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THE PWINSIDERELITE WRAP UP COVERING ALL THE NEWS SINCE SATURDAY

WWE

WWE RETURNING TO PPV WITH HELL IN A CELL THIS SUNDAY, COMPLETE DETAILS

WWE will present the 2014 Hell in A Cell PPV from Dallas, Texas, featuring:

*Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins - Hell in A Cell.

*John Cena vs. Randy Orton - Hell in A Cell.

*Big Show vs. Rusev.

*Nikki Bella vs. Brie Bella - Loser becomes the winner's "Personal Assistant" for a month.

*WWE United States champion Sheamus vs. The Miz.

*WWE Intercontinental champion Dolph Ziggler vs Cesaro best two of three falls.

*WWE has added AJ Lee versus Paige for the Divas Championship to the Hell in a Cell pay per view this Sunday in Dallas, Texas.

*Goldust and Stardust will defend the WWE Tag Team Championship against Jimmy and Jey Uso.

WWE SLAM CITY ANIMATED SERIES TO DEBUT ON NICK TOONS

The following press release was issued this morning:

NICKELODEON TEAMS UP WITH WWE® TO AIR WWE SLAM CITY™ ON NICKTOONS’ NICKSPORTS TV BLOCK

STAMFORD, Conn., October 21, 2014 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) and Nickelodeon today announced that WWE Slam City™, WWE’s kids property that includes an original animated short-form series, will debut tomorrow night during the NickSports programming block from 9–11 p.m. (ET) on Nicktoons. The 26-episode series is comprised of two-minute shorts featuring WWE Superstars John Cena®, Randy Orton®, Sheamus®, The Miz™, Rey Mysterio®, Kane® and Mark Henry® in a new animated world. The NickSports block airs every Wednesday from 9–11 p.m. (ET) on Nicktoons and features a rotating lineup of sports-themed content including series, specials and documentaries from leagues and key athletes, as well as acquired theatrical movies.

WWE Slam City, filmed in the next generation of stop-motion animation, features a new WWE animated character, The Finisher, who fires all of the WWE Superstars and sends them to WWE Slam City to find day jobs. With John Cena as an auto mechanic, Randy Orton as a zookeeper and Sheamus as a theater usher, these Superstars stay true to their WWE personas as they face life outside of the ring with new career challenges.

“This exciting partnership will allow us to bring WWE’s passionate fan base to the NickSports programming block while also creating new WWE fans through Nickelodeon’s massive audience,” said Michelle D. Wilson, Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer, WWE. “WWE programming reaches 3 million kids each week and we’re sure they’ll be excited to watch WWE on Nicktoons.”

“True to the spirit of the NickSports programming block, WWE Slam City offers kids and their families a fun, fresh way to experience these exciting WWE Superstars, and the series is a great complement to our diverse, and ever expanding, sports lineup,” said Keith Dawkins, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Nicktoons, TeenNick and Nick Jr.

WWE Slam City is a key component of WWE’s larger strategy to expand its reach to kids. In 2013, WWE’s national TV programming reached nearly 3 million kids each week, representing more than 20 percent of WWE’s average weekly TV audience. WWE also reaches kids through the number 2 action figure property in the U.S., WWE Studios productions of The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo WrestleMania Mystery and Christmas Bounty as well as partnerships with Mattel, Kraft Foods, Frito-Lay, Post Foods and MilkPEP. In addition, WWE supports programs that positively impact children and families around the world, including a 30-plus year relationship with Make-A-Wish as well as various literacy, education, anti-bullying and military initiatives.

Since its launch earlier this year, WWE Slam City has secured nearly 20 million views across a variety of platforms including WWEslamcity.com, Cartoonium, WWE Network, Hulu, Kabillion, Nintendo and AOL.

***

What is interesting about this announcement is that Nick Toons is owned by Viacom and is not under the NBC/Universal umbrella.

Thanks to Kevin for passing that along.

WWE UPDATES COMPANY POLICY ON DOMESTIC ABUSE

On the WWE Corporate site, they updated their "Talent Wellness" section to "Talent Programs and Policies".

They have added a "Professional Development Summary" section which I believe has been reported before.

They also added a new policy which I am not sure if it's more recent or been around for a while.

"WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault. Upon arrest for such misconduct, a WWE talent will be immediately suspended. Upon conviction for such misconduct, a WWE talent will be immediately terminated.

