The Punk Nation

Daily Punk Shot (8th June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (8th June, 2013)

Punk Turning Face?

Largely as a reaction to the Memorial Day rating, which is I guess the entire motivating factor since Vince's two personal key benchmarks week-to-week are ratings and house show business and the latter is fine (although the Canadian business was weak over Memorial Day), Vince & Stephanie were brought back as heels. The end result of this right now, which could change tomorrow, is Vince, Stephanie and HHH as the lead heels. There have been hints of a Punk turn with the idea it's Heyman who agreed to his match with Jericho and Heyman who signed the contract without him being there. My feeling is Punk is an awesome heel, that Punk & Heyman should screw Lesnar out of a win over Undertaker or Rock at Mania (the story actually works better with Undertaker because Punk is jealous Lesnar is about to do what he couldn't do), leading to a Lesnar vs. Punk run. But as noted before, Lesnar vs. Punk is an obvious direction but the wind is blowing toward Punk as the face. It looks like, if Orton goes heel, which has been the plan since late last year, that on the road, Team Orton may become Team Punk and Cena and Punk become the two house show headliners as faces. The feeling is they need a major face to lead each touring brand, and one of the reasons Orton hasn't turned yet is because they didn't think either Sheamus or Del Rio had gotten over enough to be that face, even though both at times were planned for the spot.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Daily Punk Shot (7th June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (7th June, 2013)

"I love how Punk gives absolutely no fucks about WWE and his...

"I love how Punk gives absolutely no fucks about WWE and his storyline. He's enjoying life."

Daily Punk Shot (6th June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (6th June, 2013)

Update to Payback Rumor

CM Punk is set to return at the Payback PPV. It’s not a storyline tease that doesn’t come through. He’s scheduled to return to the road that night for the company.

Daily Punk Shot (5th June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (5th June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (4th June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (4th June, 2013)

More Punk/Jericho photos from the WWE App

More Punk/Jericho photos from the WWE App

Daily Punk Shot (3rd June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (3rd June, 2013)

Raw Five-Point Preview: June 3, 2013 - WWE Universe still on Punk watch

On CM Punk's behalf, Paul Heyman agreed to a match between his client and Chris Jericho at WWE Payback. But where is Punk? "The Best in the World" has gone radio silent and has not been seen in WWE in weeks. Will he surface before Payback? Will Heyman offer any clues as to what is going on inside Punk's head? Tune in Monday at 8/7 on USA Network to find out.

Daily Punk Shot (2nd June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (2nd June, 2013)

Great Moments In Chicago Wrestling History HQ Digitals - Money...

Great Moments In Chicago Wrestling History HQ Digitals - Money In The Bank 2011 WWE Championship Match CM Punk vs John Cena

Chicago's wrestling tradition grows even richer with WWE Payback (WWE.Com)

Chicago will make sports-entertainment history on Sunday, June 16, when WWE Payback debuts from the Allstate Arena, and as any astute member of the WWE Universe knows, there is nary a better place to host an inaugural pay-per-view event than The Windy City.

The squared circle is as much a part of Chicago's DNA as the Daley family, blistery conditions and Vienna Beef hot dogs (untainted by ketchup, naturally).

With one of The Second City's favorite sons, CM Punk, making his in-ring return against Chris Jericho on June 16, the timing and location of WWE Payback seem almost too good to be true for Punk loyalists. Yet, the arrangement is one that stands to benefit WWE Universe at large, too, thanks to Chicago's famously boisterous atmosphere, which always seems to bring out the best in Superstars and Divas.

Watch Chicago’s wrestling highlights | See images of The Windy City’s rich ring legacy

"There's only a handful of cities where it's great to work every time and Chicago's one of them," said the normally hard-to-impress World Heavyweight Champion, Dolph Ziggler. It is not yet known whether The Showoff — who is still recovering from a concussion suffered in May — will be cleared to compete in time for WWE Payback, but that didn't stop him from explaining the unmistakable charm of Chicago's passionate, albeit demanding, fan base. 

