to the criticism of bad booking for Alberto Del Rio, WWE is looking at hiring a Hispanic Telenovela writer who will be responsible for the creative content, scripts and developing storylines & characters to target specifically Hispanic crowds.
- WWE will be losing a bunch of money on the 2013 Hall of Fame ceremony, even with a sellout, due to the cost of running at Madison Square Garden. Having the ceremony at MSG this year was more symbolism and something Triple H pushed for. WWE wanted to run the Hall at MSG this year even before the idea of inducting Bruno Sammartino came up.

Backstage Talk on CM Punk, Update on Stars at Extreme Rules, More

- The folks at WWE Studios continue to talk with the ones behind the Bruno Sammartino movie regarding funding and producing.
- There continues to be suspicion within WWE on CM Punk’s status. Some believe he’s hurt worse than anyone is letting on because everyone asked is denying any injury. There are reports of this having to do with creative frustration or burnout and more nagging minor injuries than a major injury.
- WWE is booking both The Rock and Brock Lesnar for the Extreme Rules pay-per-view because CM Punk will likely be missing the event. There are incorrect reports going around that Rock vs. Brock is scheduled to main event Extreme Rules. Both will be there but there’s no word yet on who they will be wrestling.

Jericho Reveals Original WrestleMania Plans, Talks Bray Wyatt and More

- Chris Jericho recently appeared on Wrestling Observer Radio and noted that he was considered for several ideas for WrestleMania 29, including a mixed tag match at one point. When Jericho left for a tour of Australia with Fozzy, the plan was for him to turn heel and feud with Ryback. He came back from the tour and was informed by Eric Pankowski that plans changed and he would be facing Fandango as a babyface.
Jericho admitted he wasn’t happy with the change in plans at first but he’s excited after the way things have worked out. Jericho will take some time off after WrestleMania to tour with Fozzy from April 13th through the 28th. The deal he came back under was for WrestleMania but there is an understanding that he would like to work with WWE when other projects aren’t going on. At 42 years old, Jericho isn’t looking at taking long periods away from wrestling. When Jericho returned this time, he negotiated his deal with Triple H, not Vince McMahon.
Jericho also spoke about last week’s NXT TV tapings and said he specifically asked to work with Bray Wyatt because he likes his style and loves his new gimmick. Jericho estimated Wyatt will be a main roster star in a year and a major star in two. He also praised Adrian Neville, the former Pac, for his match against Antonio Cesaro. Jericho also feels that NXT Diva Emma would get over very well on the main roster with her dancing gimmick.

Plans for Alberto Del Rio, Kidd Ahead of Schedule, Hogan & Flair

- Tyson Kidd posted the following update on Wednesday:
“First day ‘running’ at therapy. Keeping ahead of schedule. @D1sports helping to build the new me #workhorse”
- A promoter putting together a convention for May 11th in Newark, California tried to get Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair booked. Hogan reportedly wanted $35,000, agreed to the price but came back and said he wanted $50,000. Flair turned down the appearance because the event is being held at a high school.
- One of the major goals for 2013 is to make Alberto Del Rio into the Mexican babyface star that Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio were. Regardless of what happens at WrestleMania with Jack Swagger possibly winning or Dolph Ziggler cashing in, the direction of the World Heavyweight Title picture is still all about building Del Rio.

Heyman Talks Stephanie McMahon at and Hurricane Sandy Relief

- Paul Heyman recently spoke with Trentonian.com to promote WrestleMania 29.
It was noted that Heyman is expected to be at ringside for both CM Punk vs. The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H. It has been rumored that Stephanie McMahon will be in Triple H’s corner to be there for Heyman’s interference. Heyman commented on Stephanie in the interview:
“I wish Stephanie would stay at home and watch the Pay-Per-View on TV. When she hits me, it hurts.”
Heyman also talked about WWE’s charity auction for Hurricane Sandy relief. Heyman is donating the chance to hang out with him backstage at RAW. He will tell the winner the story of ECW and what it takes to be a star. The winner will also get two tickets for the RAW show. Heyman commented on Sandy:
“I saw the fury of that storm. For me to help out, it’s the least I can do.”

