WWE.com has announced that the new season of Tough Enough will premiere on the USA Network on Tuesday, June 23rd at 8/7 C.
In addition to Tough Enough airing on the USA Network, it was also revealed that SmackDown will be moving to USA in early 2016.
SmackDown on USA will feature “all new live elements” including more fan participation.
*JOHN CENA Talks About Turning Heel, Denies Ever Using Steroids & More
– During WrestleMania 31 week, reports surfaced online that WWE Diva and Total Divas star Eva Marie was going to be hosting the WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony, however the regular host — Jerry Lawler — ended up hosting. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Marie was actually scheduled to host the event until late in the weekend, as WWE changed their mind at the last minute.
– Below is a photo of The Undertaker and Michelle McCool at this week’s University of Texas vs. Oklahoma softball game in Austin, Texas.
RONDA ROUSEY: “Things Did NOT Go As Planned At WrestleMania 31”
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins recently spoke with The Independent in the UK to promote WWE’s ongoing European tour. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
His Match Against John Cena & Brock Lesnar At Royal Rumble:
“The match itself was something that I knew going into was going to be a big opportunity for me, as I was the ring with two legends of our time in John Cena and Brock Lesnar. Being pretty much the underdog in that situation I knew I had to step up my game and do my best to steal a little bit of their thunder.
“I was very pleased with the outcome and even though I didn’t walk out the winner, it was still a performance that catapulted me to the next level.”
Feuding With Jon Stewart:
“It all kinda came out of nowhere,” Rollins reminisces. “I just said one little line in jest on Raw and one thing led to another. Then I’m on The Daily Show hanging out with Olivia Wilde so it was definitely a cool experience, and something I never considered that I’d do growing up watching Craig Kilborn and Jon Stewart on that show.
“Jon was a huge fan, totally professional all the way and an awesome dude. He’s a hell of a promo too so everything about that was 100% awesome. I was really thrilled to work with him and hopefully we can do something again in the future.”
The NXT Star He’d Like To Work With:
“Probably Sami Zayn. He’s a guy who is one of the most resilient performers that we’ve ever seen, and he’s got an incredible connection with the audience. No offense to Finn Balor but he doesn’t need a crazy entrance and body paint, he doesn’t have all the wild athleticism that Neville has, he doesn’t necessarily have the wits about him that a Kevin Owens does, or the fanfare of Hideo Itami, but he has that little intangible that sets him apart from everybody else.”
* Exclusive: DANIEL BRYAN’s Health A Major Concern In WWE, Bryan To See Doctors After European Tour
After stealing the show at WrestleMania 31 this year, The Rock and Ronda Rousey have stolen something else together — box office records.
“Furious 7,” which features both Rock and Rousey in prominent roles in the latest installment of the wildly popular film franchise, set an astonishing financial record.
After only 17 days in theaters, “Furious 7” has already broken the one billion dollar mark worldwide.
In just over two weeks, The Rock and Rousey film, which features several of the original “Fast and Furious” cast, is the first one billion dollar film in the 103-year history of Universal Studios, which based on Hollywood standards, is an unbelievable success.
Whether or not Rock and Rousey team up for future projects, such as a return role at WrestleMania 32 next year, which is already being discussed, remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure — The Rock and Ronda Rousey make one hell of a tag-team, on the big screen and/or in the squared circle.
PHOTOS: BRAND New RONDA ROUSEY Bikini Pics (SKIMPIEST Bikini You’ve EVER Seen!)
The following are highlights of a new Rolling Stone interview with legendary music producer and the co-founder of “Def Jam,” Rick Rubin:
On his first act, The Beastie Boys, being influenced by pro wrestling: “There’s no question that, early on, the Beastie Boys were very influenced by pro wrestling. One-hundred percent. The idea of being bad-guy rappers, saying really outlandish things in interviews, that all came from a love of pro wrestling. We didn’t say it because it was true – we said it because it was entertaining.
To me, it was performance art; we were as inspired by pro wrestling and Monty Python as we were music. I remember showing them videotapes of old matches, because I was the fan, and we’d laugh about the stuff on there.”
