WWE news

[Head Booker]

WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin says he believes he has one more match in him, but he's not sure the timing is right for a WrestleMania 28 match against C.M. Punk.

"It does and it doesn't," Austin said on the Aftermath radio show when asked whether having another WrestleMania match enters his mind. "If it was the right time, right place, could I do it? Yeah." Austin said later in the interview, "I'm doing what I'm doing right now to get in the ring, but what they say is money talks...It comes down to money and what's on the table."

Concerning C.M. Punk as a possible return opponent, Austin said he would have preferred Punk to remain heel if they were going to set up a match.

"It's a weird situation right now because he's a babyface and I think he became a babyface too soon, and I would have liked to work him when he was a heel," Austin said.


"The ideal situation would have been for them not to have switched him babyface so fast and done a double turn. He could go in there with both guns blazing, edgy as a hell, but him in a babyface role, eh, a little different scenario. I got a lot of respect for the kid (Punk), love the promos he cuts, love his work in the ring. He's a guy that paid his dues, worked his way up to top guy status, and I wish him all the best in the world."

Among other candidates, Brock Lesnar could be another match option for Austin. Lesnar has played up a feud with Austin in recent interviews based on events in 2002. Ten years ago, Austin walked out on WWE after the last straw for Austin was being asked to lose to an unestablished Lesnar as part of a hastily thrown together angle.


"As a businessman, I'm always game to listening to any pitch, but as far as Brock Lesnar goes, I think he's firmly entrenched in the UFC. I think, yes, that was the big match to him that he would have liked to have had in the WWE at that time. Hell, I would have loved to have worked with Brock, too, had it been done right," Austin told Aftermath hosts Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas. "But, you're not going to put Stone Cold on Monday Night Raw with no build-up, no nothing. That was dumb."

Asked about not having a match with Hulk Hogan during his career, Austin said, "On one hand, it would have been cool if it happened at the proper time. It would have been cool to work with Hulk Hogan. I've always had a tremendous respect for what that guy has accomplished in the business and meant to the business. We never ran in the same circles or traded phone calls, but he was one of the biggest names ever."

Also in the interview, Austin talks about his new DVD, working on a new website, referee stories with Korderas, the origins of his character in mid-1990s WWE, working with Brian Pillman, and other topics.

Austin's full 30-minute interview can be heard at TheScore.com .

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WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin says he does not know if there will be a second season of Tough Enough on USA Network, but he would be "extremely flabbergasted and disappointed" if the show did not return. "I wish I could tell you that 'Yeah, we're going to line up and do Tough Enough in February and March,' but I haven't heard any word," Austin said on the Aftermath radio show. "I know the show was very successful and it outperformed from what they anticipated it doing...So, if I had good news to tell you, I would, but, right now, I don't know." Austin noted that he "had a blast" working on the show as host and with head trainers Bill DeMott, Trish Stratus, and Booker T, which has led to him considering more projects in the reality TV realm.

[ LINK: Austin's full interview with Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas at TheScore.com ]

[Head Booker]

WWE star John Cena says he's apologized to The Rock for some of the disparaging comments he's made during their back-and-forth exchanges over the past year leading to Survivor Series on Sunday and WrestleMania 28 next year.

"If anybody is at fault for waving the personal trigger, it's me... Everybody knows that I have a little bit of a discrepancy with the way that Dwayne handles himself. And, every once in a while when things get too tense, I bring something up that I probably shouldn’t. But, you know, sometimes your personality gets the best of you and - at least at the end of the day I'll have got my point across," Cena said Friday on the Chad Dukes Wrestling Show on the CBS radio affiliate 106.7 FM in Washington, D.C.


"I’ve already apologized to Dwayne, not only on Twitter, but in-person about some of the stuff I said. It was unprofessional, but in the heat of the moment, sometimes you let your heart pour out rather than doing your thinking with your head. And, I have a feeling that's probably not the last you've heard of me saying all that stuff."

Regarding Monday's Raw when WWE booked a "This Is Your Life" segment for Cena with Mick Foley as host, Cena claimed the entire content was a surprise to him. He figured the entire purpose was to set up Rock to put the segment out of its misery with a Rock Bottom to Mick Foley.

"It was just an enormous failure and then I found out why when we brought one of the best hooks in the business out, The Rock, to end the segment." Cena said. He added that he was smiling after the Rock Bottom because he was so glad the segment ended.


Also in the interview, Cena used the example of Zack Ryder taking ownership of his WWE career to call out the rest of the locker room to "grow a set."

"You’re probably going to censor me, but I saw a set of balls," Cena said about Ryder creating his opportunity. "I saw a kid in an era in which everyone is afraid to show their talents. This kid was like, 'You know what, I’m going down anyway, so I’m going down swinging.' And I’ve been in that spot before," Cena said. "So, when I see a kid like Zack Ryder...he's just one of those guys that was willing to take a chance. And, I admire that quality out of people. It's something that's not found enough in the WWE locker room."