3/25 RAW Breakdown: Legends Segment with Rock and Cena, More

- As noted, the March 25th WWE RAW did a 3.21 cable rating with 4.61 million viewers.
In the segment breakdown, the show opened strong with CM Punk and The Undertaker doing a 3.39 quarter rating. Dolph Ziggler vs. Chris Jericho lost 441,000 viewers. Fandango attacking Chris Jericho and Sheamus, Randy Orton and Big Show brawling with The Shield gained 117,000 viewers. Mark Henry vs. The Usos lost 54,000 viewers. Alberto Del Rio vs. Antonio Cesaro with Jack Swagger’s attack at 9pm gained 371,000 viewers for a 3.28 quarter rating.
Kane and Daniel Bryan vs. Darren Young and Titus O’Neil lost 241,000 viewers. Triple H’s promo lost 6,000 viewers. The Miz vs. Wade Barrett gained 71,000 viewers. Justin Gabriel, Zack Ryder and The Great Khali vs. The Shield in the 10pm timeslot gained 187,000 viewers for a 3.29 quarter rating – a weak gain for 10pm.
Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow vs. Brodus Clay and Tensai plus Ryback vs. 3MB lost 102,000 viewers. Kaitlyn vs. AJ Lee lost another 257,000 viewers. The Legends Q&A segment with The Rock and John Cena gained 615,000 viewers for a 3.47 rating.

Backstage News on Jeff Jarrett’s Status, Cost to Tape Impact, More

- The March 22nd TNA live event in Concord, North Carolina drew 800 fans. The March 23rd show in Roanoke Rapids, NC drew 1,300 fans.
- Local wrestlers Hangtime and Dirty Hector worked a tryout match before the March 23rd live event in Roanoke Rapids. Hangtime got the win.
- Spike TV officials are looking at making the network more about scripted entertainment and may be changing their name again. TNA will most likely be safe because they fit the new direction and their ratings are better than other programs on the network.
- The cost for TNA to tape Impact Wrestling on the road is between $600,000 and $700,000. If they do 26 tapings per year, they’re looking at around $17 million in costs.
- There’s no official word on Jeff Jarrett’s TNA status after he didn’t work the special One Night Only tapings that were held last week. Jarrett was written out of the storylines back in 2011 when he was focusing on Ring Ka King but with that no longer around and the planned project for the SPEED channel not getting picked up, he had been looking for other projects. TNA’s Bruce Prichard and Eric Bischoff decided against bringing Jarrett back after a talent and to show how strong they were on it, they chose not to bring him back for the nostalgia tapings he would have fit into.

Ryback Talks About the Legitimacy of WWE and WrestleMania

- Ryback recently spoke with PressofAtlanticCity.com to promote the March 30th WWE Supershow. Here are some highlights:
How tough WWE is:
“I grew up playing baseball and football, and I was very successful at both of those. I’ve seen guys come in and try to do this and mentally and physically fall apart instantly. It is by far the hardest thing I’ve done in my life –– the things we put our bodies through in a day-in and day-out basis and the injuries we suffer.”
“Anybody who questions the legitimacy of WWE, that’s all you need to know. I literally broke my ankle in three places, and I kept running as my foot dangled and finished the match, whereas one of the premier NFL player fractures his ankle in one place, and goes down and he’s done. The injuries are real, and the emotions we bring out are real –– it’s the best form of entertainment that money can buy.”
WrestleMania 29:
“WrestleMania is the biggest event of the year for us. It’s something you’ve got to see in person to see how magnificent it is. It’s the culmination of a year of hard work. You’ve got the biggest matches and angles going into one night. It’s a lot of fun –– a lot of excitement. You pack in anywhere from 50-, 60-, 70,000 people in an outside arena and it’s just something you’ve got to see.”