WWE’s ability to fine, suspend or terminate a WWE talent will not be, however, limited or compromised in any manner in the event incontrovertible evidence of such illegal misconduct is presented to WWE. Section 9.13(a) of the WWE booking contract, commonly known as the “morals clause”, provides WWE with broad discretion and authority to act under such circumstances."

COMPLETE DETAILS ON UPCOMING CHANGES TO TOTAL DIVAS REALITY SERIES & MORE

Here is the official press release issued by E! and WWE this afternoon:

'Total Divas' mid-season finale Sunday; new Diva cast members revealed!

LOS ANGELES – Get ready for a real red wedding! The "Total Divas" mid-season finale features WWE's SummerSlam, Eva Marie's wedding and even shows Brie Bella meeting with sister Nikki Bella's boyfriend, WWE Superstar John Cena, behind her sister's back about his influence causing her to give up on dreams of marriage and children. Of course, the unexpected confrontation leads to explosive consequences. Meanwhile, Natalya is caught in a downward spiral when the truth is revealed to the Divas that her marriage to WWE Superstar Tyson Kidd is falling apart. In an attempt to help mend their relationship, The Bella Twins organize a night out, but when the infamous #BrieMode comes out in full force, the sisters are inevitably pushed further apart. While Eva Marie does make it down the aisle on her big day, there is no guarantee that her fellow Divas will all be there to witness the ceremony. Don't miss the mid-season finale of "Total Divas," Sunday, Oct. 26, at 9/8 CT on E!.

When "Total Divas" returns with all-new episodes on Jan. 4 at 10/9 CT, a new duo emerges to shake up the dynamics of the cast: WWE Divas Paige and Alicia Fox. Former WWE Divas Champion Paige is a raven-haired Diva who preaches a simple message: She wants to mix it up in the ring. She first began battling when she was 13, following her family of English wrestlers, and gained prominence inside the WWE's NXT Division, as the first NXT Women's Champion. Similarly, the stunning and lithesome Alicia Fox has proven herself to be far more ferocious and eccentric than anyone ever expected. The talented Ms. Fox has etched her name in WWE record books as the first African-American woman to win the Divas Championship. Together, the two ladies, along with friend WWE Diva Rosa Mendes, form a clique in the locker room that rivals The Bella Twins and WWE Diva Cameron, leaving Nattie stuck in the middle.

As season three progresses, a longtime rivalry between Cameron and Alicia forces the two Divas to go head-to-head. On the couples' front, Nikki and Cena are on the outs after he blindsided her with the idea that they may not be meant for each other. Brie also has to confess to Nikki that she went behind her back and confronted Cena about his stance on marriage that led to the couple's turmoil. Newlywed Eva Marie struggles with some surprising health issues, and Brie seriously considers giving up her exciting career for a more domestic life.

In addition, as Nattie deals with her imploding marriage and its subsequent fallout, she looks to family and friends for support, which includes moving into Cena's house. This proves problematic when she finds out he is very allergic to cats, and Nattie can't fathom parting with her furry friends.

The "Total Divas" mid-season finale airs Sunday, Oct. 26, at 9/8 CT on E!. All-new episodes start Sunday, Jan. 4, at 10/9 CT, before returning to its regular time slot at 9/8 CT beginning Jan. 11.

"Total Divas" is produced by WWE and Bunim-Murray Productions. Jonathan Murray, Gil Goldschein, Jeff Jenkins and Russell Jay are Executive Producers for Bunim-Murray Productions. Kevin Dunn and Will Staeger are Executive Producers for WWE.

THE ROCK AND GREAT MUTA FACE OFF

During a promotional appearance in Japan to promote the release of "Hercules" in that market, The Rock was confronted by Japanese legend The Great Muta, who had promised to attack him.

In the end, Muta, who was dressed as Hercules, shook hands with Rock, who put him over as an inspiring figure before the Japanese media.

