Hello and welcome to the WrestleTalk News - I’m Oli Davis, and because we haven’t
heard from him for over a month, where he was victorious over WWE doctor Chris Amann,
it’s time to ask the question once more: is CM Punk returning to WWE?
No… the answer’s no.
But what about wrestling in general?- Nope, answer’s no again.
Not returning to wrestling.
But how about a performance art-like medium where he has to act out emotions?
Yeah, kind of, that’ll do!
Both CM Punk and AJ Lee have been announced for the Soska Twins next movie, a remake of
David Cronenberg’s 1977 vampire/zombie body horror flick Rabid.
Interestingly, there is actually a WWE connection between Punk and his directors.
The Soska Twins have previously directed two WWE Studios movies: the Kane-starring 2014
slasher film See No Evil 2 and the Big Show’s prison yard movie Vendetta the following year.
The original Rabid was about a woman who gets a taste for human blood after undergoing experimental
plastic surgery, where her victims turn into zombies.
Fun for all the family.
CM Punk will play the role of ‘Billy’, and AJ Lee will star as ‘Kira’.
Speaking of horror stories…
...Hulk Hogan’s return hasn’t gone down as well as WWE probably hoped.
Segue.
WWE announced that the Hulkster would be reinstated in their Hall of Fame last Sunday, after being
removed three years prior amidst racist comments he’d made were leaked to the media.
The news was broken to main roster talent before Extreme Rules started, with Hogan being
there in person to apologise and try to make amends.
Occasional SmackDown women’s division wrestler James Ellsworth was there, and he’s described
the meeting on the latest episode of his Duhcast show.
Apparently Triple H opened proceedings with a speech on the dangers of social media, and
how easy it is for fans to record you remarks.
Then Hogan took the stage, apologising for his comments.
And, to close the meeting, WWE producer Mark Henry announced his support of the Hulkster.
Ellsworth said that most seemed accepting of Hogan’s apology, and he believed it was
sincere.
Titus O’Neil sure didn’t, though!
In reply to the New Day’s statement that they accepted Hulk being reinstated into the
Hall of Fame on a professional level, but were “indifferent” to his return, Titus
posted: “In FULL AGREEMENT AND SUPPORT OF EVERYTHING
SAID IN THIS STATEMENT.
MY additional response to this from to follow as there have been NUMEROUS ERRONEOUS reports
on my Views and Response-to this situation.”
Those ‘NUMEROUS ERRONEOUS reports’ are presumably BarnBurner’s claim that Titus
threw a fit at the meeting and walked out on Hogan - a rumor that WrestlingInc have
also disputed.
But whether that happened or not, O’Neil has made it clear he isn’t accepting of
Hogan’s return in his own statement: “The reports and rumors concerning my boycotting
Extreme Rules in Pittsburgh is false and inaccurate.
I was not scheduled to attend or participate in the Extreme Rules match/production and
otherwise was not booked for the show.
The talent present in Pittsburgh, which I was a part of, was asked to attend a mandatory
meeting in which Mr. Terry Bollea addressed everyone and informed the same that he would
be reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame.
At no point during, after or otherwise did I make any scene concerning Mr. Bollea’s
communication to the talent.
In addition, let it be known that I did not refuse to shake Mr. Bollea’s hand; we did
not have any type of one-on-one interaction whatsoever that would or did necessitate any
exchange between us individually.
As to the reinstatement of Mr. Bollea, I can only communicate that I am a proponent of
second and even third chances for individuals that show true remorse, acknowledgement of
wrongdoing, fulfill their punishment, if applicable, and otherwise put forth sincere efforts to
correct the issues.
Unfortunately, I must echo the sentiment and dissatisifaction expressed by many of my fellow
contemporaries concerning Mr. Bollea’s apology and its lack of true contrition, remorse and
a desire to change.
Mr. Bollea’s apology ‘that he didn’t know he was being recorded’ is not remorse
for the hateful and violent utterances he made which reprise language that has caused
violence against blacks and minorities for centuries.”
And possibly revealing herself as another main roster wrestler unhappy with Hogan’s
return, Sasha Banks replied to O’Neil’s post with a simple heart emoji.
In a company where wrestlers are often thought to walk on eggshells backstage in fear for
their jobs, this is an almost unprecedented level of public disagreement between WWE and
its talent.
There’s been a major angle down in NXT!
Click the video onscreen now to find out the huge spoiler!
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I’ve been Oli Davis, and that was wrestling.