Original Plans for 2013 WWE HOF Headliner, Touts at WrestleMania 29

- WWE will be asking fans to Tout videos from their WrestleMania 29 parties on April 7th. The plan is to air some of those Touts on the pay-per-view.
- Chyna may have been telling the truth when she said she recently spoke to Vince McMahon about a possible Hall of Fame induction. DX may be inducted as a group at WrestleMania 30. The original plan was to headline this year’s Hall of Fame with DX if they couldn’t get a deal worked out with Bruno Sammartino.
Regarding inductors for this year’s class, Maria Menounos will be inducting Bob Backlund, Terry Funk will induct Mick Foley and Arnold Schwarzenegger will induct Bruno. It’s expected Lita will induct Trish Stratus and Stevie Ray will induct his brother Booker T.

WWE Spoils Big SmackDown Segment with Ryback and Mark Henry

As we’ve noted, Mark Henry and Ryback competed in a weight-lifting competition at last night’s SmackDown tapings to hype their WrestleMania 29 match.
WWE’s website has spoiled the segment and announced that Henry and Ryback broke the NFL record for 225-pound bench press with 53 repetitions each. The previous record of 51 reps was set by Justin Ernest at the 1999 NFL Combine.
WWE also revealed that before Ryback could break the new record with 54 reps, Henry attacked him and pushed the bar down on his neck.

More on Ric Flair’s Health, Ziggler Gives Props to a Diva, Rock and a Raven at SmackDown

- Baltimore Raven Torrey Smith was backstage at last night’s SmackDown tapings in Hershey, PA. Here he is with The Rock:

- As noted, Naomi and Cameron will take on The Bella Twins in a match for this tonight’s WWE Main Event. Dolph Ziggler gave Naomi props on Twitter:
“naomi has the hottest moveset in the biz! wow, watch #MainEvent on @IonTV wednesday night #WWEhershey”
- Ric Flair underwent medical tests on Tuesday and it was determined that he once again has a blood clot in his left leg. Flair was not admitted to the hospital and was given medication in an attempt to dissolve the clot.

Update on Rain at WrestleMania 29, News on WWE’s IYH DVD, The Rock

- The Rock commented on last night’s SmackDown tapings from Hershey, PA on Twitter:
“Tonight was special.. 1st @WWE sell out crowd in Hershey in over a decade. The energy.. #Electrifying #BigLove2U”
- WWEDVDNews.com reports that WWE’s upcoming In Your House DVD and Blu-ray will have a total runtime of approximately 7 hours and 21 minutes. The Blu-ray exclusive content will run 1 hour and 27 minutes. The set hits stores on April 30th.
- The updated weather forecast for WrestleMania 29 calls for periods of rain at night with a low of 41 degrees and a “RealFeel” temperature of 34 degrees. There is a 56% chance of rain at night for WrestleMania 29.

Rock on GMA, What Happened After SmackDown, War Games DVD

- WWE Champion The Rock will be appearing on Good Morning America this morning to promote GI Joe 2.
- The official title for WWE’s upcoming War Games DVD is, “WWE: War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.”
- The dark main event after last night’s WWE SmackDown tapings in Hershey, PA saw Sheamus, Randy Orton and Ryback defeat The Shield by DQ when they hit Ryback with a steel chair. They go to powerbomb Ryback on a steel chair but Orton and Sheamus make the save. The babyfaces hit their finishers to end the show.

Ric Flair's Agent Provides Health Update

Ric Flair’s agent, Melinda Morris Zanoni of Legacy Talent and Entertainment released the following statement given the overwhelming inquiries over Ric Flair’s health. 

“Ric is doing well, he feels great, and is home. WWE’s medical staff performed a physical on Ric yesterday, like they do all of their athletes, and recommended that he have a doctor take a closer look at his swollen leg. Upon arriving back in Charlotte today he went to see his doctors and it was determined that there is a blood clot. He was not admitted to the hospital, rather released with medication, which the doctors are confident will work quickly causing Ric to completely heal soon. Ric appreciates everyone’s concern and is looking forward to seeing fans at his next scheduled appearance in Hagerstown, MD on Friday and performing for WWE very soon.”