「ヘラクレス」ジャバンプレミアでロックと！再会を誓った！ pic.twitter.com/Jrl2DUuBil

— 武藤　敬司 (@muto_keiji) October 19, 2014

武藤敬司キター！ロックさま、伝説のムタに会えて光栄だよ！と大感激です！ #ヘラクレス来日中 pic.twitter.com/Zg3gmsZjB0

— シネマトゥデイ スタッフ (@cinematoday_stf) October 19, 2014

そして握手！ #ヘラクレス来日中 pic.twitter.com/oCqEAxcmN7

— パラマウント公式アカウント (@Paramount_Japan) October 19, 2014

そのまま終わるのか…？と思いきや！武藤が‼︎ヘラクレスの扮装で登場ー‼︎‼︎ #ヘラクレス来日中 pic.twitter.com/0QnugPK1Ki

— パラマウント公式アカウント (@Paramount_Japan) October 19, 2014

CENA TAKING ON PRODUCER ROLE

Variety is reporting that John Cena is teaming up with "Pawn Stars" producer Leftfield Pictures to develop reality TV shows. The article noted that Cena is hoping to launch series featuring unknowns with interesting stories to tell.

"For someone like me that’s surrounded by so many interesting characters, you know when you brush up against someone who can hold a room," Cena told Variety. "There are so many people out there who can hold someone’s attention."

These projects are Cena's independent of WWE, but the article noted it's possible they could become involved in some of the concepts Cena is working on.

Former WWE and ECW star Tommy Dreamer has also been working on developing several reality projects through his own production company, which he formed last year.

For more, click here.

BIG WWE NETWORK IN CANADA UPDATES

In a letter to the CRTC, Rogers noted that they received nearly 300 interveners responding to their WWE Network application last month, with only four opposing the application. They addressed the issues raised, with no new information that has not been mentioned before.

They noted that the network distributed in Canada will consist of the same content available on the US version.

In response to the Network having to abide with the same Canadian content rules as a Canadian service, they noted the "Commission authorizes non-Canadian services for distribution in Canada without requiring them to abide by Canadian exhibition requirements or other regulatory obligations. Providing BDU customers with the ability to access non-Canadian services directly benefits the Canadian broadcasting system by increasing the diversity of programming available to Canadians. Furthermore, Canadian talent will benefit indirectly through the enhanced WWE programming offering."

They noted that the Network will not be exclusive to Rogers cable systems, and other cable companies will be able to negotiate to carry it on their systems.

They also noted that WWE decided to make it available as a cable channel rather than a Over the Top service in Canada. They added, "Rogers confirms, however, that it is our priority to deliver television content to customers how they want it and when they want it. The proposed WWE Network, while offered as an affordable linear television service in standard and high definition formats, will also be made available with the same functionality and convenience of the US OTT service. The WWE Network would feature a robust online video-on-demand service that includes a rich library of archive footage. In addition, subscribers will be able to view the WWE Network content on a variety of authenticated mobile devices and screens through Rogers’ Anyplace TV app. The online service will feature the same content as is available on the OTT version of the WWE Network offered in the US and elsewhere, and will complement Rogers’ BDU offering. Presumably, the service would be offered in a similar manner by other Canadian BDUs that decide to carry the service in the future."

VIDEOS

Mick Foley discusses his Raw return:

2K Sports released the following trailer for the WWE 2K15 videogame, which will be officially released on 10/28:

10/17/14 WWE Smackdown "Fallout”: http://youtu.be/kzyJUXITHCA

10/17/14 Top Ten WWE Smackdown Moments: http://youtu.be/dRkHHcnUYrY

Pro Wrestling Report Interviews Seth Rollins: http://youtu.be/SRkKft1vmAg

10/17/14 Video Blog: La Vida de Rosa Mendez: http://youtu.be/dv5U5U-bVj8

10/17/14 Video Blog: Eden Shares Some Healthy Tips: http://youtu.be/IG9uMu7YL5I

Z! True Long Island Story (Episode 101)-The JBL (Not Cole) Show (Episode 99): http://youtu.be/gW1WFz7SEpI

WWE Top Ten-Scariest Moments in WWE: http://youtu.be/JeIku_EqYJg

10/13/14 WWE RAW "Slam of the Week": http://youtu.be/d5TcU2VU3xQ

10/17/14 WWE Smackdown "Slam of the Week": http://youtu.be/LznXEymDRfk

The Making of WWE 2K15: Part Two-The Game Has Changed: http://youtu.be/l6Mo1oRbYS0

30-Second Fury-The Boogeyman: http://youtu.be/LOx7H0dEggQ

Bo Dallas Unboxes Mattel's Elite Series 30 Action Figures: http://youtu.be/dPacT_sVRF8

NEWS AND NOTES

E! has released clips for tonight’s Total Divas, which you can watch by clicking here.