"It's like a New York crowd, where you get cheers for 'bad guys,' sometimes, but there's such a good crowd that it's so fun to perform there," he said. "I always have a blast."

Vocal though they may be, the Chicago faithful are not always the most hospitable spectators. It's well-documented that Chi-Town is home to some of the world's most diehard sports enthusiasts, as well as some of the most unforgiving, as Cubs fan Steve Bartman found out the hard way when he errantly reached over Wrigley Field's left field wall in 2003.

"Chicago, in general, is a great sports city, and they have their own identity as fans," said Brodus Clay, who remembers watching The Road Warriors tear opponents apart in their specialty match of choice, the Chicago Street Fight. "It's basically a home-field advantage for you if you're loved by Chicago. If you're not loved by Chicago, you're going to know it."

That hard-boiled attitude has provided the perfect backdrop for wrestling contests dating back to the late 1800s. Frank Gotch vs. "Russian Lion" George Hackenschmidt, arguably the first super-match in squared circle history, took place at Chicago's Dexter Park Pavilion in 1908. (The most expensive ticket was ambitiously priced at $40.) The original "Nature Boy," Buddy Rogers, bested Pat O'Connor for the NWA Heavyweight Championship in 1961 at Comiskey Park.

It was also in Chicago that Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher ran roughshod over competition. The brawlers spent their free time tossing “dem bums” out of saloons on Halsted Street, the same north-south boulevard that One Man Gang called home. 

"Chicago is synonymous with 'tough' and I think the fans there expect Superstars to be tough," Matt Striker said.

Over the course of its more than century-long love affair with wrestling, fans in The Second City have developed particularly discerning tastes and dauntingly high standards for in-ring action.

In turn, it may came as no surprise that Chicago has been the site of more than a couple epic clashes: Bret "Hit Man" Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's Submission Match at WrestleMania 13; the first match in Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair's three-bout series in 1989 (and, five years later, another Steamboat-Flair duel at WCW Spring Stampede 1994); and perhaps most famously, CM Punk's WWE Title win over John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011, after which The Second City Superstar absconded with the championship through the Allstate Arena crowd.

Full-Length: Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair | Full-Length: CM Punk vs. John Cena

Of the many dream matchups that have taken place in the Chicago area, Flair vs. Steamboat at Chi-Town Rumble 1989 takes the cake in the World Heavyweight Champion's eyes.

"The crowd really gets behind Steamboat, and Flair is just an awesome general and the crowd was so great in that match, like Chicago always is," explained The Showoff. "It's just a great town to have an event, especially sports-entertainment-wise, and for that match to be for the [NWA] World Championship and for Steamboat to get revenge at the end with a rollup out of the Figure-Four … it was awesome."

Loud, responsive and unyieldingly loyal to their favorites, Chicago fans are held in rarified air by many inside the WWE locker room.

"The people are very appreciative — electric, almost," Curt Hawkins commented. "I remember going there my first time and thinking, 'Wow, it's cool. This lives up to the hype.' They're rabid wrestling fans and excited to be at the show."

That bodes well for June 16, when WWE Payback debuts in a city that’s used to breaking new ground. WWE's first pay-per-view, The Wrestling Classic, was held in the Rosemont Horizon, now known as Allstate Arena. (The building, which many still refer to by its former name, is technically located in Rosemont, Ill., a village that neighbors O’Hare International.) When Jim Crockett Promotions was looking to bring its annual mega-event, Starrcade, outside its home base for the first time, it was The Windy City that won hosting rights. 

Find out how to watch WWE Payback on pay-per-view

"Chicago is richly steeped in great history and magical moments," explained Striker, before making a declaration that's sure to ruffle the feathers of his fellow New Yorkers. "Everyone says New York fans are the best and the craziest, and I hate to upset my brethren, but Chicago is the epitome of a wrestling town." 

