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Australian movie, entertainment and wrestling fans. It's time for yet another showbiz update. We've got Marvel Entertainment, WWE, gaming, celebrities, and more.

50 Cent, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger Will Star In 'The Tomb' Movie...

50 Cent continues to evolve. The music mogul just signed on for yet another film, Summit's latest action-thriller, "The Tomb.” After working together on Lionsgate's "Fire With Fire," Fif will reunite with Vincent D'Onofrio and Vinnie Jones in this Mikael Hafstrom directed action-thriller. The film also stars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, with Oscar nominee Amy Ryan as its female lead.

50 Cent To Guest Star On SyFy's 'Dream Machines'...

The film is focused around Stallone who plays an expert on structural security. The plot thickens as Stallone is framed and put in a high-security prison of his own design. The storyline then unfolds as he must put his skills to the test to find out who put him there.

The 70 million dollar movie is being co-financed by both Summit and Emmett/Furla Films, which also produced "Fire With Fire." However, this is not 50’s first time working with Emmett/Furla films, as he was also cast in the company's "Setup" with Bruce Willis, "Freelancers" with Robert De Niro and "The Frozen Ground" with Nicolas Cage.

Last month 50 Cent announced that his fifth studio album will be released this summer. “My album is coming out july 2. I got some heat trust me I'm ready,” Fif tweeted. The announcement comes after the New York MC called out Interscope Records for a lack of support surrounding the release of the LP.


CM Punk At Chicago Comic-Con...

Rosemont, IL, April 06, 2012 - Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, which for nearly two decades has thrilled hundreds of thousands of fans with standout celebrities, top-notch superstar artists, VIP experiences and more, rolls out an expanded, full four-day show, August 9-12 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. More than 50 celebrities, including headliners like William Shatner, Jeri Ryan, Stan Lee, Jon Bernthal and WWE Superstar CM Punk, notable artists Carlos Pacheco, George Pérez, Greg Capullo and dozens of others are already signed up to attend what is shaping up as the biggest Wizard World show ever and the Midwest's No. 1 Pop Culture Convention.

The international pop culture icon Shatner ("Star Trek," "T.J. Hooker") will appear on Friday, Aug. 10, and Saturday, Aug. 11, Ryan ("Star Trek: Voyager," "Boston Public") on Sunday, Aug. 12, Eisner Award Hall of Famer and comic book legend Lee and Bernthal ("The Walking Dead," The Ghost Writer) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and WWE Superstar CM Punk, the current WWE champion, on Saturday.

"Wizard World Chicago Comic Con continues to grow in all areas, from celebrity guests to Artist Alley to evening entertainment to VIP experiences, so much so that we've made it a full four-day show for the first time," said John Macaluso, CEO, Wizard World. "William Shatner, Jeri Ryan and Stan Lee are at the top of a deep celebrity roster that will connect with fans of all ages."

The announcement follows the recent news that one of Hollywood's fastest-risers, Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers), will headline Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on June 2.

The longest-running and highest-attended show annually on the Wizard World calendar, 2012 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con will also feature movie and television stars such as Nina Dobrev ("The Vampire Diaries," CHLOE), Kate Mulgrew ("Star Trek: Voyager," Remo Williams), Bruce Campbell (Army Of Darkness, Evil Dead), Tom Felton (Harry Potter, Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Amy Acker ("Angel," The Cabin In The Woods) and dozens of others.

Eisner Award winner Pérez ("Superman," "JSA"), nominee Pacheco ("X-Men," "Green Lantern") and Capullo ("Batman," "Spawn") are joined in Artist Alley by Rodolfo Migliari ("Green Arrow," "Green Lantern"), "Brom" ("Dungeons & Dragons," "The Plucker), "CAFU" ("Superboy," "Action Comics"), Ken Kelly ("Batman," "Star Wars") and Pat Lee ("Spider-Man," "Iron Man"), among a first-class roster of special guests.

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, produced by Wizard World, Inc. (WIZD.PK), will bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.

For more on the 2012 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, visit http://www.wizardworldcomiccon.com/home-ch.html


Dwayne Johnson Named CinemaCon Action Star of the Year...

He'll receive the honor at the upcoming convention of theater owners in Las Vegas.

Dwayne Johnson will be lauded with the Action Star of the Year Award at CinemaCon.

This summer, Johnson stars in Paramount tentpole G.I. Joe: Relaliation. He's currently still in theaters in box office hit Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, from Warner Bros.

Johnson will receive the CinemaCon award during Paramount's opening night presentation.


Captain America sequel scheduled for 2014 release...

It's official: Captain America will continue to fight the good fight for liberty and freedom.

On Thursday, Walt Disney Studios announced that a sequel to last summer's Captain America: The First Avenger is scheduled to be released on April 4, 2014, one month before the release of the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man, who begins spinning his web July 3 of this year.

Chris Evans -- formerly Johnny Storm/the Human Torch of The Fantastic Four -- finally put Marvel's patriotic super-soldier on the A-list of superheroes in the original, which earned $368 million dollars worldwide.

The actor returns to the role as one of "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" known as The Avengers with Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/the Hulk), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), Scarlett Johnansson (Natascha Romanoff/Black Widow), and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury); the film comes out in the U.S on May 4.


'Captain America' sequel heads to theaters in 2014...

LOS ANGELES — Captain America is getting another solo shot on the big-screen.

Walt Disney Studios announced Thursday that a sequel to last year's superhero hit "Captain America: The First Avenger" will arrive in theaters on April 4, 2014.

The first movie starred Chris Evans as the patriotic fighter for justice dressed in red, white and blue. "Captain America" took in $368 million at the worldwide box office.

Evans reprises his role as Captain America in "The Avengers," an ensemble adventure featuring Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner as a team of Marvel Comics heroes.

"The Avengers" is due out in the U.S on May 4, and Australia will likely be just days after.


Brock Lesnar Retired From MMA / UFC; Re Signs With WWE Pro Wrestling / Sports Entertainment...

He was billed as “The Next Big Thing” when he first ripped up the pro wrestling business.

Now, more than 10 years later, WWE head honcho Vince McMahon and his top brass are hoping he's still be “The Next Big Thing.”

Lesnar's return to pro wrestling after an eight-year hiatus made global news he meWWE posterboy John Cena with an F-5 (ex FU) at the conclusion of last week's RAW, as seen on Rupert Murdoch's Foxtel in Australia.

The buzz confirmed Lesnar sightings in Miami over Wrestlemania weekend, and wrestling fans had hoped that star would make a surprise appearance at Mania. It's likely Lesnar's contracted was signed before WrestleMania 28, but the powers that be elected to use him the RAW after WM, to help maintain momentum, and give viewers more reason to continue to choose to tune into the WWE brand.

Lesnar, who departed WWE in 2004 primarily due to a massive road schedule, reportedly signed a one-year deal with WWE that will include a lighter workload and less work dates than his last run. He is expected to be featured mainly on pay-per-views and live televised shows leading up to next year's Wrestlemania.

Lesnar, an NCAA heavyweight champion at the University of Minnesota, is expected to initially feud with Cena. There's also talk of a possible match with The Rock at the Wrestlemania 29 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), who defeated Cena last Sunday U.S) at Wrestlemania 28 in Miami, already has committed to appear at next year's wrestling 'Grand Dadddy Of The All".

Lesnar defeated The Rock in their last matchup back in 2002. Many wrestling experts feel that a "Brock vs. Rock" rematch would draw big money and huge interest once again for the WWE machine.

