Steve Austin praises WWE Divas + Tough Enough news

– Steve Austin posted the following on Twitter, regarding Tough Enough and Melina and Alicia Fox: “Let me bottom line something right now–i meant no disrespect to Melina or Alicia on TE. both women are class acts and hard workers. cheers.”

TMZ.com caught up with Steve Austin, who gave the Rock a thumbs up and said that he was one his favorite opponents. You can check out video of that at http://www.tmz.com/

– WWE Tough Enough’s debut ratings got some attention from Multi Channel News.

– The Tough Enough Website has posted extra and deleted scenes. One of them includes Matt (M-Dogg 20) running into CM Punk. You can check that out at http://www.usanetwork.com/series/toughenough/

Trish Stratus Speaks Out – Tough Enough, ‘Mania, More

It’s been a busy couple of months for the legendary 7-time Women’s Champ, Trish Stratus. She’s back in the WWE fold with the USA Network revival of Tough Enough, she’s going to WrestleMania this Sunday, has a movie premiering in one week and is on the cover of Oxygen magazine! With so much going on in the Stratusphere, we decided to give the Diva Dirt Legacy Award winner a call and discuss!

In this exclusive interview, a sequel to our first interview (Diva-Dirt.com) last September, Trish dishes on her return to WWE, working with Snooki and this Sunday’s WrestleMania 27 extravaganza in Atlanta. In this one hour+ interview, we also speak in depth about the upcoming season of Tough Enough, which premieres next week, as Trish gives us her opinion on each of the five female contestants. We also touch upon her stunning Oxygen magazine cover, the world premiere of her debut movie ‘Bail Enforcers’, and the WWE release of Dave ‘Fit’ Finlay who had a big hand in Trish’s training and success in the ring as a WWE Diva.
Some quotes:

On getting the call to do Tough Enough:
“I would say it was about the beginning of February I got this call, ‘Hey, we got this new show Tough Enough which you might have heard about. We want you to be the female trainer on the show’ and of course I was just absolutely honored to be asked. [...] At first they told me, ‘We can’t really tell you the details on who’s going to be involved yet’. I was like, ‘Hmm, well, last time I accepted a show and I didn’t know who was involved, I ended up working with Erik Estrada and Latoya Jackson, so I’d like to know please’. [Laughs] They told me ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin would be the host and I said, ‘I’m in’. And then Bill DeMott and Booker T [became involved] as well, so I was like ‘Oh absolutely’.”

One of the things that made her want to come back & do the storyline going into WrestleMania:
“The opportunity came up to work with Lay-Cool which I’m so excited about. I mean they’ve done such great work. People love to hate them. As a fan, I’ve sat back and I’ve watched — especially Layla — [I've] watched them grow into these great workers. They’ve really come along, especially when you think about where both of their backgrounds are. They’ve put in the work to develop their characters. [...] I was a big fan of their work so to come back and work with them was a neat little opportunity.”

What it’s like working with Snooki:
“She’s so sweet. The first time I met her — the first Raw — she was just really excited to be there and really open minded and I love that when people come from other worlds and are just like, ‘Okay, what do you want me to do?’. Sometimes you get that resistance like, ‘Hmm, I don’t know if I could do that…’ and she was just totally into it.”

Cena is ready for RAW, Tough Enough plans

– John Cena wrote the following on Twitter regarding his showdown with The Rock and The Miz tomorrow night on RAW: “CeNation. Already gearing up for monday. Rock said it..and I believe it..the time for talk is over.”

– As noted yesterday here on the website, WWE Tough Enough is expected to be added to the USA Network’s Video On Demand service. Replays of the show will air late Monday night. The first episode is titled “Get Your Teeth Out of My Ring.”

The Rock, John Cena & Miz to face off on RAW

The USA Network issued the following press release today:

THE ROCK®, JOHN CENA® AND THE MIZ® TO FACE OFF LIVE ON RAW® NEXT MONDAY ON USA AT 9/8c

Final Raw Prior to WrestleMania® XXVII

STAMFORD, Conn., March 23, 2011 – After their war of words, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will finally confront WWE Superstar John Cena® and WWE Champion The Miz®, live in person, March 28th on Monday Night Raw at 9/8c on USA Network. The verbal sparring was ignited when The Rock triumphantly returned to WWE last month. The fireworks will emanate live from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.
The Rock will be The World’s Most Electrifying Host in Entertainment at WrestleMania XXVII on Sunday, April 3rd at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, live on pay-per-view. The Rock is expected to lay the SmackDown® on all the pomp and festivities that make WrestleMania the world’s greatest, annual pop culture extravaganza.

For all the latest updates, ‘Like’ The Rock at www.facebook.com/DwayneJohnson or follow him at www.twitter.com/TheRock.