Spoiler: Big Name Returns at WWE SmackDown Tapings

- John Laurinaitis will make his return to WWE TV on this Friday's episode of SmackDown, taped tonight in Hershey, Pennsylvania. 

Laurinaitis returned by interrupting The Rock's promo to kick off the show. He revealed that Teddy Long gave him permission to come out. Laurinaitis mentioned John Cena was the reason he got fired from WWE and he wanted to be in The Rock's corner at WrestleMania 29. Rock ended up shaking hands with Laurinaitis but laid him out with a spinebuster and a People's Elbow.

DiBiase Wins Dark Match, Mark Henry on SMS, Divas Tag Action on WWE Main Event

- WWE taped the following matches tonight in Hershey, Pennsylvania for this week's Main Event: 

* Kane vs. Antonio Cesaro 

* The Bella Twins vs. Cameron and Naomi 

- The following matches were taped for Saturday Morning Slam: 

* Zack Ryder and Justin Gabriel vs. Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre 

* Kofi Kingston vs. Heath Slater 

* Daniel Bryan vs. Mark Henry 

- The dark match before tonight's WWE tapings saw Ted DiBiase defeat Bray Wyatt.

WWE SmackDown Spoiler Results - March 29, 2013

WWE will tape this week's episode of WWE SmackDown from the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Here are the full results. 

* The Rock kicks off SmackDown and gets a massive pop from the crowd. Rock tells a story about Hershey from when he was younger and cuts a promo on John Cena. He's interrupted by John Laurinaitis. Rock asks who the hell Laurinaitis is. Laurinaitis says Teddy Long gave him permission to come out. 

Laurinaitis says John Cena is the reason he was fired and he wants to be in Rock's corner at WrestleMania. Rock says we'll let the people decide and they boo. Rock says he and Laurinaitis should send Cena a message together but they need a handshake first. Rock lays Laurinaitis out with a spinebuster and a People's Elbow. Rock pulls a giant Hershey bar from under the ring, signs it and gives it to kids in the crowd. 

* Chris Jericho defeats Wade Barrett. Jericho speaks after the match and says he would love to face the Intercontinental Champion at WrestleMania but guesses he will face Fandango instead. The Fandango silhouette drops down on the stage. Jericho picks on Fandango's name. Fandango comes out, walks to the ring but turns around and leaves. 

* While they set up for the weight lifting competition, an interview from earlier in the day with Paul Heyman talking to Matt Striker about Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H is shown. 

* Booker T, Teddy Long, Ryback and Mark Henry come out for the weight lifting challenge. Ryback is up first. Henry and Ryback get the same score. Booker reminds them of a no-contact policy. Henry drops the weight bar across Ryback's neck and Ryback rolls around choking. 

* Dolph Ziggler, Big E Langston and AJ Lee vs. Kane, Daniel Bryan and Kaitlyn is up next in mixed-tag action. Kane gives the boot to Big E and Kaitlyn pins AJ for the win. 

* The Shield cut a promo on the big screen. 

* Jack Swagger and The Great Khali wrestle in what was said to be a very bad match. They both get counted out. Swagger puts the Patriot Lock on Hornswoggle when Ricardo Rodriguez comes out and tells Swagger to come and get him. Alberto Del Rio sneaks in the ring and puts the armbreaker on Zeb Colter. Del Rio holds Zeb and Ricardo hits him with the crutch. Swagger comes back and Del Rio hits him. 

* Backstage interview with Sheamus, Randy Orton and Big Show. 

* They show Arnold Schwarzenegger's tweet talking about inducting Bruno Sammartino. 

* Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow and Antonio Cesaro vs. Sheamus, Big Show and Randy Orton is up next. Orton, Show and Sheamus get the win. The Shield appears but get chased into the crowd. Orton, Show and Sheamus beat them up bad and pose at the top of the stairs.