TMZ is reporting that recently released WWE announcer Justin Roberts plans on writing a book about his time in WWE which he plans to be “part inspirational, part instructional.” He doesn’t have a publisher signed yet. You can read the article by clicking here.

Jamie Gray sent word that The Undertaker was on the sidelines for the University of Texas yesterday. They beat Iowa State 48-45.

Marc Kruskol sent this item. … As you know, WWE “Monday Night Raw” will emanate from the Sprint Center in Kansas City tomorrow (Monday night). Native Kansas Citian Rob Schamberger will be painting a portrait of Sting live on-site. The following night, of course, the Kansas City Royals will host the first game of The World Series. Some time ago, when the John Cena character was still developing, he would wear 'throwback' jerseys to the ring, and one night wore this vintage Kansas City Royals garment. Attached is a photo of Rob’s painting of Cena wearing that jersey. “Being a native Kansas Citian and still proud to call it home, and as someone who was lucky enough to go to a 1985 post-season game, it seemed like a natural fit to paint this portrait of John. The piece nicely combines my involvement in the wrestling world, my love of art, and my history with my hometown team,” said Schamberger.

The Score in Ireland talked to former WWE developmental talent Joe Cabray, who spent a year in the system and now works in Europe. You can read it by clicking here. … Thanks to Gerald Martin for sending that along.

Howard Begley sent this item, which is a video of Dundee's Gary Harkins celebrating a goal by getting RKO’d. You can see it by clicking here.

Harkins pops right up after taking the move. WWE can’t love that.

Stephen Ground sent this item. … Thought I'd pass along this interesting tweet to you fellas. Apparently there's a poll on WWE.com about which former diva you miss the most. Someone voted for Mickie James, and her response was interesting as James tweeted, “Ha! Thank you! Hopefully not 4 long!”

WWE officially announced that Lilian Garcia will be returning to Raw as its ring announcer, replacing the departed Justin Roberts. Eden (Cody Rhodes’ wife) will be doing the announcing on Smackdown.

There may be some distracted fans at tomorrow’s Smackdown taping in Wichita, KS as the Kansas City Royals will be hosting game one of the World Series tomorrow night. The Royals are undefeated so far in the MLB playoffs.

WWE will be competing with itself on Sunday night as the midseason finale of Total Divas takes place at 9 p.m. on E!, opposite the Hell In A Cell PPV on The WWE Network. Total Divas returns on 1/4/15 and Paige and Alicia Fox join the cast.

In the interview I did with Chris Jericho last night, the subject of his return in November was brought up and he said it would only be for people that are at the cities in Europe where he is appearing. Well, take it for what it’s worth but WWE is advertising him on their website on the page promoting the 11/11 Smackdown taping in Liverpool, England.

As I broke this morning in my PWInsider Elite audio, WWE has booked Hulk Hogan for next week's Raw taping in San Antonio, Texas. Hogan will be on tonight's Raw in Kansas City as well.

If anyone is attending tonight's taping in Kansas City, we are seeking live reports.

Former NWA champion Adam Pearce is back at the WWE Performance Center this week working as a guest trainer. This is the second or third stint for Pearce in that role.

WWE NXT will tape this Thursday in Orlando, FL at Full Sail Live.

WWE has released more "WWE Zombies" t-shirts in keeping with the Halloween season.

WWE's "True Giants" DVD will be released on 12/6.

Stewart sent the following.... I was watching reply of Smackdown over here in the UK and they announced that they would be announcing the launch of the Network on November the 1st.

Anthony Rehrig sent the following....The College of Business is having their Featured Speaker event on Tuesday, October 28 at 11 a.m. in the Academic Forum, room 201. Mr. Michael Grossman, Senior VP of World Wrestling Entertainment will be here to speak to students. Michael is a Kutztown University Alumnus Telecommunications Major. He oversees WWE’s production studio, domestic and international field production, and recently launched the World Wrestling Entertainment Network. All are welcome to attend! A less-detailed listing can be found at this link.

As we reported last week in the PWInsider.com Elite section, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley will be teaming with country star Shooter Jennings to release a special 7" Christmas record on Record Store Day. The release, "Crazy Christmas" will be a spoken-word Christmas narrative told by Foley, written by his 10-year-old son Hugh Foley, with Jennings composing the music and sound effects. The record will be released on Black Friday in record stores and via iTunes on 12/7.