As for whether Ryder will advance past his current level as a novelty-type act into a permanent main-event player, Cena said, "Whether he’s battle-tested and ready for the next level, I’m not into that sort of speculation. I just like seeing a kid with a set of nuts who is willing to just throw all on the line and risk it all, rather than 'Hey, man, I just don’t want to rock the boat and I don’t want to do anything that’s going to draw attention to myself.'"

Audio: The podcast containing Cena's interview can be heard below or at Washington.CBSLocal.com .

Audio URL: tinyurl.com/7hx9oy6

[Head Booker]

After the Survivor Series PPV went off the air, The Rock cut a promo for the New York City crowd. Rock joked around, thanked the crowd, and hugged some Make-A-Wish kids.  On his way out, there was also a moment where he grabbed a "Rise Above Hate" sign from a kid supporting John Cena, made like he was going to mock him, and then made a facial expression like he agreed with the message.

~~

The New York Daily News covered The Rock's WWE return Sunday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The report detailed Rock's dominance during the match, various pro-Rock & anti-John Cena crowd chants, Rock scoring the win, and WWE setting up Rock vs. Cena at WrestleMania next year. Also detailed in the report was Rock's post-PPV promo for the live crowd:

The Rock, however, showed Hollywood has rubbed off on him after the match. He jumped on the microphone and made demands. "Can the Rock get some water?" he asked after the match.

 He also responded to the fans earlier chants of "you still got it," by saying, "I've always had it." He thanked the fans and explained his return. "The only reason I'm back is to simply entertain you," he said, before calling the event his "greatest night in the history of my WWE career...If ya smell what the Rock is cookin'."

[ LINK: Report at www.nydailynews.com/new-york/rock-returns-wrestling-triumphant-night-madison-square-garden-article-1.980557#ixzz1eKbKjpPA" target='_new'>NYDailyNews.com ]

[Head Booker]

Prior to The Rock's in-ring return at Survivor Series on Sunday, C.M. Punk told the New York Daily News that he's not a fan of how Rock has handled himself behind-the-scenes in WWE. "He's not around. It doesn't help morale when the guy goes right from his limo to the dressing room to the dressing room to the ring," Punk said. Punk revisited Rock's promo earlier this year when Rock said he was "back for good" to add to his criticism. "He came back, he did WWE Raw after that," Punk said. "He said he was never gonna leave. And the next time we saw him is a month later. Yeah, it does bother me." Punk also defended John Cena against Rock in the context of "it's okay for me to criticize Cena because we're in the trenches together, but it's not okay for Rock to criticize Cena because he's not in the trenches."

[ LINK: Report at NYDailyNews.com ]


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Semi-retired former WWE Diva Trish Stratus says the one opponent she wants to have a match with is Kharma, who has been off TV for several months after a memorable WWE TV debut earlier this year. "When she debuted, I think it was one of the first times since I retired where I would have dropped it all to go back and step into the ring with her," Stratus told WWE's website in an interview promoting her inclusion in the new "WWE '12" video game. "That would have been an epic rivalry. I would have loved to have wrestled her. Hopefully, she’ll come back so the WWE Universe can see more of her." Trish also discusses the Kelly & Eve vs. Beth & Natalya feud, the Bella Twins, her outside projects, and the video game.

[ LINK: WWE.com ]

[Head Booker]

In accordance with the Talent Wellness Program, WWE has suspended Ron Killings (R-Truth) for 30 days effective immediately for his first violation of the company’s policy.

[Head Booker]

WWE wrestler Sin Cara underwent knee surgery in Houston Tuesday after surgery was pushed back from Monday. Sin Cara's wrestling brother, Argos, said "everything went very well" with the surgery. According to WWE, Cara will miss 6-9 months after tearing his knee during the traditional Survivor Series match at Sunday's PPV.

[ REPORT: SuperLuchas.net ]

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Former WWE/TNA wrestler Matt Hardy remains jailed in a Moore County, N.C. jail on $1.0 million bond as of Tuesday. Hardy, who was arrested on Saturday morning after being kicked out of court-ordered rehab on Friday, is scheduled for court on Nov. 28 in Moore County District Court related to the first of three summer arrests.

[ REPORT: Local news coverage at ThePilot.com ]

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WWE star Randy Orton says he's no longer bitter toward The Rock. Orton, who said earlier this year that he wasn't buying Rock's return speech about never leaving WWE again, told Steven Muehlhausen of Sportstown Chicago that he would even like to have a match with Rock.

"As far as The Rock and myself are concerned, you know I'd love to see that, are you kidding me? That's huge. Right now, the WWE Universe is geared to see Rock-Cena at WrestleMania 28. And, to be honest, I caught a little bit of the buzz too. We all want to see it. The crowd is ecstatic. When he comes out, there's nothing quite like it, it really is. Sure, I hate that the guy is back. I wish I was in his spot working with Cena at WrestleMania 28. Yea, I'm happy that Rock's back. I'm over the bitterness (laughs) so to speak with him being back saying he never left and all that b.s."