WWE Saturday Morning Slam Spoiler Results - March 30, 2013

WWE will tape this week's episode of WWE Saturday Morning Slam from the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Here are the full results. 

* Kofi Kingston and Josh Mathews are on commentary. 

* Zack Ryder and Justin Gabriel vs. Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre is up first. 3MB get the win and beat them down after the match. Kofi Kingston makes the save and out comes General Manager Mick Foley. Foley removes Kofi from commentary and books him in a match. 

* Kofi Kingston vs. Heath Slater is up next. Foley bans Mahal and McIntyre from ringside. Dolph Ziggler comes out for commentary. Kofi gets the win.

WWE Main Event Spoiler Results - March 26, 2013

WWE will tape this week's episode of WWE Main Event from the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Here are the full results. 

* Kane defeated Antonio Cesaro. Daniel Bryan was on commentary. AJ Lee came out to distract them but Bryan stopped her with a "NO!" chant. 

* Backstage segment with Sheamus talking to Matt Striker about letting Big Show be their partner at WrestleMania. 

* Tensai and Brodus Clay come out with a new name - Tons of Funk. 

* The Bella Twins vs. Cameron and Naomi is up next. The Bellas get the win after Cody Rhodes provides a distraction.

Intercontinental Title Match Added to WM29, Update on WWE Setting a World Record, RAW Viewership

- WWE has announced that an Intercontinental Title match with The Miz vs. Wade Barrett will take place at WrestleMania 29. 

- Last night's episode of WWE RAW drew 4,617,000 viewers, up from last week. 

- We've noted how WWE had discussions to set a world record for the "World's Largest Harlem Shake" at WrestleMania 29. Word this week is that those plans are off the books.

Stephanie McMahon Wants More Lead Creative Writers

- After firing Eric Pankowski a few weeks back, WWE currently does not have one single lead creative writer - they have approximately four, and Stephanie McMahon apparently wants more. 

As noted, the guy currently replacing Pankowski is a guy that was hired by him as a VP in creative a few months back. He's now been promoted to Senior VP. Another writer is David Kreizman, a daytime Emmy winner, who was hired a few months back. Then you have Ed Koskey, who is RAW's lead writer, Dave Kapoor, who is SmackDown's lead writer and Ryan Ward, who works with Dusty Rhodes on NXT. 

There's a running joke that many different people have different titles, the pay sucks for those positions and that within the past week, a few people asked for raises and were denied. "They have enough people to field a football team," it was noted by a source.

Careers That Ended at WrestleMania, Kaitlyn Comments on AJ's Attack

- Kaitlyn commented about AJ's attack on Monday's Raw, writing on Twitter, "The people you love can hurt you the most. Drinking fountains and barricades hurt like hell too. #RAW" 

- WWE published a list the superstars whose career ended at WrestleMania. Some of the names mentioned are Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, and Goldberg.

Jim Ross Blogs on Ric Flair Being Hospitalized, Gay Marriage, Jericho vs. Fandango, More

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has published a new blog entry on JrsBarBq.com. Here are some highlights. 

Chris Jericho vs. Fandango at WrestleMania: "Chris Jericho wrestling Fandango at WM29 is a win in my view if for nothing else Jericho is on the card, and he makes any card that he is on better, and Chris certainly deserves to be at the biggest event of the year. Secondly, @IAmJericho will push Fandango to wrestle and perform at Jericho's pace and we will all see what Fandango has to offer under pressure at MetLife Stadium. I will assure you that Jericho won't modify his big event, game to accommodate the young Fandango." 

Ric Flair being hospitalized: "Heard Ric Flair was in Philly Monday but was send back to Charlotte for medical reasons. I don't know any details but hopefully Ric has followed up with his doctor's in Charlotte to determine what the issue is with apparent swelling in his knee. Naitch will always be Naitch but he's in his mid 60's now and Mother Nature and Father Time rarely compromise." 