As I reported this morning in my PWInsider.com Elite audio, with former NWA champion Adam Pearce down at the WWE Performance Center for his third stint as a guest trainer, a number of those I've spoken to are under the belief he may be in line to replace the recently departed Nick Dinsmore. Time will tell if that is indeed the case.

WWE is holding a week-long tryout for a number of new potential signees this week, including DGUSA star Uhaa Nation. There are some other talents from overseas also in this week, but I haven't confirmed who they are.

You can read Richard Trionfo's Raw report by clicking here.

You can read Richard Trionfo's Main Event report by clicking here.

You can read spoilers from Tuesday's Smackdown taping by clicking here.

You can read the off air report from Monday by clicking here.

The 10/17 edition of Smackdown did 2,694,000 viewers, up slightly from last week’s 2,671,000 viewers.

Total Divas on E! had another pair of episodes run back to back on 10/19.  The 9:00 show did 826,000 viewers and a 0.4 in the 18-49 demographics.  The 10:00 show rose to 860,000 viewers and held onto that 0.4 in the 18-49 demographics. 

I really wonder if the return of "The Walking Dead" on AMC, which airs at 9 PM, has bitten (no pun intended) into Divas' audience.

There will be a mid-season finale this Sunday, going head to head with the 2014 WWE Hell in A Cell PPV.

Thanks to Kevin.

Previous Season Three Total Divas audience notes:

The 9/7 season three premiere brought in 1.2 million viewers.

The 9/15 episode dropped to 974,000 viewers.

The 9/21 episode garnered 1,188,000 viewers, airing against the WWE Night of Champions PPV.

The 9/28 episode garnered 999,000 viewers.

The 10/5 episode brought in 1,057,000 viewers.

The 10/12 9:00 PM edition of Total Divas did 882,000 viewers.

The 10/12 10:00 PM edition of Total Divas did 975,000.

The 10/20 episode of Raw did 3,695,000 viewers, down from last week’s 3,797,000 viewers. That is the second lowest number of 2014.

You can read our report from the 10/18 NXT house show in by clicking here.

You can read our report from the Mexico City, Mexico house show in by clicking here.

Liverpool Echo interviewed Bo Dallas about the upcoming WWE tour of the UK. He talked about how integral how NXT was to his development. You can read it by clicking here.

Seth Rollins was interviewed by Mix 106.1 in Philadelphia, PA. You can check it out by clicking here.

Alex Obert sent this link to NXT’s Baron Corbin. In it, he discusses his time so far on NXT, music, Billy Gunn, Corey Graves, his finisher and more. You can check it out by clicking here.

On a day when the stock market was up 215 points (yesterday) the WWE stock was down 63 cents, to $13.82. The stock dropped after Nathaniel August, founder of Mangrove Partners, was bearish on it today on CNBC. He shorted the stock today saying that he never thinks WWE will double their WWE Network subscriptions. You can watch video of his appearance by clicking here.

WWE reports their third quarter earnings a week from Thursday so we will get the latest Network subscription tally then. Personally, I think if they pull the trigger on John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar (again) that won’t be what the adult males who are their target audience are looking for. I think that in order to get those fans to pay, they need to mix things up at the top of the card and use the established guys to help elevate younger talent. Last night’s Raw audience was the second lowest of the year and that is not a good thing heading into a PPV. To me, if they want to grow subscriptions they have to get back to the days where free TV wasn’t enough to satiate the fans. They had the sellout streak years ago for a reason: Fans couldn’t get enough WWE. If they want to sell Network subs, they have to do that again.

Stephanie McMahon was interview by Yahoo about playing a heel on TV, the company’s new domestic abuse policy, adding limited advertising to the Network and more. You can check it out by clicking here.

I commend WWE for adding the domestic violence clause to their company doctrine. It is an issue that should never, ever be tolerated.

Brian Fritz has interviewed Chris Jericho for The Sporting News about his new book. You can check it out by clicking here.

Kane’s “See No Evil 2” is now available on iTunes and Amazon.com for those interested.

The person that lost of the domain rights to WWE.org in a court battle with WWE is not to happy. Here’s link to a sotry where he threatens to fight WWE and not give the domain back. I just checked the www.wwe.org link and it’s offline, so it looks like he has had it taken away. … Thanks to David Hopp for sending that along.