On being influenced by some of the crazy things Roddy Piper would say: “And at that time, there was a wrestling hotline, and we’d call and listen to prerecorded messages from Roddy Piper and get inspired by the crazy things he’d say. Kerry King [from Slayer] was really into wrestling, too. Later, I worked with Andrew Dice Clay, and he was a perfect heel.”
Check out the complete interview at RollingStone.com.
PHOTOS: BRAND New RONDA ROUSEY Bikini Pics (SKIMPIEST Bikini You’ve EVER Seen!)
– WWE announced an “I Quit” match between John Cena and Rusev for their upcoming Payback pay-per-view on May 17th. It was noted that this will be the final chapter in their rivalry.
– The announced attendance at Extreme Rules last night was 14,197.
– Kofi Kingston tweeted the following after The New Day’s title win last night:
Hate to say I told you so, but… now you feel the Power of Positivity! #POP #HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/NK59DC5dfG
— Kofi Kingston (@TrueKofi) April 27, 2015
WWE Creative Team “Stunned” To Hear Dana White Say Ronda Rousey Can’t Do A Match
The week of special programing on the WWE Network continues tonight with a career retrospective on Mick Foley followed by his “Cheap Pops” comedy special. The night kicks off with a new episode of WWE NXT:
NXT at 8pm EST
– Sami Zayn vs. Alex Riley
– Hideo Itami in action
– Bayley vs. Dana Brooke
Plus, the latest on Alex Riley’s feud with NXT Champion Kevin Owens.
Mick Foley Have A Nice Night at 9pm EST
– Renee Young and Byron Saxton look back at the “most memorable and entertaining moments” of Mick Foley’s career.
Cheap Pops Comedy Show at 10pm EST
– A special edition of Foley’s “Cheap Pops” comedy show, taped last week at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
* CM PUNK On WWE: “It Doesn’t Mean Anything. It’s Fake”
– Lou Schwartz, the WWE CDO that has been with the company since October of 2014, left WWE a few months ago. Schwartz now works as the CSO for the over-the-top company “WorldNow.”
– Morale at the WWE Performance Center without Bill DeMott as the head trainer is said to be much better. The developmental talent appear to enjoy working with Jason Albert.
– NXT live events scheduled for June 11th in Columbus, Ohio and June 13th in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are sold out with approximately 1,500 seats for each show. The 5/14 show in Philadelphia is close to being sold out, and the 5/15 show in Philly has just under 800 seats remaining. Philadelphia is being set up to hold about 2,000 seats per show. The 5/16 NXT event in Albany, New York has only a few hundred seats still available.
CONFIRMED: CHAEL SONNEN Signs With GFW — What Will His Role Be?!
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
– Dean Ambrose is the guest on the latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which is available right now at PodcastOne.com.
– Court Bauer of MLW Radio is Steve Austin’s guest on the latest edition of his “Steve Austin Show” podcast, which you can also download at PodcastOne.com.
– Finally, Vince Russo is back with his latest blog. In his newest column, Russo goes on a rant explaining why Sami Zayn will never draw ratings. You can read the article at CSRWrestling.com.
JERRY LAWLER: WWE Stars FAR Outshine UFC Stars In Popularity [READ >>]
– Top independent wrestling star Biff Busick, who is a former CZW World Heavyweight Champion, is one of the independent wrestlers scheduled to attend the WWE tryouts at the WWE Performance Center in June.
– Longtime German WWE announcer Bernhard Wullf has parted ways with the company. Wullf has been replaced by Manu Thiele, a new, 22-year-old German announcer.
– Below are some recent WWE attendance figures:
May 8th in Broomfield, CO drew 2,900 fans (missing John Cena and Daniel Bryan)
May 8th in Largo, FL for NXT drew a sellout of 275 fans
May 8th in Louisville drew 7,500 fans (John Cena tour missing Daniel Bryan)
May 9th in Orlando for NXT drew a sellout of 400 fans
May 9th in Charleston, WV drew 6,500 fans (Roman Reigns, Randy Orton tour)
May 10th in Lexington, KY drew 2,500 fans (John Cena tour missing Daniel Bryan)
May 10th in Wheeling, WV drew 2,200 fans (Roman Reigns, Randy Orton tour)
May 11th in Cincinnati for RAW drew 9,000 fans
Ronda Rousey The Latest Victim Of Celebrity Nude Photos Leaking Online?!
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)