WWE
– According to the PWInsider, Brock Lesnar will be returning to a WWE ring much sooner than some fans may be expecting. Lesnar signed with WWE over the weekend and could wrestle his first match as soon as Extreme Rules later this month or Over The Limit in May. As we’ve been reporting, Lesnar has signed a 1-year deal with limited appearances – which will culminate in a match at next year’s WrestleMania 29.
During Lesnar’s first run with the company a decade ago, Paul Heyman served as Lesnar’s mouthpiece, accurately touting him as the “Next big Thing.” According to sources, there are currently no plans to bring Heyman in with Lesnar. Heyman has is a very busy man with a number of ongoing projects through his Looking For Larry agency based out of New York City.
That’s not to say that there aren’t people that want Heyman back on WWE television. WWE (and TNA) has reached out to him in recent years, but the two sides could never reach an agreement. Anything is possible, but for now, WWE is moving forward with Brock Lesnar under the assumption that Paul Heyman will not be on board.
News broke over the weekend that Lesnar was negotiating with WWE and arrived in Miami on Saturday with a large entourage. According to a report at PWInsider, Lesnar was not at WrestleMania, the Intercontinental Hotel where the WWE talent was staying or any other WWE related events over the weekend. For those people speculating that WWE leaked the news of Lesnar’s negotiations to spike the WrestleMania buyrate at the 11th hour, WWE tried hard to keep the deal confiential.
– According to the Wrestling Observer, CM Punk was scheduled to retain the WWE Title at WrestleMania 28 from the very start of the Chris Jericho feud being planned. There were never plans for Jericho to win the WWE Championship in Miami.
– Former WWE superstar Batista says his manager has some big announcements about him coming very soon:
“Follow my manager @JohnnyRyanJr he’s going to be making some announcements about me VERY soon. #staytuned any guesses?!?!”
– WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart wrote the following on Twitter about Daniel Bryan’s 18-second loss at WrestleMania 28:
“Very glad the fans were vocal in their displeasure of one of the best wrestlers on the roster being jobbed out in 18 seconds.”
– Joseph Scarpa (aka WWE Hall of Famer Chief Jay Strongbow), has passed away. He was 83. Stongbow was a longtime wrestler who competed from 1947-1985, a career spanning almost four decades. He was a two time WWE tag champion who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994 and worked as an agent for the company in the 90s. The wrestling world is already mourning the loss of Jay Strongbow on Twitter:
Jim Ross: Sad to hear of the passing this morning of WWE HOF’er Chief Jay Strongbow, a beloved member of WWE family. RIP Chief.
Roddy Piper: LOVED YOU CHIEF JAY STRONGBOW. My best to the family!
Jeff Jarrett: R I P Chief Jay Strongbow…
Matt Hardy: Saddened to hear about the passing of Chief Jay Strongbow. Chief was a major factor in helping Jeff & I get our break at WWE. RIP Chief..
Paul Bearer: So sorry to heart of the passing of Chief Jay Strongbow. A true legend and friend for so many years. Sympathies to his wonderful family.
JBL: RIP Chief Jay Strongbow-he was a great guy. Wanted to stick me in blue jean shorts when I came to WWF, happy he didn’t get his way. Owen Hart was once asked by Chief if he would “do that in a fight” Owen said “No, I would hop on one foot whooping” It was hilarious. Chief wouldn’t speak to Owen for days. Gonna miss Chief.
– Former WWE Superstar “Ugandan Giant” Kamala will undergo foot amputation surgery on Thursday, his son announced Tuesday on Facebook.
“I am sad to report that on Thursday April 5 James Kamala Harris will have his right foot removed,” wrote Kamala Jr.
It will be the the legendary grappler’s third amputation in recent months. He had his left foot amputated last November due to complications of high blood pressure and diabetes. The upper part of the leg was then removed in December.
He addressed the matter in February, writing on Facebook,
“I wish I could still be in the ring but deep down I know my time is up. Nowadays having only one leg it’s obvious. There is no turning back the hands of times. Thanks to all of you that write me and keeping me in your prayers. Right now my heart is broken but in time I know it will heal. I wish I had the skill to do something else but I dont know what it would be.”
– WWE Tag Team Champion Epico posted a series of messages on his Twitter account Tuesday afternoon complaining about his group being left off the WrestleMania XXVIII pay-per-view event and subsequent television events.
“Can you believe this @LaRosaMendes? Every single WWE title was on The Wrestlemania PPV. But the WWE tag champs get the Pre-show. I thought this was WRESTLEmania…. Not CONCERTmania… Who did Flo-rida and that MGK beat??? I guess they beat the tag champs. Not only the tag champs get left out of wrestlemania… We weren’t even on Raw and it looks like we won’t be on smackdown either.”
He then slammed the pay-per-view’s celebrity presence after being deemed irrelevant by a Twitter user. He wrote,
“And since when is Flo-rida, MGK and that menounos chick relevant to a wrestlemania????”
Rosa Mendes, Epico and Primo’s on-screen manager, is also voicing her displeasure with the group’s last of television presence this week.
“I’m really confused to say the least, I’m one of the hottest Divas on the roster, @WWEEpico and Primo are super athletes and we only get the dark match at #WrestleMania, no match on #Raw let’s see if we even have a match on #Smackdown. Are people that intimidated by us?”