Lesnar already is being promoted for WWE's Extreme Rules pay-per-view in Chicago on April 29, and is scheduled to appear on the April 9 Raw in Washington, D.C., and a three-hour Raw on April 23 in Detroit.

Lesnar's last UFC match was Dec. 30 in a loss to former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem. Following the loss, Lesnar announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, mentioning his life-threatening bouts with diverticulitis.

Lesnar, 34, is married to the former Rena Mero, the ex-WWE diva and Playboy centerfold known as Sable. They have two young children.

Citing a number of issues, including burnout and a massive travel schedule, Lesnar left the wrestling business eight years ago after advising WWE owner Vince McMahon that he had come to the realization that he was miserable in his job.

Lesnar's admission, though, came at a particularly critical juncture — just days before a dream Wrestlemania showdown with Bill Goldberg in what had been billed as one of the biggest events in WWE history.

At the time Lesnar told colleagues and company officials that the match would mark his last in the wrestling business.

Eight years later, and on the heels of a relatively short but highly publicized run in the mixed martial arts industry, Lesnar appears ready for a return to pro wrestling ranks.

McMahon and the company are hoping he's in for the long haul — or at least until Wrestlemania 29.

Lesnar Contract Details And More...

WWE wrestling fans, and sports fans worldwide have been abuzz all week after Brock Lesnar returned to WWE Raw this past Monday night. Lesnar, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship athlete joins Hollywood actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the latest mainstream celebrity to be signed to a WWE contract. Both men formerly labored for Vince McMahon's empire before they coursed on to bigger and more prestigious accolades. However, there have been reports that many current WWE roster members are not too pleased with the return of The Rock and Brock Lesnar.

A contract stipulations begin to leak, on of those circumstances reported in Brock Lesnar's agreement was that Brock had to work a told 30-40 wrestling dates for the year. For those intervals, Lesnar would receive five million dollars. The dilemma with this exists that other full time members of the roster perform over 200 dates per year and don't even make a fifth of Lesnar's income. In fact, other than a handfull of elite headliners, most WWE wrestlers make less than $500,000 dollars a year. And that doesn't include travel expenses and hotel accommodations that those wrestlers have to fork out for out of pocket each week. The gap between dates and salary among full time WWE wrestlers and Brock Lesnar is huge.

The Rock has a comparable WWE contract. It has been reported that The Rock will work a modest amount of matches over the next year, which will likely culminate in a bout at Wrestlemania 29 against Brock Lesnar.


Storm smashes 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin's Texas ranch...

FOWLERTON, Texas -- Wrestling legend "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was left stunned this week after the barn on his Texas ranch was destroyed by a storm.

The 47-year-old, real name Steven James Williams, saw the roof of his barn torn off at the storm ripped through Broken Skull Ranch in McMullen County.

The wrestler-come-actor said he planned to use the damage to add more storage space.
He told TMZ fixing the damage, "ain't gonna be cheap."


Andy Kaufman's pro wrestling exploits recalled in CNN feature, claims WWE won't allow him in the Hall of Fame...

The pro wrestling exploits of Andy Kaufman were chronicled in a lengthy CNN website feature. The story states that Kaufman remains shut out of the WWE Hall of Fame. "His absence from the Hall of Fame is conspicuous," Syracuse professor Bob Thompson said. "He is one of the really important members of the pantheon of that form." To read the full article, visit CNN.com/2012/04/07/us/kaufman-lawler-wrestling-match/index.html


Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment To Ramp Up New Product Offers; Social Media Attack And More...

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has reported plans to develop and launch numerous gaming products. Since the merger in April 2011, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has strived to evolve and grow in the competitive online gaming market.

Bwin.Party has reported its desire to continually integrate its platform and products as well as invest in Research and Development. The online gaming giant has announced the development of a rush poker variant and the launch of social gaming products in order to stay pace with the evolving market. Furthermore, co-CEOs Jim Ryan and Norbert Teufelberger have reported that the company is “well placed” to take advantage of the regulatory movement in both Europe and the US.

New Products

Bwin.Party has reported plans to launch several products ranging from mobile applications to new gaming products. The gaming giant plans to launch a social gaming platform in addition to building an independent social gaming site. The first social gaming product is tipped to be poker-based game called Aces Hangout, which was tested in late 2011 and we understand launched on Google+ days ago. The company has announced that the poker-based social gaming offerings will be followed by a casino and sports book application. In addition to these social gaming offerings, the company plans to launch mobile applications for its core products as well as HTML5 versions of its major gaming sites.

CEO Jim Ryan recently told news media that “We expect to gain competitive advantage this year from additional scale and improved flexibility that will flow from the integration and migration of our main products to a single technology platform.”

In addition to the launch of the social gaming platform, Ryan announced that the company has launched the development of a rush poker variant.

Legislation and Finance

Bwin.Party has announced that it is well positioned to take advantage of the regulatory movements in major markets like Spain and the US. In Spain, the gaming company is one of 60 companies that are waiting for the approval of the licensing application that was recently delayed due to controversy surrounding a Spain regulator. In the United States, Bwin.Party secured a joint venture with brick and mortar casino operators MGM and Boyd Gaming in order to position itself for the anticipated regulation of online poker in the US. Furthermore, the company has an application for the Schleswig-Holstein Board that will allow the launch of all products except bingo.

Financially, Bwin.Party announced an increase in flat pro-forma revenues from €814m to €816m and a 9% increase in its casino revenue. EGamingReview also reported that analysts have a positive outlook on the company with a 2% average daily increase over last year’s figures.

Bwin.Party continues to evolve in the competitive gaming market and plans to launch several exciting products in the near future. In addition to the new developments and regulatory preparations, Bwin.Party is expected to finally have real money dotcom players move to the merged platform by the third quarter of 2012 and the dot.it and dot.fr migrations to occur in the fourth quarter of this year. The company expects this migration to further enhance its position in the poker market alongside its major competitors like PokerStars, Virgin Games and PKR.

Media Man will be following up Bwin.Party developments, and as we go to press the have already released at least one new slot to the online casino portfolio PartyCasino, as seen on the Media Man network, so its game on!

That's it fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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Wrestling News: WWE WrestleMania, Brock Lensar, WWE Hall of Fame, Flair...

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Wrestling fans aka sports entertainment fans out there. Here's your latest fix of pro wrestling news Australian style...

WrestleMania 28 Predictions...

Our tips

John Cena over The Rock

Sheamus over Bryan Danielson

The Undertaker over Triple H

Chris Jericho over CM Punk

The Big Show over Cody Rhodes

Randy Orton over Kane

Team Teddy over Team Johnny

Media Man's pro wrestling tipsers also advises to expect one or two surprises, including more action in the ring than expected with Shaun Michaels aka "The Heartbreak Kid" (ref for The Undertaker VS Triple H) and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who likely won't be able to contain himself at the biggest event on the pro wrestling calendar. It would be pretty cool to see Dusty Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes (aka Goldust) get involved in Cody's match, but that's on the wish list. We would like to see "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka also get involved, but there's not even a rumour about that.

Brock Lesnar Talk Hots Up; WrestleMania 28 and 29 Appearance?!

According to pro wrestling expert and historian, Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer, there were strong rumors of Brock Lesnar's retirement from the UFC for weeks before his loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 on Friday night. Meltzer stated on his radio show that he had heard weeks ago that the former UFC heavyweight champion may be heading back to the WWE.