Marc Kruskol sent this item. … Rob Schamberger’s latest WWE video, “Hell on a Canvas,” has been posted. You can check it out by clicking here.

Seth Rollins will be appearing at this Thursday's NXT taping in Winter Park, FL.

Announced for the Hell in A Cell Kickoff this Sunday was MizTV with Damien Sandow as the guest. Paul Heyman will be appearing on the PPV as part of the expert panel with Booker T and Alex Riley as well.

Matys Marco sent the following....WWE Main Event will debut on German free TV. ProSieben Maxx announced via Twitter that for the first time ever, Main Event will air on on German free TV on 11/22 at 10:50 PM, followed by the complete version of WWE Smackdown. It'll be a kind of a TV special, including exclusive footage of WWE's upcoming live event in Frankfurt, Germany. Whether WWE Main Event will run on a weekly basis here remains to be see. Around WrestleMania XXX, a new TV era began in Germany as Pay-TV platform Sky lost their TV rights to the free TV networks Tele 5 (which airs Raw every Thursday) and ProSieben Maxx (which airs SmackDown every Saturday - NXT airs exclusively on Pay-TV channel ProSieben FUN) combined with the Netflix-esque VOD service Maxdome, where all WWE PPVs air live while the weekly WWE series are available as a second broadcasting offer. It looks like so far WWE made the right move as the WWE brand has been growing here with Raw getting especially good as ratings have risen to the area of 250,000 - 290,000 viewers.

Since we received a few emails asking where he was last night, Ric Flair was never scheduled for last night's Raw taping.

WWE live events on 12/13 in Wheeling, WV and 12/20 in Sioux Falls, SD officially go on sale this weekend.

Chuck Carroll reporting. … I had to the opportunity to talk to Chris Jericho this week on The Turnbuckle Weekly with Chuck Carroll.

The full interview can be heard on the 106.7 The Fan and CBS DC website: http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/10/17/chris-jerichos-latest-book-offers-more-only-in-wwe-stories/

While discussing his new book — Best In The World At What I Have Know Idea — I asked him about when he plans to return to WWE full-time. He didn't have a specific answer, but said although he still has a passion for the business, wrestling was no long his priority.

Jericho: "Over the last four of five years my schedules and dates surround Fozzy, and WWE has kind of been not as much of a priority. I still love doing it, but I realize it’s not something I’m going to be doing forever. I realized that years ago. To go back for the European shows, Roman Reigns got hurt, there was some injuries and I always enjoy working overseas. So, it’s kind of just a quick little run. Other than that I don’t know. When this Fozzy tour ends, whenever that may be, if I have time available and the WWE has something interesting for me to do. It’s not like they’re just sitting around waiting for Chris Jericho to come back. There have been times… I was going to go back for WrestleMania 30, but we couldn’t figure out anything for me to do that was worthy of that."

In the book Jericho writes about his up-and-down relationship with WWE chairman Vince McMahon. He said McMahon is surrounded by “yes men,” and he’s gained the boss’s admiration by not following suit.

Jericho: “Yes, there is a lot of confrontations with Vince, but that’s because there’s a mutual respect. And some of them get out of control… It’s only because both of us respect each other, trust each other, and believe each other. It doesn’t mean I’m always going to like the things he does or the things he wants to do. And it doesn’t mean that he’s going to like the things that I do and the way that I act and react to things either.”

We covered a ton of ground in the interview. Here's what else we talked about:

* More on his relationship with Vince McMahon

* Cody Rhodes and Santino Marella's bizarre posing competition at a post-WrestleMania party for WWE employees (judged by Undertaker)

* Kid Rock’s reaction to said wacky contest (Jericho was standing with him)

* How he selects which stories aren’t worthy of making it into the book

* How he convinced editors to put a “bonus track” chapter in the book with extra stories

* How the writing process has become easier with Best In The World

The full interview can be heard here.

TNA

BROOKE GIVES THE INSIDE SCOOP ON LAST NIGHT'S AMAZING RACE

NEWS AND NOTES

Bobby Lashley vs. Karl Etherington, who is undefeated, is set for Bellator 130 on SpikeTV this Friday.