Gay marriage: "I rarely get political here but I do not feel that I have the right, as a human being, to tell other people who love each other that they cannot marry even though they might be of the same gender. All of God's children deserve to be happy." 

Jesse Ventura saying he was difficult to work with: "Some one hit me with a question at our Q&A's that said that on some DVD interview that Jesse Ventura said that I was hard to work with while we were partners in WCW. I've not seen the DVD but The Body has the right to his opinion and he's, honestly, accurate in his assessment. I'm no day at the beach at the announce table because I demand so much of myself and from whoever is sitting beside me. I'm guilty. I expect those who broadcast the genre to prepare, in their own way, just as I do in my way. Bottom line is that broadcasters are there to tell compelling stories of an organic nature that suspend disbelief and enhance what the audience is seeing. The wrestlers write the music and the announcers are obligated to put the proper lyrics to said music. The stars of the show are the in ring talents and not the broadcasters. Ventura was an excellent color commentator especially with Vince McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon but I'm not sure that he was the same guy by the time he got to WCW. But, then again, I could be wrong."

Dixie Carter Announces World Title Rematch, Get Slammiversary Tickets Early, Impact Wrestling Preview

- TNA posted another preview for Thursday's Impact Wrestling, which you can watch in the video embedded below.

 - Dixie Carter teased that her Twitter and Facebook followers will be able to purchase Slammiversary tickets before they go on sale Friday. 

"I’m thinking I should let my twitter and facebook followers grab #SLAMMIVERSARY tickets before they go on sale tomorrow. Agree?" -

 Dixie Carter announced on Twitter that Bully Ray will defend the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Jeff Hardy on the April 11th episode of Impact Wrestling.

Randy Orton Comments on Heel Turn, What Happened After Monday's Raw, WM29 Weekend Event

- After Raw went off the air Monday night, The Shield came out through the crowd and attacked John Cena. Sheamus and Ryback came out to even the odds, which setup the dark match main event. 

John Cena, Ryback, and Sheamus defeated The Shield by disqualification after Rollins used a chair on Sheamus. Following the match, Ryback and John Cena hit their finishers on Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose to end the event. 

- New York City DJ Peter Roseberg is hosting another WrestleMania weekend event - an "Inside The Squared Circle" discussion with former WWE Superstar MVP. The event will take place at Caroline's On Broadway in Manhattan following the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony at Madison Square Garden. 

- Randy Orton continues to express his desire to be a heel. When a fan on Twitter asked if they were the only one that missed him as a heel, he replied, "No, your not."

Who Took the Top Spot on WWE ESPN Power Rankings?, Rock Scheduled for Live! with Kelly & Michael

- The Rock is scheduled to appear on Live! with Kelly and Michael this Wednesday to promote GI Joe: Retaliation. 

- The Shield took the top spot on ESPN's WWE Power Rankings this week. Ryback took the second placed followed by Mark Henry, The Rock and Jack Swagger. ESPN's article also noted how dead the crowd was on Monday's Raw. 

"For a company that prides itself on listening to its fans, I wonder how much weight it gives to 3 hours and 20 minutes of near silence (except for the very loud 'You can't wrestle' chant aimed at Fandango, even if he did deliver a sweet flying leg drop). I think the dead crowd speaks volumes about the upcoming WrestleMania card and the lazy booking that goes along with setting up a string of rematches people weren't really clamoring to see in the first place."

What Was Cut from Hulu Plus Raw This Week

The following matches and segments were cut from the Hulu Plus episode of Monday's Raw 

* Mark Henry vs. the Usos 

* Prime Time Players vs. Team Hell No 

* Wade Barrett vs. The Miz 

* Backstage segment with AJ Lee and Kaitlyn 

* Team Rhodes Scholars vs. Brodus Clay and Tensai 

* Arnold Schwarzenegger inducting Bruno Sammartino announcement 

* AJ Lee vs. Kaitlyn

WWE Releases WrestleMania 29 Axxess Attractions

WWE released the following details on this year's Wrestlemania AXXESS attractions. 