"I heard for the past three or four weeks that if Brock were to lose don't be surprised to see him in WWE fairly soon," said Meltzer.

Meltzer noted that Lesnar's retirement speech "was clearly practiced" and that he knew he would retire ahead of time.

"I don't know if he had told anyone but there were rumors going around, not so much that he was going to quit, but there was an offer out for him and if he lost in a bad way... that he wouldn't be able to be a main event fighter again, and without being a main event fighter, he wouldn't make millions for a fight.

"Brock is not a guy who is going to fight for $500,000 or $700,000. He's just not going to do that, especially when he can make far more than that doing pro wrestling."

Meltzer spoke to Yahoo! Sports after Lesnar's loss, and said that Vince McMahon would want him back.

"He's (Vince McMahon) going to want him back," Meltzer stated. "They tried to get him for WrestleMania for last year and Dana wouldn't agree to release him... Dana's got him for contract for several more fights for a lengthy period of time."

Even if Vince McMahon and UFC President Dana White were to come to an agreement to bring Lesnar back into WWE, it would likely only be for a few shows.

"Brock will never go full time to pro wrestling," Meltzer said. "Brock will do a WrestleMania for a huge payoff, maybe he'll do two or three more pro wrestling matches and it will wear off."


Ric Flair to appear at WWE Hall of Fame ceremony...

WWE has gotten word that Ric Flair will be in attendance at the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Miami's American Airlines Arena on Saturday, March 31.

On that night, The Nature Boy will gain a record second entry into the hallowed Hall. Only this time, Flair will be entering alongside his legendary Four Horsemen allies: Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham and JJ Dillon.

First inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008 on the night before he faced Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV, The Nature Boy became the first active Superstar to ever receive the honor. The Dirtiest Player in the Game retired from the ring after losing to HBK on The Grandest Stage of Them All, but his legacy as one of the most respected and influential performers in sports-entertainment endures.

The induction ceremony, which will be held on the eve of WrestleMania XXVIII, will air on USA on Monday, April 2 at 8 p.m.


Australian Wrestling Fans: WrestleMania 28 Tommorow; Last Call For Foxtel Main Event PPV...

Fans, if you haven't placed your Main Event channel order yet for the most important and exciting pro wrestling pay-per-view event in the world, there's still a few short hours to do so.


Keep checking Street Corner, Wrestling News Media and the official WWE network for more on these developing news stories and more.

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Entertainment Industry News Update: Australia, Hollywood, Movies, WWE WrestleMania...

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Australian movie and entertainment fans. It's time for yet another showbiz update. We've got Marvel Entertainment, Disney, WWE WrestleMania, gaming, celebrities, The Star and more.

Walt Disney Releases "Fun Facts" for THE AVENGERS Movie...

In anticipation for the summer blockbuster release of Marvel's The Avengers superhero team-up of a life time, Walt Disney Pictures have officially released a series of neat "fun facts" surrounding the Joss Whedon-directed production. While we have learned a few of these "facts" prior, indulge in them down below.

* Marvel's The Avengers is based on the Marvel comic created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The first Avengers comic was published in September 1963 and the lineup consisted of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man and Wasp. Captain America joined the team in #4, after being revived from being trapped in a block of ice. This film brings together Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) when they are called to duty by S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

* Production on Marvel's The Avengers commenced on April 25, 2011, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the production shot onstage at Albuquerque Studios and various locations in and around the city until Thursday, July 28. Other filming locations included Wilmington, Ohio; Worthington, Pennsylvania; Cleveland, Ohio and New York City. The shoot lasted a total of 93 shooting days on 1st unit and 47 shooting days on second unit.

* The Helicarrier Bridge set was built on a soundstage in Albuquerque. This iconic home base for the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D., whose director is Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), resembles an aircraft carrier, but it's no ordinary carrier -- it can actually fly. The filmmakers wanted to embrace that key element of The Avengers history and give the fans a real thrill when it takes to the air. To achieve the exterior of the Helicarrier, the filmmakers shot on a runway at the Albuquerque International Sunport.

* Another classic Marvel vehicle, the Quinjet, is also making an appearance in the movie. The Quinjet is essentially the jump jet that The Avengers use to go to and from the Helicarrier and to go into battles. The Quinjet design fits in with the Helicarrier -- the same technology that allows the Helicarrier to work has been incorporated into the Quinjet. But at the same time the silhouette of the Quinjet, the cockpit, the engines on the back and the weaponry make it feel as though it could actually exist today.

* In the very first issue of the comic book The Avengers, almost 50 years ago, it was Loki, Thor's brother, who was causing the trouble that brought all the Avengers together for the first time to defeat him. In the making of the movie, Marvel stayed true to that setup. Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, is a much stronger villain on Earth than he is in his own world of Asgard and wreaks havoc in Marvel's The Avengers.

* Chris Hemsworth (Thor) felt that being on location was like summer camp, where no one really knows each other but everyone hangs out together and has a great time. However, Hemsworth did know Tom Hiddleston (Loki) from Thor and developed a great relationship with him on that film that carried over to The Avengers.

* To play expert archer Hawkeye, Jeremy Renner received training from Olympic archers on how to use a bow properly. He learned the basics of archery as well as the proper positions, but one of the most difficult tasks Renner had to master was the consistency he had to employ in drawing back the bow, which is difficult to do when drawing back fast.

* Scarlett Johansson was more than happy to reprise her role as Black Widow in The Avengers. The actress says she is a huge fan of the character and is happy that fans liked her as Black Widow, a role she originated in "Iron Man 2." In "Marvel's The Avengers," during her scenes with another highly skilled S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, Hawkeye, the audience will be let in on some of their backstory and get a glimpse of their longtime working relationship.

* When the cast and crew of The Avengers flew from Albuquerque to Wilmington, Ohio, they didn't have to go far to reach their new shooting location. The production's charter flight landed right next to the film set at Clinton County Airpark, a massive complex complete with a 9,000-foot runway and a one million square foot, state-of-the-art shipping facility that would double in the film for parts of the interior of the Helicarrier.

* The famous battle cry in the comic book, "Avengers Assemble!" is a call to arms for members of the team to fight "the foes no single superhero can withstand." During production, Chris Evans (Captain America) borrowed the famous command to gather up his fellow cast members when he sent out text messages to them to come together for a night on the town in Albuquerque after a long, hard week of work on the production.

* Shooting in Central Park is never easy, but what about when you put the entire cast of the film at Bethesda Fountain on Labor Day weekend? The cast, crew and filmmakers got to find out firsthand as thousands of onlookers gathered to see something that held the attention of even the most hardened New Yorker -- the entire cast of "Marvel's The Avengers" in costume, including Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in their Asgardian finery. For the actors in the film it would be the first time they were all on set together in over a month and also the last time they would be shooting together. For director Joss Whedon the challenge was to keep his cast focused. "It was like a circus crossed with a class reunion," laughs the director. "Paparazzi and fans were everywhere and the cast was so happy to see each other, talk and catch up because they enjoyed hanging out together."

* The film's second unit shot a chase sequence in Worthington, Pennsylvania, at Creekside Mushroom LTD, the former home to World Famous Moonlight® brand Mushrooms. Creekside was the world's largest mushroom-growing facility and the only underground mushroom farm in the United States. For the production, shooting at the facility meant gaining access to the 150 miles of tunnels 300 feet below the ground. Without power, prepping the tunnels for the chase sequences that involved Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) took months -- but it all paid off with spectacular results.