Punk/Jericho WWE App Photos

Punk/Jericho WWE App Photos

Daily Punk Shot (1st June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (1st June, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (31st May, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (31st May, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (30th May, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (30th May, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (29th May, 2013)

Daily Punk Shot (29th May, 2013)

WWE-Flintstones Animated Movie Announced for 2015

WWE issued the following:

WWE and Warner Bros. Head to Bedrock

STAMFORD, Conn. May 29, 2013 – Warner Bros. and WWE Studios (NYSE:WWE) today announced they are once again teaming up; this time to co-produce a Flintstones animatedmovie to be released in early 2015.

Fred, Barney and the whole Bedrock gang join up with Vince McMagma (Vince McMahon), and WWE Superstars and Divas including John Cenastone (John Cena®) and CM Punkrock (CM Punk®) as part of the very first WWE main event.

"WWE is family-friendly entertainment, so partnering with Warner Bros. on a Flintstones/WWE project was a natural extension of our Scooby Doo deal," said Michael Luisi, President, WWE Studios. "This new, animated feature allows us to showcase our brand with young fans and loyal Flintstones enthusiasts alike."

"Warner Bros. is thrilled to continue our partnership with WWE Studios as we begin production of the latest Flintstones animated feature," said Jeff Brown. "Our recent production collaborations have proven successful and we have the utmost confidence that the latest tag team between the WWE Superstars and The Flintstones will deliver the same results."

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will handle worldwide distribution on Blu-ray, DVD, VOD and digital download. The film will be co-produced by Warner Bros. Animation and WWE Studios. WWE will utilize its extensive global reach through its television, digital media andprint assets to market the release of the film.

Bradley Buchanan, SVP of Business and Legal Affairs negotiated on behalf of WWE Studios.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.: 
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com.

About Warner Bros. Animation 
Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, with an innovative and talent-rich roster boasting some of the most accomplished writers, producers and artists working today. The studio is on the cutting edge of animation technology and has both CG and traditionally animated projects in current production and development. For TV, WBA produces series such as The Looney Tunes Show, MAD, Teen Titans Go! and the forthcoming Beware The Batman and The Tom and Jerry Show for Cartoon Network, as well as the upcoming Mike Tyson Mysteries for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. WBA also produces original content — including animated shorts — for Cartoon Network's multiplatform branded DC Nation programming block. WBA also creates the highly successful series of DC Universe Original Animated Movies for DVD. Producing for multiple platforms including TV, digital and home entertainment both domestically and internationally, WBA is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as for maintaining the Studio's rich cartoon heritage. It is also the home of the iconic animated characters from the DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has won six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents' Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).

About WWE Studios 
WWE Studios continues to strategically diversify its slate of films, which includes theatrical releases and direct to home premieres, under the guidance of President Michael Luisi. Most recent films produced by the studio include The Call with Halle Berry and David Otunga, Dead Man Down with Colin Farrell and WWE Superstar Wade Barrett™, and Marine 3 Homefront with WWE Superstar The Miz™. Upcoming films for WWE Studios include: 12 Rounds 2 Reloaded, the 2nd installment in the action franchise, which stars WWE Superstar Randy Orton™ and will be released direct to home on June 4th by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; Christmas Bounty, an action comedy starring WWE Superstar The Miz™ and Francia Raisa, which will premiere on ABC Family's highly rated "25 Days of Christmas" programming event in December 2013; an animated feature that will find Scooby Doo and the gang teaming up with WWE Superstars to solve a mystery at WrestleMania and will be released direct to home in March 2014 by Warner Bros. Animation; a reboot of the Leprechaun franchise which will be directed by Zach Lipovsky and will be distributed by Lionsgate in 2014, and The Flintstones another animated feature to be released in early 2015 by Warner Bros. Animation which joins Fred, Barney and the whole Bedrock gang with stone age versions of WWE Superstars and Divas.

About WWE 
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 150 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.