The Main Event — More live matches than ever before, Q-and-As featuring WWE Superstars, plus exciting contests for your chance to win a number of prizes! 

Superstar Signings — Get an autograph with your favorite WWE Superstar or Diva at stations located in the arena seats throughout WrestleMania Axxess. 

Legends Signings — Get an autograph with your favorite WWE Legend at these stations. 

WWE Memorabilia — Experience WWE history while walking through this area showcasing authentic WWE mementos, including items from the 2013 Hall of Fame Class. 

WrestleMania Timeline — Check out the WrestleMania timeline spotlighting the greatest moments in WrestleMania history. 

WWE Vehicles — View the 4x4 that “Stone Cold” Steve Austin rode to and around the ring at WrestleMania XXV for the ultimate beer bash, Mr. McMahon’s infamous limo and Alberto Del Rio’s Rolls Royce that was destroyed by Edge at WrestleMania XXVII. 

WWE Championship Titles — Get up close and personal with past and present WWE championship titles in this historical display. 

WWE Photo Shoot — Take a photo with your favorite WWE Superstar or Diva! 

WWEShop — WWE fans of all ages will have the opportunity to browse and purchase the hottest WrestleMania 29 gear and products with the option of purchasing online products at nearby kiosks. 

Cenation Trivia and Audio Booth — Test your trivia knowledge for a chance to win great prizes! Plus, record your own John Cena–inspired entrance music! 

Money in the Bank — Here is your opportunity to grab hold of the Money in the Bank briefcase and win a future WWE Title bout! Take a photo and share with your friends and family! 

WWE Universe Open Casting Call: “Christmas Bounty” Presented by WWE Studios — The WWE Studios team is looking for talent during WrestleMania Axxess! You have an opportunity at auditioning for a role in WWE Studios’ upcoming film, “Christmas Bounty.” Your audition could be posted on WWE's YouTube channel for all to check out … do you have what it takes? 

Cover Shoot Presented by WWE Magazine — Have your photo taken and inserted onto the cover of a WWE Magazine. 

“Pain & Gain” Photo Booth — Visit the “Pain & Gain” photo booth for a free picture with the stars of the film, and make sure to check out the autograph stage where you can meet your favorite WWE Superstars! 

National Guard — The National Guard is proud to be the presenting partner of WrestleMania Axxess! Stop by the National Guard Autograph Station to meet your favorite WWE Superstars and Divas, test your skills at their football toss or get your photo taken with the National Guard’s NASCAR Show Car and Patriot Chopper. 

WWE Broadcast Center — On Thursday night, be part of a special taping at WrestleMania Axxess to air the following night on SmackDown… and you may be on TV! 

Concessions — Take a break from all the excitement that WrestleMania Axxess brings by visiting the concessions, where you can enjoy a quick bite to eat and an ice-cold beverage. 

Photo Axxess — Share your WrestleMania Axxess experience with friends and family on social media. 

WWE Community Partners Area — WWE is committed to leveraging the power of its brand and platforms to help address important social issues worldwide. Check out our featured community partner areas located in the lower-level lobby of the IZOD Center during WrestleMania Axxess: Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Make-A-Wish, Be a STAR and Special Olympics 2014 USA Games. Visit wwecommunity.com for more! 

WWE Action Figure Headquarters Presented by Power Slammers — WWE toys at Mattel’s Action Figure Headquarters! 

“WWE ’13” Game Zone Presented by 2K Sports — Compete against your friends and get your hands on the critically acclaimed video game that boasts incredibly realistic graphics and game play, as well as the largest roster of WWE Superstars, Divas, and Legends to date. 

Fruity Pebbles Bedrock — Check out Fruity Pebbles Bedrock, where you can test your strength, make a splash into the giant foam Fruity Pebbles pit, or even get you picture taken posing down with a virtual John Cena!