* With so many fight sequences in the film, many of the actors, including Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner, participated in extensive fight training with the stunt team. Cast members trained with fight choreographer Jonathan Eusebio. Renaming the gym the "Stunt Dojo," Eusebio and his team trained the cast in different fighting styles, including medieval fighting techniques, Wushu, Kung Fu and Kali.

* For three weeks, the production shut down East 9th Street in Downtown Cleveland to prep and shoot one of the larger action sequences. It was the talk of the town for months and attracted thousands of curious onlookers, who watched the street transform from empty buildings to a bustling New York City street complete with subway stop and popular storefronts with facades. The production design was so convincing that rumors circulated about new stores opening on the street.

* Another challenge for the production design team was transforming Cleveland's historic Public Square into an exterior location that would double for Stuttgart, Germany. The production changed words on the facades of the buildings to German and added a "biergarten" to the square. Local workers in the area loved the changes and hoped the upgrades to the square (new flowers, plants, picnic tables and lampposts) would stay in place after filming was completed.

* Despite being a secure location that only cast and crew members could access, one fan's persistence caught the eye of "The Avengers" cast and crew at the Airpark set in Wilmington, Ohio, when she made a big poster-board sign welcoming the cast to the city and requesting that the actors autograph a T-shirt that was in a bag. The sign was such a hit with the company that they passed it to the set. Filmmakers were able to contact the fan and she was given a tour of the set, an "Avengers" crew hat, a meet and greet with director Joss Whedon and, of course, the cast's autographs on the T-shirt she had placed by the sign. It truly was a day to remember for one lifelong Marvel fan.

* Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Tom Hiddleston was not exposed to American sports, but that all changed during production as he was able to watch a Cleveland Browns preseason football game on the sidelines, attend a Cleveland Indians game, throw out the first pitch, and be courtside at the US Open to watch several matches.

* In shooting one of the bigger action sequences in the film, director Joss Whedon enlisted the help of 25 members of the Ohio-based 391st Military Police Battalion to be part of the scene in which New York City is being attacked by unknown forces. The troops were brought in to add a layer of authenticity and give the combat scenes realism. And realism is exactly what the MPs delivered with their 50-caliber machine guns and Mark-19s. The film crew was blown away by their firepower and teamwork and Whedon was also impressed and appreciative as he posed for pictures with the Battalion after the scene was completed.

* For special effects to pull off the destruction of a New York City street, special effects supervisor Dan Sudick involved precision pyrotechnics and well-timed car gags so that the production's stunt people could safely maneuver through the explosions and flipping cars. To pull off the large pyrotechnic event, Sudick and his team rigged 28 explosions, which went off in a wave fashion down the street to simulate an air attack. The sequence also included setting up 14 cars down the middle of the street, which included cannon cars, flipper cars, ‘pyro cars as well as a semi-truck that exploded. Sudick and his team pulled off the sequence without a hitch and even though it was shot on East 9th Street in downtown Cleveland, it still made the cover of the New York Post with the headline: "Save us, Thor!"

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, & directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble on May 4, 2012. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3" on May 3, 2013!; and “Thor 2” on November 15, 2013. Source: Walt Disney Pictures


Why Paramount Pictures And Not Disney Is Credited in Avengers Movie Promos...

Some folks have wondered why it is Paramount Pictures and not Walt Disney Pictures that is credited in the The Avengers promos. After all, last October they announced that they had "reached an agreement under which Paramount will transfer its worldwide marketing and distribution rights to Disney for Marvel Studios' The Avengers and Iron Man 3... Under terms of the new deal, Disney will pay Paramount $115 million for the transfer of the distribution rights to Iron Man 3 and The Avengers to be paid on the theatrical release dates. These monies will serve as a minimum guarantee against the distribution fees. In completing this agreement, Disney will now assume worldwide marketing and distribution of 'The Avengers' and 'Iron Man 3'."

Yet, when you examine both the teaser poster and the new trailer, there is no mention of Disney at all. Variety has a report on this and mentions that some things were left out of the original announcement:

Knowing Disney wanted to turn "The Avengers" into a franchise and bank on the success of "Iron Man" after buying Marvel for $4 billion, Par's brass negotiated a deal in which it continues to collect 8% of the B.O. as part of fees it would have earned for distribbing the pic, as it did with the two "Iron Man" pics, "Thor" and "Captain America." It gets 9% for "Iron Man 3."

At the minimum, it earns $115 million, should they not perform.

At the same time, the deal granted Par placement on the marketing materials for both titles, even though Marvel's films are fully owned by Disney and will be solely distributed and marketed by the Mouse House, Variety learned.

While moviegoers will continue to think Paramount Pictures is releasing The Avengers and Iron Man 3 in theaters, it is Disney doing the vast amount of work and who most of the movie news is coming from. Most fans are not fussed, and just want to see quality super hero themed motion pictures.


Casino Club Promoters from The Star's Marquee Nightclub Ejected From Hugos; Trying to Attract Patrons...

The Star is pulling out all the stops in their ambitious attempt to establish Marquee as Sydney's elite nightclub, with an army of promoters - street team of sorts spotted looking to nab customers from rival nightclubs over the weekend.

There's a bakers dozen play celebrities being flown in from Los Angeles this week to attend the VIP party on Friday - Paris Hilton, Ashlee Simpson, Nick Lachey, Kellan Lutz, Abbie Cornish and LMFAO's Redfoo in the mix.

Rupert Murdoch's Daily Telegraph 'Confidential' Kings Cross spies noticed a group of Marquee workers being requested to leave Hugos on Friday night.

"They were handing out cards and talking up Marquee's big (public) opening on Saturday," said the leak. "Staff saw them and asked them to leave immediately."

Another leak said: "Being in Pyrmont, The Star are aware they really have to work to get people there because there's nothing else around. Even from Ivy it's quite a hike."

As revealed on Saturday, a massive group of socialites and party types have been recruited - many from other clubs - to help drive business to the $20 million Marquee. The official opening night on Saturday features a performance by will.i.am and the casino in a clever move not ticketing the event, with a door charge guaranteeing bigger numbers and early arrivals.


Mel Gibson selling his Costa Rican retreat...

Australian Actor-director Mel Gibson is putting his sprawling hilltop compound in Costa Rica up for sale with a $US29.75 million asking price.

The Oscar winner has suffered a series of public embarrassments in recent years after a decades-long reign as a top box office star.

Fortunately things have pretty much returned to normal for 'Our Mel', who is getting a lot of support from many Hollywooders and close friends.

He is reportedly selling the 500-acre compound to downsize his real estate portfolio.

Over the years Gibson has owned lavish properties in Malibu, Australia, Montana, Connecticut and even a private island in Fiji.

Gibson's Pacific coast compound, on Playa Barrigona on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula just south of the Nicaragua border, boasts three hilltop homes - the largest of which has seven bedrooms, with soaring ocean and jungle views.

Each villa on the former cattle ranch is outfitted with native Costa Rican woods and Italian and Spanish tiles and features multiple verandas and a private pool.

"The property is expansive, meticulously maintained and ultimately private," said Rick Moeser, a spokesman for Christie's real estate.

"With its multiple homes and outbuildings, this is the ideal family retreat."

Gibson, 56, has seven children from his long marriage which ended in divorce in 2009.

He also has one child with Russian star Oksana Grigorieva, with whom he had an acrimonious break-up.

Many people are looking forward to seeing Mel back in the media for quality film projects that he decides to involve himself in.

WWE WrestleMania: The Rock VS John Cena News...