[ LINK: Orton's full interview is at SportstownChicago.com ]

~~

Mick Foley says he was somewhat saddened by The Rock's in-ring return at Survivor Series on Sunday. "A little part of me was sad because up until tonight, (Rock's) last match ever was with me, in The Garden, seven years ago,” Foley told WWE's website in an interview. “Now it’s not.” Foley, who returned to WWE TV last Monday, was interviewed after performing his stand-up routine with the UCBW comedy troupe in New York City following Survivor Series. "The Rock, he was getting the adulation of 17,000. I didn’t think it was too much to ask that I get 1/100th of that type of adulation here at the theatre," Foley said.

[ LINK: Full story on Foley at WWE.com ]

[Head Booker]

CM Punk did an interesting interview with ESPN.com after winning the WWE Title after Survivor Series. It was the usual good piece by Punk and worth reading. Here are a few highlights.

Jon Robinson: Wrestlemania, it's The Rock versus John Cena. What do you think about him coming back and getting the main event spot when most of what we've seen of him throughout the year has been via satellite?

CM Punk: I don't know if it's some weird vanity project for him to come back and fraternize with us little people, but I appreciate it. If it puts more money in my bank account, that's cool, even if I'm not a money guy. I'm very passionate about wrestling. This is what I do. I'm not leaving to go film movies. It's just me and the rest of the crew, the men and women of the WWE who are on the road constantly, and I'm not the only one who is, I don't want to say bitter, because I get it, it's a business move where Dwayne comes in and people buy some pay-per-views, but it's the attitude that gets to me. He's very bourgeoisie Hollywood, and I just wish he would say hello to people backstage and not act like he was above everybody. Cena doesn't act like that. Cena sits and talks and fraternizes with everybody, but Dwayne just can't be bothered. Then again, I don't know if anyone really wants to hang out with him. He was in the "Tooth Fairy." If he's so good at what he does, why doesn't he impart some of that knowledge to the young guys and help out? I guess I'm just trying to figure out why he came back. I don't think it's money. I think he's OK money-wise, so I don't know.

Jon Robinson: Looking ahead to Wrestlemania, there's Rock versus John Cena, but I'd actually rather see Austin versus Punk. Will we ever get a CM Punk versus Steve Austin main event?

CM Punk: I would rather see Austin/Punk, too. I would love to poll everybody who is going to order Wrestlemania and ask them, what would you rather see: Would you rather see Cena/Rock or Stone Cold/CM Punk? I'm biased, obviously, but I think we'd have a landslide victory. It's up to Steve, really, but he's certainly not going to do it this year. Honestly, if Steve Austin comes back to wrestling, he should be the main event of Wrestlemania, but he can't right now, because Dwayne is. I think Dwayne would get a little bit hurt if Steve took his Mania spot, but then at least Dwayne would understand how the rest of us feel. So I know that's not going to happen this year, but I would love for it to happen next year. I don't want to say it's a goal of mine, but it's definitely something that would be challenging and fun to do. I think Austin was the best worker for many, many, many, many, many years, and that's even pre-Stone Cold. "Stunning" Steve Austin was amazing.

Jon Robinson: So with Austin out this year, who would you like to face? Chris Jericho? The Undertaker?

CM Punk: To me, this is the $65,000 question ... or is it $64,000? It's tough to tell with inflation. Anyway, that's the thing, I guess I've finally broken through and now I'm this newly minted main event, top WWE wrestler and everybody is wondering what I'm doing for Wrestlemania. This has been the story of my life. Every year leading up to Wrestlemania, I don't even know if I'm going to be on the show. I remember I had to pitch in order to get me and Rey [Mysterio] for Wrestlemania. It's not like they were coming to me, so I went to Rey, asked him if he knew what he was doing, and came to him with my idea. He loved it, so we ran with it. So every year, I'm sitting here crossing my fingers that I'm in Wrestlemania. Even last year, I was on Wrestlemania because Randy [Orton] needed somebody to wrestle, let's be honest. This is the first year where it really seems like, oh crap, we actually have to do something with Punk at Wrestlemania and it has to be high-caliber, it has to be big.

So who am I going to wrestle? I don't know. I get a lot of, "You should wrestle Undertaker." I would love to. That would kick ass. He is one of my favorite guys to work with. I get a lot of, "It's going to be you and Jericho," but you know what, he doesn't work here. Obviously, he could come back between now and then, but who knows.

You can read it by clicking here.

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F4WOnline.com reports today that John Morrison is done with WWE when his contract extension expires Wednesday. His original contract with the organization expired earlier this month but he agreed to an extension to appear at events he was advertised for. It is not known whether he will be making a farewell appearance at Monday's Raw SuperShow in Columbia, South Carolina.

Meanwhile, Melina absolves all blame that Morrison's once promising WWE career went up in smoke due to their relationship. Rather, she feels WWE is to blame for holding him and others back from achieving greater success.

She wrote Wednesday on Twitter via direct message, "The rumors aren't true. John has been talking to WWE and all these things are between them and has nothing to do with me.

"You have seen a number of wrestlers such as Gail, Bourne, John, Zack and so many more are held back from what they deserve and capable of. That's proof that it's not me. It's the WWE doing it to a number of phenomenal young talent.

"The rumors are FALSE. Please see that. I'm no one special that the WWE would care about."