WrestleMania XXVII will be broadcast in more than 100 countries around the world. Check with your local cable operator or satellite provider to order the pay-per-view on Sunday, April 3rd. For more information on WrestleMania and WrestleMania events, please visit www.wrestlemania.com.

USA Network confirms The Rock on Tough Enough

USA has confirmed The Rock on Tough Enough via the following press release:

‘THE ROCK’ TO GUEST ON “WWE TOUGH ENOUGH,” A NEW REALITY SERIES ON USA
Hollywood star and former multi-time WWE Champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will guest on a future episode of WWE TOUGH ENOUGH, the new reality competition series premiering on USA on MONDAY, APRIL 4 at 11/10c.

In the episode, Johnson puts the contestants in full workout mode, pushing their limits and testing their boundaries. The Rock excites and electrifies as he demonstrates what it takes for a superstar to successfully “layeth the smacketh down” in the ring. One of the most entertaining WWE Superstars of all time and known to fans worldwide as “The People’s Champion,” the Rock recently announced that he’s returning to WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW and briefly trained with the TOUGH ENOUGH contestants for his pending return.

WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is the host of WWE TOUGH ENOUGH, which will feature a diverse group of men and women who live, train, eat and sleep under one roof in a spectacular ranch in Simi Valley, California. Each week the contestants will battle it out in a series of unique challenges designed to test for such characteristics as showmanship, creativity, athleticism and desire, just to name a few. Viewers will witness the trials and tribulations of what it takes to be one of the best in the world’s greatest sports entertainment organization. The grand prizewinner will be awarded a contract with WWE.

Shed Media US, noted for its strong characters and memorable casting in the non-scripted arena, produces WWE TOUGH ENOUGH. The company’s previous reality credits include “The Real Housewives of New York City,” “Who Do You Think You Are,” “World’s Strictest Parents.”
After the premiere of WWE TOUGH ENOUGH on April 4, the show will move to its regular timeslot on Mondays at 8/7c on April 11.

The early ‘Tough Enough’ favorite + FCW Diva fails

Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter

– According to reports from the Tough Enough set, Luke Robinson is considered the early favorite on the show. He stands out as a star and is considered a good wrestler that possesses charisma. Show host Steve Austin was so impressed by Robinson that he is privately working out with him.
Robinson is a 26-year-old independent wrestler from Maine who performs under the name “Golden Boy” Bobby Robinson. His USANetwork.com bio reads: “For him, WWE combines all his passions rolled into one: performing, marketing, athleticism and traveling. Luke proved his athleticism as captain of his high school’s varsity soccer, hockey and baseball teams, competing all four years, before moving on to getting his BA in Business Administration from University of Southern Maine.”

– WWE developmental talent Su Yung (a/k/a Sonia) tried out for Tough Enough but failed to make the cast. The Seattle based wrestler signed a contract with WWE last year and is currently listed on the official Florida Championship Wrestling website as a Diva.

Jerry Lawler, 61, revealed in a recent interview with Fighting Spirit that he is dating Yung, who is 21 years old. Of course, the age difference between the two is 40 years. Get it, Jerry!

Tough Enough cast

The USA Network has launched a Tough Enough website. You can view the full cast and biographies here.

Note from Joe: Results from the poll indicates that majority of you want to see the Elimination Chamber PPV replays and you'll have it :). I'll be posting the replays possibly tomorrow or in a few days.

‘America’s Next Top Model’ contestant set for Tough Enough

Source: Prowrestling.net

Reality television star Michelle Deighton, 25, has been confirmed as a contestant on Tough Enough. She appeared a contestant on America’s Next Top Model in 2005 and is the wife of Survivor star Jonny Fairplay. Deighton is a trained wrestler who made an appearance on the November 11, 2005 episode of SmackDown!.

\While Fairplay declined to comment on the matter when reached, he alluded to his wife’s involvement with the show during a video posted on GeekWeek.com. The video features Fairplay, Deighton and Gregory Helms participating in a Ric Flair chop contest and the former TNA Wrestling personality says at one point that she is “tough enough.”

Sources within WWE have confirmed that Deighton is a contestant on the USA Network show.

WWE Tough Enough news with major *Spoilers!*

Partial Source: Pwinsider

According to a source, indy wrestler Matt “M-Dogg” Cross is rumored to be appearing on the new season of WWE’s Tough Enough. The show debuts on the USA Network the night after WrestleMania immediately following Monday night RAW. The show started taping last week.

We’ve been reporting that California indy wrestler “Big Nasty” Jason Watts and Miss USA Rima Fakih will also be a part of the show.

The trainers are Steve Austin, Booker T, Trish Stratus and Bill ‘Hugh Morris’ DeMott. Numerous WWE talents will also be making ‘cameos’ on the show.

It should be noted that all WWE Tough Enough contestants have signed confidentiality agreements meaning it’s very hard to get any information on the show or talents involved until the actual airing. We’re trying our best for ya’ though.