The Rock, who rose to stardom in the pro wrestling business, says there's nowhere else he'd rather drop The People's Elbow than in the ring. The Rock returns to the WWE for his first WrestleMania match since 2004 when he headlines the April 1 WrestleMania 28 card against former champion John Cena at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, USA.

For a company once home to Hulk Hogan and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, this match is as close as it gets to a dream match. Both hardcore fans, casual fans and news media are buzzing about it.

"I came back to put on the biggest match of all time," Johnson said. "That's all I want to do. There's no one I can do that with right now other than John. He's far and above everyone else in terms of popularity. He's the guy. Is he Stone Cold? No. Is he Hogan? No. But he is John Cena and he's been on top for a long time now."

Johnson reigned in that top spot at the end of the 1990s and the early part of the last decade
before embarking on an impressive run in Hollywood. His current film, "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," grossed $95 million in its first six weeks in the U.S attained $300 million worldwide. His previous movie, "Fast Five," made more than $210 million in U.S grosses, proving that Johnson knows how to rock the box office.

All that big-ticket drawing power is why the WWE believes he can attract more than a million pay-per-view buys (at $54.95 U.S) in his return singles match.

"They know that I'm back, not for money, not because I like being on the road, but because I love the business," Johnson said. "The energy level is different this time around, the connection is more emotional this time around."

Sitting in the Wells Fargo Center seats hours before 18,088 fans packed the place for Monday's live "Raw," Johnson reflected on a career that took him from $40 paydays and Waffle House meals to his choice of top movie roles and a lavish $3.4 million pad in South Florida.

His stories are interrupted by visits from today's WWE crew. Sheamus, a rising WWE star, had a brief chat with The Rock.

"Great match on Friday," Rock says. "I texted Chris (Jericho) on Friday. You guys killed it. That boot at the end, that was awesome."

Sheamus smiles and appreciates the feedback.

"Thank you, Rock."

The Rock says, if the boys in the back are resentful he slid into the main event without toiling 200-plus days last year on the road, he hasn't noticed.

"The best part of me coming back is hearing them say, 'You've inspired me, thank you,'" Johnson said. "That's the greatest compliment that I can get. It's so cool man. They don't talk about movies. They don't talk about other matches. It's just, 'You've inspired me.'"

On screen, Cena has a contrasting take.

"I was a fan in '99. I'm not a fan now," Cena said. "I don't know what he's got going on upstairs."

The Rock returned to Vince McMahon's empire last year as WrestleMania's guest host, but couldn't help but get physical in the main event. He dropped his finishing move, The Rock Bottom, on Cena which allowed WWE champion The Miz to get the pin and retain his title. The next night on "Raw," Cena and Rock agreed to a bout for this year's signature event, a bold and risky yearlong push for a company where real injuries often fracture fantasy storylines.

Johnson's return boosted Wrestlemania's buy rate to 1,042,000 worldwide—the first time it topped a million in three years and seventh time overall.

The Rock wrestled for the first time in 7 1/2 years when he teamed with Cena at November's Survivor Series pay-per-view against Miz and R-Truth.

The temporary alliance disintegrated and the duo have engaged in verbal battles for most of the last two months. Cena tweaked Rock's catchphrases in a rap song. Rock strummed the guitar and sang his own tune about where he wants to stick his boots at Wrestlemania. The two have gone back-and-forth on Twitter. It's a unique twist on hype—far removed from the ferociousness of Roddy Piper bashing Jimmy Snuka's head with a coconut.

"We've been griping like two little kids now for about a year," Cena said. "Now, everybody wants to see us fight."

Cena and Rock top a card that includes WWE champion CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho, "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. the Undertaker in a steel cage, and Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres vs. Kelly Kelly and "Extra" co-host and current "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Maria Menounos.

Like Johnson, Jericho has found mainstream success as an author, lead singer of the band "Fozzy," and reality TV and awards show host. Jericho said few people have Johnson's oversized personality to transition into all forms of entertainment.

"I know just how much firepower Rock has," Jericho said. "I think people forget sometimes how good he is."

Fans have tuned in, though not quite in the monster numbers of Johnson's "Attitude Era" heyday. The March 12 "Raw," averaged 4.82 million viewers (4.97 million watched the second hour of the show) which bested the highest-rated NCAA tournament cable game, Kansas vs. Purdue (4.43 million viewers).

Johnson has committed to appearing at next year's WrestleMania at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. In what role, he hasn't said.

It's clear if the WWE wants to squeeze another potential blockbuster buy rate out of the Rock, the last man standing to get the headline match would be the return of former WWE and UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

How about it: Brock vs. Rock at WrestleMania 29?

"I'm not saying a thing," said a laughing, grinning Rock, eyebrow raised. "I didn't say anything."

The Rock silenced. That's a first.

Before Johnson can map out a storyline for next year's WrestleMania, there are more movies to shoot. He just wrapped, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," and begins filming Michael Bay's "Pain & Gain," with Mark Wahlberg on April 3. He also has starring roles lined up for "Fast Six," and "Hercules."

Johnson would like to shed the invincible hero role for once and grapple with a meatier, dramatic role.

"A role like that will come," he said. "I can't wait for that to come, by the way. We'll develop things. I'm patient."

He won't have to wait much longer for WrestleMania.

*Australian fans can order WrestleMania 28 via the Main Event Channel on Foxtel for $34.95 - "Very good value for money considering the strength of the card" said a Media Man spokeperson. "If your going to order just one wrestling PPV this year, this is the one to get without question" continued the PR from the Media Man agency.

Main Event TV - WrestleMania promo...

WWE Wrestlemania XXVIII
LIVE Monday, April 2 at 9am AEDT
Replays: 2pm, 7pm, 12am AEST
Encores: 3 till 5 April 2012 then 8 till 9 April

In the most anticipated WrestleMania clash in history, John Cena will collide with The Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII, emanating from The Great One’s hometown of Miami.

Few could have anticipated that two of sports-entertainment’s most celebrated icons would ever meet in the squared circle, let alone on The Grandest Stage of Them All. Yet, the WWE Universe will bear witness to this blockbuster collision - one year after The Cenation Commander-in-Chief and “The Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment” agreed to battle in a dream match for the ages.

Following a seven-year absence, The Rock returned to WWE in characteristically grand fashion in early 2010 to host WrestleMania XXVII. Although The People’s Champion was overjoyed to be reunited with his millions – and millions – of fans at long last, he was quick to take aim at Cena, sparking a very public war of words with his fellow multi-time World Champion.

The verbal jousts escalated to physical confrontation in the weeks that followed, and it became abundantly clear that the pair would cross paths at The Showcase of the Immortals in one way or another. Ultimately, in front of a record-breaking crowd of more than 71,000 WWE Universe members in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, The Rock put an exclamation point on his rivalry with Cena by hitting him with a Rock Bottom, a maneuver that afforded The Miz the opportunity to retain his coveted WWE Championship.

The following night on Raw, these two icons faced off once again, but this time the physicality was limited to a handshake. For the first time in history, a WrestleMania main event was made one year prior to the event itself.

Cena and The Rock forged an unstable alliance to combat The Awesome Truth – an outspoken tandem consisting of The Miz & R-Truth – at the monumental 25th annual Survivor Series in Madison Square Garden. Although “The Most Charismatic Tag Team of All Time” kept their cool for the most part as they battled common enemies, The People’s Champ issued a forceful WrestleMania reminder to his temporary tag team partner after their victory when he nailed Cena with yet another Rock Bottom.

