Backstage Heat For Dolph Ziggler, NXT Diva Upset About Fake Nudes

* We noted before that Dolph Ziggler had to get 10 stitches after his match with Sheamus at WWE Payback. Ziggler had heat backstage after busting himself open with headbutts. Word is that WWE officials thought it was “dumb and reckless.”

* WWE NXT Diva Alexa Bliss is upset about some fake nude photos going around. She tweeted the following:

The risqué photos on the Internet supposedly of me are totally bogus.

* After this week’s Raw went off the air on Long Island, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns eventually made their exit before Randy Orton made his way out for the dark main event. Orton reportedly received one of the biggest pops of the night.

Orton faced Bray Wyatt and defeated him with a RKO after countering Sister Abigail. Orton greeted fans at ringside and took selfies with some to end the show and send the crowd home happy.

With the Nassau Coliseum closing soon, Orton vs. Wyatt is the final wrestling match to take place in the venue.

Curtis Axel Responds to Triple H Promo, Big Matches Set for WWE MSG

- Below is the updated card for WWE’s February 27th live event at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Bad News Barrett, The New Day, Goldust, Stardust, The Bella Twins, Paige and others will also be appearing.

* Hulk Hogan Appreciation Night
* The Highlight Reel with Chris Jericho
* Cesaro vs. Dean Ambrose
* Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt
* Rusev vs. John Cena
* Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan vs. Kane and Seth Rollins

- WWE’s website has video of Tom Phillips talking about Curtis Axel and the Royal Rumble on the WWE App at this link. The video aired during Thursday’s SmackDown after Triple H’s promo on the Royal Rumble controversy. Axel continues to tweet about being screwed at the Rumble and deserving a title shot at WrestleMania 31:
So @TripleH says there was a "controversy" at the #RoyalRumble? Damn right there was! I won and I want my #WrestleMania match! @WWE

The Rock Scheduled To Be In The Royal Rumble ?

WWE has confirmed that The Rock is backstage at the Royal Rumble PPV. According to MetsFan4Ever, a former WWE employee who has his sources within the WWE and has revealed many inside stories, revealed that WWE officials have had a serious discussion regarding The Rock entering the Rumble match and winning it, which will lead to Rock vs. Brock at WrestleMania, which Vince McMahon wants to see for a few years now.
He also told that if the officials do not book this, then The Rock might appear in a backstage segment to put over Roman Reigns.
He also says that WWE officials have considered having Bray Wyatt win the Royal Rumble Match. Many people in WWE have high hopes for Wyatt and “feel the sky is the limit for him.”
As of now, Sheamus is not scheduled to return tonight, but Randy Orton is backstage at the event, however it is not confirmed if WWE will be using him or not, as he was backstage at the TLC PPV as well.

List Of All The Rumored Surprise Entrants in the Royal Rumble Match

The speciality of the Royal Rumble match is that we get to see surprise entrants, which includes Legends as well as Superstars who return after a hiatus.

Here's a list of this year's rumored surprise entrants in the Rumble match:

Rob Van Dam - RVD is rumored to be a surprise entrant in the match, but it is still unknown whether it's just a 1 appearance deal, or a part time deal for a few months (possibly till WrestleMania).

Dudley Boyz - The Dudley Boyz, who have never participated in a Royal Rumble match, have been in talks with WWE officials for a while now about returning to their programming, and they are rumored to be the surprise entrants in the Royal Rumble match at the moment (not confirmed).  There were reports last year that one of the two could end up in NXT as a trainer but we haven’t heard anything else about that.

Diamond Dallas Page - Another surprise entrant that the WWE officials want is a multiple time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Diamond Dallas Page. Officials have wanted to do a program with DDP for a long time now, and it looks like they are finally going for it. If they go with this plan, then lets hope we get to see a confrontation between him & Randy Orton, who is expected to be back for the 30-man Royal Rumble match. It would be great to see the “Diamond Cutter vs. RKO” & interesting to found out if DDP can take some revenge on Orton for stealing his move!

Bo Dallas - It is expected that Bo Dallas will make a return to WWE TV at this event. He has been out of action since last November due to an injury.

Randy Orton - Orton has been advertised for several WWE events (including the Royal Rumble PPV) for quite sometime now, and has not yet made his return to WWE TV. This has lead to much speculation that he will be returning in the Royal Rumble match (given the fact that his surgery was planned in time so that he could return in time for the Rumble match).

* According to reports, 2 spots have been locked for entrants from NXT. There is a possibility that we might see Baron Corbin in the Rumble match.

Backstage Update on Plans for WWE Title Match, TLC Main Event

We’ve noted how there was talk of having #1 contender John Cena get his title shot against WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar at this month’s TLC pay-per-view.

