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Booker T Sticking Around Longer Than Planned

Booker T’s podcast co-host Brad Gilmore mentioned that Booker T will be doing commentary on RAW for the rest of the summer.

Booker T was originally scheduled to do commentary for only six weeks while David Otunga was away filming a movie. Otunga is returning to WWE as part of the Extreme Rules Kickoff panel with Renee Young and Peter Rosenberg.

Indie Wrestlers Mock Randy Orton

Independent wrestlers Shane Strickland, Sammy Guevara, and Mr. 450 decided to do a spoof of Randy Orton at Saturday’s Wrestle Circus event. When they went to the top rope to do dives, they called it off. They then all proceeded to hit RKO’s simultaneously on their opponents followed by doing Orton’s signature pose.

Jim Ross Talks Addiction to Ambien & Xanax

While speaking to The AV Club, Jim Ross talked about his book that will cover his past drug addiction and made the following remarks:

“You’re going to hear about my addiction to drugs. I was addicted to Ambien and Xanax, together, with Crown Royal. I was on Uranus, and Pluto, and Neptune, and everywhere else late at night. [Because] I had severe sleep apnea – and still do – I stopped breathing 99 times in an hour in a sleep test. So I wasn’t in real great shape with that deal.”

“Ambien is a temporary medication for insomnia. Temporary. Not ten years. …It’s not a [revolutionary] story, it’s eye-opening, and shows it can happen to anybody. It was like smoking, I just decided one day to quit smoking, and stopped. Done, I’m done.”

Another Indication that Hulk Hogan Will Return to WWE

WWE was handing out sample editions of the latest WWE Kids Magazine during the recent European tour. What was most noticeable about the magazines was the inclusion of Hulk Hogan on a double-sided poster with other WWE Legends.

The other side of the posted featured Hogan by himself:

With WWE using Hogan on these posters, it could be an indication that he is headed back to the company. It’s been speculated that once the Gawker sex tape news simmered down, he would be brought back to the company in some capacity. It appears that the company appears to be slowly bringing him back, as he has been featured in advertisements on the WWE Network and they re-added content that features him.

Bray Wyatt Teases Match with Matt Hardy

Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt recently teased a possible match on Twitter. They had the following exchange:

Jim Ross Reveals Best Opponent for Brock Lesnar

Good Ol’ JR listed out a number of dream matches that he’d like to see today. While talking about it, he revealed who he thinks is going to be the best opponent for Brock Lesnar.

Lesnar is scheduled to face the winner of the Fatal 5-way match between Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, Samoa Joe, Roman Reigns and Finn Balor. However, J.R didn’t have any of the aforementioned superstars in his mind as the ideal opponent for the Beast Incarnate.

Ross said the following (quoted by Inquistr.com):

“I’m a different cat though, man. I’d like to see Braun Strowman – in a big build-up – against [Brock] Lesnar. I think that’d be a nice car crash.”

The good news is that rumours of Strowman vs Lesnar going down at SummerSlam have surfaced recently. This means that Ross and the fans are in for a treat.

You can listen to the entire interview here.

Reason Why Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles Ended In Count-Out

As seen at the Backlash event last week, AJ Styles’s match against Kevin Owens for the United States Championship ended in a count-out. The reason WWE decided on that finish is because they plan to have the two feud in a series of matches.

The belief is that if Owens got the pinfall victory over Styles, it would have left very little ground for a rematch. Styles winning the match would have meant Owens losing the Championship on back-to-back pay-per-views and that would make him look very weak. WWE has also put money into Owen’s “Face of America” gimmick with merchandise, so him dropping the title this soon wouldn’t make much sense.

WWE was left with two options, ending the match by disqualification or count-out. Creative ultimately decided on the count-out decision.

Baron Corbin Rips Independent Wrestler

Baron Corbin got into it today on Twitter with CZW wrestler Geoffrey Bravo. It all went down with Bravo ripped Corbin for his appearance. Here is the exchange:

Trademark Office Rejects Matt Hardy Application for “BROKEN” Gimmick

PWInsider reports that Matt Hardy’s trademark application for the “BROKEN Matt Hardy” has been refused by the U.S. Patent & Trademark office. Matt has six months to respond to the application before it’s abandoned. The refusal reads:

“Registration is refused because the applied-for mark, as used on the specimen of record, identifies only the name of a particular character/personal name; it does not function as a service mark to identify and distinguish applicant’s services from those of others and to indicate the source of applicant’s services.”

Former WWE Superstar Rips Randy Orton Over Negative Indie Remarks

Former WWE Superstar Rene Dupree wrote the following on his Facebook page in regards to Randy Orton’s negative remarks about indie wrestling:

“Randy EVERYTHING was handed to You, from your nicknames To your Finishing Move People Can say the same about me but…. When you were hired You were a Fat slob, I just won The Canadian Bodybuilding Nationals and Qualified for the Worlds You had ZERO matches I had 500+ You Wouldn’t Last 1 Japanese Tour I’m on 49 tours and You counting If HHH wasn’t Such a mark For Your Daddy, You would’ve been FIRED YEARS Ago And You’re NOWHERE near the worker your Father was You’re Bashing indie Guys, Do what I did Grow a set of Balls Go Out And Prove You’re Special Cause I’m Sorry Bud , but The chin lock you use Is BORING as A Shit! BURNING BRIDGES??? I don’t give a **** #TRUTH”

Dupree also posted the following:

“Another thing that i forgot to mention….

What Randall Doesn’t realize (BECAUSE HE NEVER WORKED OUTSIDE OF THE STAMFORD Company) Is That most independent wrestlers Rely on Selling their Own Merchandise to make $$$ He Wouldn’t know Would He??? So Putting on Exciting High Risk matches Is What They Need to do I have an Valid Opinon on this Because Ive Done Both Am I Right or Wrong???”