The battle lines were drawn once again...

2pm, 7pm, 12am AEST

FOXTEL, OPTUS, AUSTAR $34.95

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?
Are you a loyal member of Cenation, or are you allied with Team Bring It? Join the discussion about this monumental main event with the rest of the WWE Universe on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to watch history unfold by tuning in to WrestleMania XXVIII, April 2, 2012.


That's it fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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WWE Superstar Sheamus Appears At Big W Bankstown in Sydney...

WWE Superstar Sheamus made an in-store appearance at Big W in Bankstown today.

Hundreds of fans turned out to see G'day to WWE Superstar fella Sheamus

Some WWE prizes were given away to a lucky few including DVDs, Action Figures and Video Games, and Sheamus met and signed autographs for hundreds of fans.

You may have heard that he won this year's Royal Rumble and is a hot favorite to defeat Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 28.

Good on you fella for taking the long plane trip down under to Australia and may you have the luck of the Irish at WrestleMania, and for the rest of your career.

WrestleMania 28 Predictions...

Our tips

John Cena over The Rock

Sheamus over Bryan Danielson

The Undertaker over Triple H

Chris Jericho over CM Punk

The Big Show over Cody Rhodes

Randy Orton over Kane

Team Teddy VS Team Johnny

Media Man's pro wrestling tipsers also advises to expect one or two surprises, including more action in the ring than expected with Shaun Michaels aka "The Heartbreak Kid" (ref for The Undertaker VS Triple H) and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who likely won't be able to contain himself at the biggest event on the pro wrestling calendar. It would be pretty cool to see Dusty Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes (aka Goldust) get involved in Cody's match, but that's on the wish list. We would like to see "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka also get involved, but there's not even a rumour about that.

Keep checking Street Corner, Wrestling News Media and the official WWE network for more on these developing news stories and more.

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Wrestling fans aka sports entertainment fans out there. It's that time of the week again. Here's your latest fix of pro wrestling news Aussie style, direct from the Media Man agency...

WWE Superstar Sheamus at Big W Blacktown in Sydney...

WWE Superstar Sheamus will be in Australia on March 17 appearing at Big W in Blacktown, Sydney, NSW from 3pm! Come down early to get in line to meet The Great White on St Patricks Day. Heaps of WWE prizes will be given away on the day including DVDs, Action Figures & Video Games, and Sheamus will be ready to sign your WWE merchandise and meet you personally! Check out this year's rising star in person, after he won this year's Royal Rumble and now gets ready to head to WrestleMania!!


Wrestling Legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper In Fancypants Movie...

Fancypants is a 2011 film directed by Joshua Russell and starring Patrick Gleason, Roddy Piper, and Robert Carradine. Featuring Nick Turturro, Richard Kind, and introducing Jackson Dunn.

It is a comedy/drama about a professional wrestler who is afraid of conflict in real life. He is nearing the end of his career and finds out he has one fan left in an 8-year old boy, who hides a secret that will change Leo's life forever. The film was shot entirely on location in Chicago.

The film won Best Feature at the 2011 Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was an official selection at the 2011 Seattle True Independent Film Festival.

Roddy Piper is also rumoured to be one of the house-mates in upcoming WWE reality TV show, 'Legends House'.


The Four Horsemen Including Ric Flair To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame 2012; Jim Ross Tweets ...

Last week...Ross on Ric Flair’s Birthday: Happy Birthday to Ric Flair. Naitch called me this past week to catch up. He’s got a great opportunity with Coca Cola’s energy drink along with his state lottery work. I went on You Tube and checked out Ric’s TV commercials for the lotteries he promotes and they were hilarious.

Some of my fondest memories in the business involve Ric Flair and I’m so blessed to have been able to broadcast not only many Ric Flair bout but @ShawnMichaels bouts over the years, too as they are widely considered the two, best, all around pro wrestlers ever. That’s a debate that will rage on until the end of time but no one can intelligently say that Naitch and HBK aren’t on an abbreviated list of the best ever.


WWE Smackdown Did Mohegan Sun Arena In Land Based Casino...

No, the WWE doesn't own a casino anymore, but from time to time it does perform in the gaming and entertainment complexes.

The WWE Smackdown TV cameras returned to Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday, May 22 at 7 p.m and it was all broadcast on Australian TV via FOX on Foxtel.

The Main Event was Randy Orton (son of Cowboy Bon Orton) VS Daniel Bryan VS Sheamus aka "The Great White) in a "Triple Threat Match" for the World Heavyweight championship belt.

Other WWE Superstars included The Big Show, Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes, Ted Dibiase, Santino Marella and the Diva's (wrestling babes).

Fans, don't forget WWE WrestleMania 28 is just around the corner, and the sports entertainment company also has an Australian tour locked down for August and September of 2012.

Impact Wrestling (formally known as TNA Wrestling), is also set to tour New Zealand (and likely Australia) in about 6 or 12 months, and wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett recently thanked TV host Rove McManus in a very public way via Twitter, so where there's smoke, there's usually fire - even in professional wrestling.


WWE Legends House Will Get At Least One Non Wrestler Celebrity...

In the only confirmed WWE Network show, Legends’ House, looks like it will feature some celebrity involvement as legendary actor Adam West, famous for his roles as Batman and, more recently, lending his voice as “Mayor Adam West” on Family Guy, was pictured with the cast of Legends’ House, appearing with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, “Mean” Gene Okerlund, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Howard Finkel, Hillbilly Jim, Tony Atlas, Pat Patterson, and Jimmy Hart. The photo also shows P cat Dolls singer, Ashley Roberts, who is slated to be hosting the show, while Adam West will be a guest star on one of the episodes. Comedian Jeff Dye from the MTV show, Money from Strangers, also filmed some footage for the show, but his role is unknown. The Media Man agency tips high ratings will follow the show, but some other commentators are not quite as sure. Don't change your dial wrestling fans. This will be reality TV like never before, and tons of laughs are in store for those of you who stick with it. For a taste, check out the WWE YouTube channel where many other WWE shows are being broadcast, such as the famous 'Long Island Story' by Zack Ryder.


The Rock 'hyped' to star in NZ-shot movie...

Hollywood actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is "hyped" about starring in a blockbuster to be filmed in New Zealand later this year.

The former pro wrestler is heading down under to star as Hercules in American film director Brett Ratner's upcoming epic by the same name.

Johnson told his 2,226,466 Twitter followers he is looking forward to the new action role.

"Hyped to become HERCULES and bring the mythology to life. #TilDeathOrGlory," he tweeted today.

The man mountain, standing at 6 feet 5 inches (195.58cm), spent a brief period of his childhood in Auckland with his mother's family.

He attended Richmond Road Primary School before returning to the United States with his parents.

Hercules is based on the 2008 Radical Publishing comic Hercules: The Thracian War, written by Steve Moore.

Variety Magazine says filming on the MGM flick is set to start in October.

Johnson has emerged as one of Hollywood's leading action stars with a string of films including Fast Five, G.I Joe: Retaliation and Faster.


'Road Warrior' Animal Says Sting Isn’t An Icon Unless He Passes Through WWE...

WWE Hall Of Famer Road Warrior Animal, who hosts Extreme Pro Wrestling Radio on 100.3 KFAN in Minneapolis, Minnesota, broadcast during a recent show that he doesn’t think Sting is a wrestling icon until he passes through WWE.