Vince McMahon continues to go back and forth on the match happening at TLC. There are just two RAW episodes left until TLC and with no mention of the title or Cena being #1 contender on RAW this past week, there’s a feeling that the match won’t take place at TLC.

Original plans had Cena getting the title shot at the Royal Rumble, which could be the direction they’re going in. As noted, there has also been talk of having Cena face Seth Rollins and Randy Orton at TLC but we should have a better idea of TLC plans after this week’s RAW.

On This Day In Wrestling - July 16, 2006

On July 16, 2006, former NWA and AWA star Bob Orton Sr. died aged 76. Orton competed in several NWA promotions across his career, winning championships in the Midwest, Central States, Florida, Texas, Mid-South, Western States & St Louis territories. He also had a stint in the WWWF, teaming with Buddy Rogers. However, it is perhaps his legacy rather than his championships that is best remembered in today’s wrestling world. He was one of the first wrestlers to utilize the Piledriver move & was instrumental in the popularization of the move. He also innovated the move that we today know as ‘The Pedigree’. Orton only retired from the ring in 2000 after a near 50 year career, living out his life in Las Vegas, before passing of a series of heart attacks. Orton’s descendants continued his legacy in the wrestling business; his sons Bob Jr. & Barry both competed for the WWF, & grandson Randy Orton is a 12 time World Champion.

Former WCW Wrestler Rips John Cena & Randy Orton

Former WCW Wrestler Scotty Riggs was recently interviewed. Here are some highlights: 

John Cena: "Every single match is the same, and it is sickening. Five simple moves every match. When it is time for Cena's comeback it is the same moves, boom, boom, boom. That does not suspend any disbelief. That is what wrestlers are supposed to do, have the craft to anywhere in the match a finish can come up. 

"Cena has mixed himself with the Super Cena thing, which is what Vince McMahon has a hard on for, he is a good guy that is so good that it is sickening. That is why so many people don't like him. Cena is WWE's cash cow. When I am watching Cena I feel like I am watching a TV commercial. Everything he is doing, he is selling cereal, he is selling t-shirts, he is selling something in everything he does." 

Randy Orton: "Randy Orton just can't seem to find something that fits. He's got all the tools in the world, and every opportunity, but he is not allowed to be himself." 

The difference between WWE and WCW: "WWE is a TV show about wrestling, WCW in their prime was a TV show that had happened to have wrestling on it." 

WWE Network: "I'm one of those guys that I rarely ever watch my old matches. The only thing I think would be really good about WWE Network is finding stuff that fans don't know that used to be wrestling like is different than what WWE is giving them now. If WWE gives them what USWA used to be, what World Class used to be, what Florida Championship Wrestling was, if what wrestling really was in the '70s, '80s, I think it would be good because it will teach fans what wrestling was. It could hurt them (WWE) because fans can say I like 'wrestling' not 'sports entertainment' stuff." 

Hulk Hogan returning to WWE: "Hulk Hogan, even at his age, still has the 'It Factor'. The crowd loves the nostalgia that he brings. It's the same old thing, over and over again, but the fans still dig that. It still captures their childhood imagination." 

Recently catching up with Dennis Rodman: "He is the most personable, charming person you will ever meet. When Dennis Rodman walked in to the bar, he said 'Riggs, I didn't know you had a beard.' For him to remember me was a really cool moment. It was a really good time." 

Perry Saturn: "Perry Saturn is the only guy I know who is a Ranger that has had 103 successful jumps out of a perfectly good airplane and wear a dress in the ring." 

Almost signing with WWF instead of WCW: "I was being groomed as a protege of Lex Luger in the WWF. Little did we know that on the first Nitro Luger has crossed over to WCW, if I had listened to Jerry Lawler and stayed on as Lex's protege, Lex wouldn't have been there anyway. I would have been lost." 

The American Males theme song: "The great thing about that song is, the song as wacky as it is, it still stands alone today. Fans still remember that song."

Will WWE change their WrestleMania finish ?

This week on Raw, Triple H agreed to face Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania but a stipulation was put forward by Bryan which Triple H accepted. The Stipulation is "If Daniel Bryan beats Triple H at WrestleMania, he gets added to the WWE World Heavyweight Title match in the Main Event of WrestleMania XXX". 

But before this stipulation, Batista was scheduled to win the Title at WrestleMania & go on to hold the title till SummerSlam where he was scheduled to face John Cena or Daniel Bryan. But now if Bryan is scheduled to win the title at WrestleMania, then Batista gets completely out of the title picture & if he's out of the title picture, his return is a complete waste. 

So we can't count out the original finish of the match where Batista was scheduled to win.