I reached out to a source at Spike yesterday regarding TNA's TV deal and they responded, "Nothing of note to report."

Set for tonight’s Impact Wrestling:

*TNA champion Lashley and Bobby Roode face off.
*Tag Team Contenders Tournament: EC3 & Tyrus (fka Brodus Clay) vs. Hardy Boys.
*Bram on why he attacked Devon.

Roode vs. Lashley will headline the 10/29 episode of Impact Wrestling.

ROH, DGUSA AND OTHER NEWS

DOUGLAS 'OX BAKER' PASSES AWAY

Douglas "Ox" Baker, who worked all over professional wrestling's territory system and made a number of memorable appearances in film, including "I Like To Hurt People" and "Escape from New York", passed away overnight in Hartford, CT. He was 80 years old.

Baker's passing was not unexpected as he has been dealing with a number of health issues in recent months and had been using a wheelchair to get around over the summer, where he was inducted into the Mid-Atlantic Legends' Hall of Heroes.

I'll have more on Baker's life and career later today. He was one heck of a character on and behind the camera, and a hell of a nice man. On behalf of everyone associated with PWInsider.com, I'd like to express our deepest condolences to Baker's friends, family and fans.

WWE issued the following:

WWE is saddened to learn that Ox Baker, a feared villain of the ring for more than three decades, passed away Monday morning at age 80. A 6-foot-5 behemoth from Waterloo, Iowa, Baker originally competed in WWWF in the late 1960s and became one of the most intimidating forces known inside the squared circle — both due to his unique look and devastating heart punch. Over the span of an impressive career, the big man traded blows with the likes of WWE Hall of Famers Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes and Harley Race.

Outside the ring, Baker also put the hurt on actor Kurt Russell as the brute played an appropriately savage warrior in the post-apocalyptic world of John Carpenter’s 1981 sci-fi classic, “Escape from New York.”

WWE extends its condolences to Baker’s colleagues, friends and family.

JAKE ROBERTS HEALTH UPDATE

WWE Hall of Fame Jake Roberts noted on Twitter that he's completed an MRI and will be undergoing another in a few weeks as doctors attempt to diagnose the spots on his brain that have been a concern since his hospitalization in Las Vegas.

Roberts wrote, "Through with tests till next week. Three spots on brain for concern. Will wait three weeks then another mri. Go from there. Positive attitude"

Obviously, we wish Roberts nothing but the best as he gets his health issues resolved.

AWESOME FIRST-TIME EVER BOUT ADDED TO HOUSE OF HARDCORE IN PHILADELPHIA

Tommy Dreamer announced yesterday that Austin Aries' open challenge has been accepted and for the first time ever, Aries will face former WWE star Drew Galloway at the 11/15 House of Hardcore VII iPPV in Philadelphia, PA at the 2300 (fka ECW) Arena.

Announced for that show:

*The Hardys vs. The Young Bucks.

*Old School Extreme Rules: Ethan Carter III vs. Tommy Dreamer with Beulah McGuillicuty making her final-ever appearance in Dreamer's corner.

*The Wolves vs. Harry Smith & Lance Archer.

*Christian York vs. Brian Myers.

*Eddie Kingston vs. Jigsaw.

*Also appearing are CW Anderson, Velvet Sky and more.

For more details on the HOH event, visit www.houseofhardcore.net.

NEWS AND NOTES

You can read Richard Trionfo's ROH TV report by clicking here.

In a bit of a shock, Mr. Sozio became the new CZW champion lon 10/18, defeating Biff Busick. This appears to be setting up a four-way feud leading into CZW's Cage of Death with the new champion, Busick, Drew Gulak and Chris Dickinson.

You can read Kris Zellner's 10/19 Lucha report by clicking here.

You can read Kris Zellner's 10/20 Lucha report by clicking here.

You can read Kris Zellner's 10/22 Lucha report by clicking here.

You can read our report from the 10/18 Shimmer results by clicking here.

You can read our report from the 10/19 Shimmer results by clicking here.

You can read our report from the 10/19 Insurrection report from Puerto Rico by clicking here.

You can read Matthew Macklin’s 10/19 New Japan report by clicking here.

You can read Matthew Macklin’s 10/20 New Japan report by clicking here.

You can read Matthew Macklin’s 10/21 New Japan report by clicking here.

You can read our report from the 10/18 Northeast Wrestling show by clicking here.

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