“Sting is not in the same league as guys like Triple H, Stone Cold, The Rock. Sting will never be considered a legend or icon until he lets his pride go and joins WWE. He needs to bury his personal issues and just get into the WWE. Sting has to come over to the WWE to be that guy, it’s a bigger stage. Impact is one thing, the WWE is a way bigger thing,” Animal said.

Animal also takes credit for Sting’s arrival to the National Wrestling Alliance in 1987.

“The NWA was looking for a spot for Sting and I said make him a brother in paint and then Sting joined us (Road Warriors) in our six-man matches,” he said.

On the best singles worker of all time, Animal said, “Easily, (Ric) Flair!”


The Rock Dwayne Johnson To Star In Pain and Gain (2013)

A pair of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong.

Director: Michael Bay
Writers: Scott Rosenberg (screenplay), Christopher Markus (screenplay)

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Mark Wahlberg and Ed Harris

Johnson is also set to appear in the following:

Ciudad (pre-production)
2013 Snitc* (post-production)
2012 G.I. Joe: Retaliation (post-production)
Arabian Nights (pre-production)
Sinbad (rumored)
2013 Empire State (pre-production)
2013 The Fast and the Furious 6 (pre-production)


Paul "Mr Wonderful" Orndorff recovering from cancer...

Wrestling legend Paul Orndorff recently spoke with Arda Ocal of The Score and revealed that he is now cancer free. Orndorff is one of the greatest wrestling heels of all time and was a tough as nails competitor, who drew huge money in the WWE with the likes of Hulk Hogan and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper circa 1984 to the mid 90s. We would like to see Orndorff in a pro wrestling video game and featured more often in WWE news. How about you?


Tattoo & Body Art Expo Sydney; Art, Bikes, Oddities, Pro Wrestling and more...

It may have been billed Sydney Tattoo & Body Art Expo, but tattoo's were the bread and butter of last weekend's excitement out at Homebush, and we were excited about catching pro wrestling AWF style, plus the "jail cell" action thanks to the folks at Snake Charmer.
We were told that about 5,000 passed thru the gates today (Saturday), such is the popularity of tatts and bodyart in Sydney, Australia. There were a lot more tattoos than regular bodypainting.

Most of the stall holders were really friendly, and most invited the positive media attention also.

The pro wrestling thanks to Greg "TNT" Bounds and his stable of brawlers was one of the highlights for us, as it provided some exciting action to fill out that day. We witnessed an impressive wrestling match between Ben (Iron Jay) Coles VS Gladiator Apollo, that featured both technical wrestling and brawling. After the match they both shook hands, did some off the record interviews and posed for photos (which came very naturally for them).

Back to the regular stalls...

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin from WWE fame would have been proud to hear that skulls were on display (not real ones as far as we know, but quite a few hardcore bikers were on site). There was lots of body jewellery and detailed masterpieces, on many parts of the human body. We saw hundreds of tattoos and piercings, some of which were a bit scary looking.

The customised skateboards and skatedecks at NSP were ultra cool, and it was great to see that they were raising money for some kids that had been doing it tough, so we took some pictures of their cool creations and made a modest donation.

It was the fourth annual Show and more than 300 Australian and international artists strutted their stuff, and they will be doing the same again Sunday (tomorrow).

Big thank you to the organisers of Sydney Tattoo & Body Art Expo, and especially the great folks at AWF Wrestling and Snake Charmer for the excellent performances which we captured.

Maybe WWE megastar John Cena is right when he implies Rocky has gone Hollywood. Aw well, its all entertainment.

DVD release date for WWE's "Bending the Rules" movie ...

After a brief theatrical release for WWE Studios's "Bending the Rules" movie last weekend, WWE is scheduled to release the movie on DVD/Blu-ray systems on March 27. WWE has re-released the trailer for the movie, which stars Edge, and will be released the week of WrestleMania.


WrestleMania 28 Predictions...

Media Man has been thinking of running a SP (starting price) book on WrestleMania winners and losers! Yes, we know the matches are pre determined, but there's only a handful of people in the world who would know the outcomes, such as WWE top brass Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, the wrestlers participating and the referees.

Our tips

John Cena over The Rock

Sheamus over Bryan Danielson

The Undertaker over Triple H

Chris Jericho over CM Punk

The Big Show over Cody Rhodes

Team Teddy VS Team Johnny

Media Man's pro wrestling tipsers also advises to expect one or two surprises, including more action in the ring than expected with Shaun Michaels aka "The Heartbreak Kid" (ref for The Undertaker VS Triple H) and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who likely won't be able to contain himself at the biggest event on the pro wrestling calendar. It would be pretty cool to see Dusty Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes (aka Goldust) get involved in Cody's match, but that's on the wish list. We would like to see "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka also get involved, but there's not even a rumour about that.

Keep checking Street Corner and the Media Man blog network for more on these developing news stories and more.

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It may have been billed Sydney Tattoo & Body Art Expo, but tattoo's were the bread and butter of today's excitement out at Homebush, and we were super excited about catching pro wrestling AWF style, plus the "jail cell" action thanks to the folks at Snake Charmer.

We were told that about 5,000 people passed thru the gates today (Saturday), such is the popularity of tatts and bodyart in Sydney, Australia. There were a lot more tattoos than regular bodypainting.

Most of the stall holders were really friendly, and most invited the positive media attention also.

The pro wrestling thanks to Greg "TNT" Bounds and his stable of brawlers was one of the highlights for us, as it provided some exciting action to fill out the day. We witnessed an impressive wrestling match between Ben (Iron Jay) Coles VS Gladiator Apollo, that featured both technical wrestling and brawling. After the match they both shook hands, did some off the record interviews and posed for photos (which came very naturally for them).

Back to the regular stalls...

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin would have been proud to hear that skulls were on display (not real ones as far as we know, but quite a few hardcore bikers were on site). There was lots of body jewellery and detailed masterpieces, on many parts of the human body. We saw hundreds of tattoos and piercings, some of which were a bit scary looking.

The customised skateboards and skatedecks at NSP were ultra cool, and it was great to see that they were raising money for some kids that had been doing it tough, so we took some pictures of their cool creations and made a modest donation.

It was the fourth annual show and more than 300 Australian and international artists attended to strut their stuff.

Big thank you to the organisers of Sydney Tattoo & Body Art Expo, and especially the great folks at AWF Wrestling and Snake Charmer for the excellent performances which we captured.

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Readers, we're hear to tell you that the 'Rock N Roll Wrestling Connection' is back, with a bit of casino fun and games thrown into the mix, both in Australia and in the USA.

'Ocean's Eleven' has been chosen as the best movie remake of all time in a recent poll.

Australia casino king James Packer, is probably going to be pleased to hear that land based casino themed movies are in vogue, since he's looking to open or take over his own Sydney, Australia casino soon. Obviously, JP won't be hoping for a casino robbery - to state the obvious. Vegas casino and hotel tycoon Steve Wynn would have caught the 'Ocean's Eleven' news no doubt. Not sure if Kevin Nash (once upon a time known as Vinnie Vegas) did. Nash, also a former leading member of the nWo is currently off the WWE wrestling roster, following a feud with Triple H.

The movie, which is based on an original 1960 film, hit screens in 2001 and went on to gross over 450 million dollars worldwide.

It sees Clooney lead an all-star cast of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts in an attempted casino robbery in Las Vegas.

Danny Ocean and his eleven accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.

Clooney has been dating former WWE wrestler - diva Stacey Keibler for over 6 months and they attended the Oscars together.

