WWE News & Notes 2014: New Trailer for The Rock's "Hercules" Movie Released, Wrestlemania 30 Card Almost Complete (Video)
Wrestlemania 30 is just a week away and the official line-up is near completion. The main event is set with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton taking on Royal Rumble winner Batista and the winner of the Triple H-Daniel Bryan match that takes place earlier in the night. John Cena will have his hands full against Bray Wyatt, next Sunday night, The Shield tries to get vengeance on Corporate Kane and the New Age Outlaws, while 30 competitors participate in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Thus far, Intercontinental Champion Big E, Dolph Ziggler, Fandango, Alberto Del Rio, Damien Sandow, Titus O'Neil, Sheamus, Big Show, Mark Henry, Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal, Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, Goldust, Kofi Kingston and The Miz are set to compete in the 30-man Over-the-Rope Battle Royal commemorating Andre the Giant's legacy.
WWE Tag Team Champions the Usos will defend their titles in a Triple Threat match against Los Matadores and the team of Ryback and Curtis Axel while Smackdown GM Vickie Guerrero tweeted recently tweeted she has yet to decide in what manner WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee will put her title on the line against the entire WWE Divas roster, including her E! Total Divas enemies and the champion's bodyguard Tamina.
One WWE Superstar who will miss Wrestlemania 30 is Christian, who was injured on Raw this Monday after suffering a concussion in his Four-way Fatal match against Ziggler, Sheamus, and Del Rio that earned him a title shot against WWE Intercontinental Champion Big on Main Event. This is Christian's second concussion in year and may be looking at the possibility of retirement with injuries piling up at the age of 40, according to The Wrestling Observer. With his contract near completion, Christian is considered a good fit in helping develop talent at NXT in the next phase of his career.
Speaking of NXT, Ring of Honor's (ROH) Kevin Steen, Roderick Strong, Michael Elgin, Rocky Romero and ACH, Combat Zone Wrestling's David Starr, Pro Guerrilla Wrestling's Willie Mack, as well as indy wrestlers Arya Daivari (Shawn Daivari's younger brother), Ronny Reeves, and Zane Dawson all had tryouts at the WWE Performance Center last week. Steen, a former ROH World Champion, impressed the scouts with his mic skills and in-ring skill talents, having shown up to the tryout slimmer and impressing in the endurance testing drills. Participants in the WWE tryout will have to wait four to six to weeks to be informed if they will be offered a contract with the company.
Rumors are also circulating that New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Prince Devitt may soon sign with the WWE in light of his upcoming NJPW Loser Leaves Town match against Ryusuke Taguchi this weekend. Devitt has a standing offer from the WWE if is interested in joining the company and has been promised to be fast-tracked through the NXT program if they can come through an ageement.
Scott Hall is the latest inductee announced to be joining the class of 2014 WWE Hall of Fame along with Jake "The Snake" Roberts, the Ultimate Warrior, Lita, Paul Bearer, Carlos Colon, and Mr. T. Hall, who first gained popularity as Razor Ramon early in his career with the WWE, was a founding member of the nWo, along Wrestlemania 30 host Hulk Hogan and Kevin Nash, when he signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1996. Meanwhile, Lita announced during the 30 Years of Wrestlemania podcast that Trish Stratus will be her presenter at the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Linda McMahon is slated to present the Ultimate Warrior into the Hall of Fame while "Diamond" Dallas Page will do the honors for Roberts.
WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion Carlos Colon Sr. versus The Iron Sheik
WWE recently bought the rights to World Wrestling Council's (WWC) library, according to The Wrestling Observer. Long-time WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion and founder, Carlos Colon Sr., will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year and his classic matches - bouts against Stan "The Lariat" Hansen, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Bruiser Brody, and his bloody encounter with Adbullah the Butcher - will now be available on the WWE Network.
Paramount Pictures released a new trailer this week for The Rock's upcoming summer blockbuster, Hercules, with the movie scheduled to premiere in July. Directed by Brett Ratner, Hercules tells the tale of the Greek mythology hero prior to becoming a deity, with The Rock playing the lead role. Paramount has kept security tight on potential movie spoilers and leaks on the project having recently fired 50 crew members attempting to take pics of The Rock in costume during filming. The Rock has been tweeting pictures of the movie but told Variety.com that he managed to assure studio executives that he could handle promoting the movie through his social media without giving away too much.
"I told the studios, 'Hey, what I'd like to do is take the audience and the fans on a journey from beginning to end because it's such a passion project for me. So from the time I get to Budapest, I'd like to take them on a journey in terms of what my diet is, what my training is and on set, too,'" said the former WWE champion. "They said, 'Well, how are you going to do that?' I said, 'Well, trust me. Somehow I'm going to do it.'"
Hercules Movie Trailer