“THEY SHOULD BE!!!”
– Madusa, who formerly appeared as Alundra Blayze for WWE, posted a photo on Facebook of a royalty check she recently received from her former employer. Her image post, which has since been deleted, suggested she received $305,563.46 for appearing on video releases sold between October 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. She clarified the matter Tuesday night on Twitter by revealing that she actually received a small amount of compensation.
“Just to clear up the the royalty posting From WWE to me…. 1) i am not a liar it did come to me… Lol 2). It is the correct amount and did I post THAT was my total take? NO! Like any other entertainment company I got very little. However I am still making nice royalty checks, thank u WWE.”
It is likely that the displayed monetary figures is WWE’s total revenue from the video titles during the three month period.
– Daniel Bryan’s “YES!” chants were heard at Tuesday night’s Miami Heat basketball game from the American Airlines Arena, the venue that hosted RAW the night before.
– Monday’s post-WrestleMania RAW Supershow drew a 3.4 rating with 5,015,000 viewers. The show did hours of 3.39 and 3.44.
– Tough Enough contestant and former Miss USA Rima Fakih was in Miami and was in talks to return to WWE this weekend. Fakih was seen with the WWE crew during WrestleMania weekend and is expected to return to the company soon.
– Beth Phoenix has responded to Zack Ryder writing on Twitter that he is looking for a new WWE Diva to be by his side:
“@ZackRyder you need a Diva that will join in for some gym, tanning and watch your backski when the chips are down #justsaying”
As of last week, there was talk of pairing the returning Layla with Ryder to feud with Eve, according to the PWTorch.
– Stone Cold Steve Austin was asked on Twitter about Daniel Bryan’s “YES!” chant replacing his “WHAT!”catchphrase. He said:
“Thats a good thing! YES!”
– Jim Ross did work for the upcoming WWE ’13 video game on Monday.
NFL
– ESPN 1500 Twin Cities reports the Vikings did approach Bill Parcells, but it “didn’t happen recently” and the sides are no longer talking. Parcells, 71, isn’t believed to be interested in coaching a team in the midst of a rebuild. The Saints, however, are “still in the mix,” according to LaCanfora.
– The Eagles have signed OT Demetrius Bell to a 5-year contract. The Eagles announced the signing, curiously adding that the correct spelling of Bell’s name has been “Demetress” all along. Athletic but unreliable due to injury, Karl Malone’s son was arguably the best offensive lineman left on the market. Since Bell is insurance for Jason Peters (Achilles surgery), the reported $35 million deal is almost certainly front-loaded, with little money guaranteed beyond 2012. All 30 of Bell’s starts the past three years have come at left tackle, so Todd Herremans will likely remain on the right side.
– The Saints have signed LB David Hawthorne to a 5-year contract. Hawthorne was a strong run-stopper at middle linebacker last season with the Seahawks. It’s a good move by the Saints given all the commotion about the bounty scandal.
– Lions DT Nick Fairley was arrested Tuesday on a misdemeanour second degree marijuana possession charge. Fairley was arrested just after 12 pm noon following a citizen complaint about a car speeding through the neighborhood several times. The Lions have now had their 1st and 2nd-round picks from last season arrested for marijuana possession over a two-week span. This is Fairley’s first offence.
– Speaking in a conference call Tuesday, Dolphins’ coach Joe Philbin hinted he’ll expand RB Reggie Bush’s role in the passing game. Bush recorded a career-high 216 carries last season, while his 2.9 receptions per game were a career-low. More receptions for Bush next season could mean fewer carries as well.
MLB
– According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, Rangers officials are planning to meet Wednesday with 2B Ian Kinsler and his agent. The Rangers are expected to offer Kinsler a 6-year extension during that meeting. FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal believes the 29-year-old might opt to wait until Yankees’ 2B Robinson Cano gets his new contract. Kinsler is under team control through 2013.
– Red Sox’ manager Bobby Valentine said Tuesday that RHP Andrew Bailey (thumb) will not be back before the All-Star break.
– The Nationals have placed OF Michael Morse (strained right lat) and RHP Drew Storen (sore elbow) on the 15-day DL retroactive to March 26. Morse was cleared to resume all baseball-related activities late last week and should be ready to join the team in mid-April. The 30-year-old slugger posted a strong .303/.360/.550 batting line with 31 homers and 95 RBI in 146 games last season. Storen threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday afternoon in camp without feeling any pain or discomfort. He’s targeting a mid-April return.
PGA
– Check out Martin Kaymer skipping in a hole in one on the par-3 16th during Masters practice:
NHL
– Oilers’ head coach Tom Renney has been fined $10K by the NHL for comments he made following Monday night’s loss at Los Angeles. Renney said in response to the Kings’ 2-0 win, ”Maybe they (the NHL) need Hollywood in the playoffs.”
– Leafs’ D Carl Gunnarsson (separated shoulder) is out for the rest of the season, as well as the World Championships. Gunnarsson was leveled in the first period of Tuesday’s 6-5 loss to the Leafs. Check out the big hit by Sabres’ F Marcus Foligno:
– Check out this Rangers’ themed subway:
MISC
– Check out Lance Armstrong finishing this marathon, then ignoring his daughter trying to give him a medal:
BASEBALL
– Check out this high school baseball brawl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RD0Vvk7jQT8#!