Leading man Clooney was up for a Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards.
And despite losing out on the Best Actor accolade, Clooney's girlfriend Stacy Keibler made sure he went home with an Oscar of his own as her dress appeared to have been inspired by the statuette.

Attending her first Academy Awards on Clooney's arm, Keibler looked stunning in a gold Grecian-style Marchesa creation.

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writers: George Clayton Johnson (1960 story), Jack Golden Russell (1960 story)
Stars: George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts

Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis arm wrestle...

Hollywood tough guys and action heroes Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis challenged each other to an arm wrestle during a recent night out.

The actors were enjoying a meal with their respective wives when they started arguing about who was in better shape.

Stallone, 65, challenged 56-year-old Willis to an arm wrestling match and the pair then swept aside glasses, cutlery and plates to lock arms and start their fight.

Diners at nearby tables were initially stunned but as as they recognised the wrestler like actors they started cheering and Willis and Stallone grunted, groaned and wheezed for several minutes.

However, the men's wives were not impressed and asked them to "break it up", which they duly listened to.

It's understood that soon after their meal, Stallone went into hospital to have an operation on his shoulder, although it is not thought to have any link to his night out with Willis.

A Media Man agency spokesperson said "We suspect this may be another elaborate publicity stunt by Team Stallone, although we can't prove it. Stallone fans will recall that only a week ago Stallone was photographed in a hospital bed alongside long time mate Arnold Schwarzenegger, both nursing the same injury, and Arnold took a photo for the world to see. Well, as least the cast of Expendables 2 is doing well, and it seems that they sure as heck know how to promote a movie".

Action movie fans take note however that in the filming of the original Expendables WWE wrestling legend "Stone Cold" Steve Austin did break the neck of Stallone for real, or so the story goes.


Wrestling Legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper In Fancypants Movie...

Fancypants is a 2011 film directed by Joshua Russell and starring Patrick Gleason, Roddy Piper, and Robert Carradine. Featuring Nick Turturro, Richard Kind, and introducing Jackson Dunn.

It is a comedy/drama about a professional wrestler who is afraid of conflict in real life. He is nearing the end of his career and finds out he has one fan left in an 8-year old boy, who hides a secret that will change Leo's life forever. The film was shot entirely on location in Chicago.

The film won Best Feature at the 2011 Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was an official selection at the 2011 Seattle True Independent Film Festival.

Roddy Piper is also rumoured to be one of the house-mates in upcoming WWE reality TV show, 'Legends House'.


Four Canadians indicted on US gambling charges; Online Casino Royale or Ocean's Eleven...

US authorities seized the gambling website Bodog on Tuesday and announced the indictment of four Canadians on charges of illegal sports betting and money laundering, including founder Calvin Ayre.

The federal grand jury indictment of Ayre, James Philip, David Ferguson, Derrick Maloney and the Bodog Entertainment Group was unsealed in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the latest blow by US prosecutors against online gambling.

"Sports betting is illegal in Maryland, and federal law prohibits bookmakers from flouting that law simply because they are located outside the country," US Attorney Rod Rosenstein said in a statement.

"Many of the harms that underlie gambling prohibitions are exacerbated when the enterprises operate over the Internet without regulation," Rosenstein said.

US law prohibits US financial institutions from knowingly accepting payments for online gambling made through credit cards, electronic transfers and checks, but bills have been introduced in the US Congress to ease the restrictions.

In April, 11 people were charged with bank fraud, money laundering and other offenses in a crackdown on the three largest online poker companies -- Absolute Poker, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.

A spokeswoman for the US Attorney's Office told the press that none of the four accused Canadians is in custody but warrants have been issued for their arrests and the United States would seek their extradition.

The indictment accuses Bodog and the defendants of conducting an illegal online sports gambling business and conspiring to commit money laundering between June 2005 and January 2012.

"The defendants and their conspirators allegedly moved funds from Bodog's accounts located in Switzerland, England, Malta, Canada and elsewhere to pay winnings to gamblers, and to pay media brokers and advertisers located in the United States," the US Attorney's Office said.

"The conspirators directed payment processors to send at least $100 million by wire and by check to gamblers located in Maryland and elsewhere," it said.

Internal Revenue Service special agent Eric Hylton said "laundering money from illegal activity such as illegal Internet gambling is a crime.

"Regardless of how the money changes hands -- via cash, check, wire transfers or credit cards -- and regardless of where the money is stored -- in a United States financial institution or an offshore bank -- we will trace the funds," Hylton said.

In an affidavit supporting a seizure warrant for the Bodog.com website domain name, a former employee of Bodog was quoted as saying the gambling operation has hundreds of employees in Canada and Costa Rica.

A visitor to Bodog.com is met with a message reading "This domain name has been seized" and pictures of the official seals of the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security.

In a statement on his website, Ayre, who is described by Forbes magazine as a "former billionaire," said the Bodog.com domain name has been dormant for some time.

"Not sure what to say," Ayre said. "The brand left the market last year and the domain in question has been dormant globally for longer than that."

Ayre, 50, who launched Bodog.com in 1994 and operates several other gaming websites, also said he was a victim of "abuse of the US criminal justice system for the commercial gain of large US corporations.

"It is clear that the online gaming industry is legal under international law," he said. "It is also clear that the rule of law was not allowed to slow down a rush to try to win the war of public opinion."

The gambling charges are punishable by up to five years in prison while a conviction for money laundering conspiracy can bring 20 years behind bars.


The Four Horsemen Including Ric Flair To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame 2012; Jim Ross Tweets - 27th Feb 2012...

Ross on Ric Flair’s Birthday: Happy Birthday to Ric Flair. Naitch called me this past week to catch up. He’s got a great opportunity with Coca Cola’s energy drink along with his state lottery work. I went on You Tube and checked out Ric’s TV commercials for the lotteries he promotes and they were hilarious.

Some of my fondest memories in the business involve Ric Flair and I’m so blessed to have been able to broadcast not only many Ric Flair bout but @ShawnMichaels bouts over the years, too as they are widely considered the two, best, all around pro wrestlers ever. That’s a debate that will rage on until the end of time but no one can intelligently say that Naitch and HBK aren’t on an abbreviated list of the best ever.


Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Continues His Journey Towards WrestleMania Match With John Cena...

Never before, never again, reads the tagline for this WrestleMania match of the decade (if not century).

One one side of the ring is wrestler, turned Hollywood movie megastar, Johnson, and on the other side, wrestler - rapper (and occasional actor, John Cena).

In old school terms, there is a lot of "heat" between the two, or at least that's what the WWE storyline would have you believe.

WWE head honcho Vince McMahon is set to make a financial killing with this with live tickets, PPV (including Australia's Foxtel - Main Event), merchandising, advertising and god knows what else.

Fruity pebbles are set to collide as Mr 'You Can't See Me' Cena wrestles with "The Most Electrifying Man In Sports Entertainment" with a lot of 'Boots To Asses" thrown in there.

WrestleMania is a bit of a triple headliner this year with CM Punk ("The Best In The World" VS Chris Jericho ("The best in the world at everything I do", then there's Daniel Bryan VS Sheamus, and how can forget The Undertaker VS Triple H, as Hunter attempts to end The Undertakers's WrestleMania winning streak inside a 'Hell In A Cell' cage match.

All up the show is pretty loaded and may actually produce one or two matches of the year, but time will tell. Before you ask, no Brock Lesnar as he's still under contract to the UFC, even though he's retired from MMA. UFC are set to invade Sydney's AllPhones Arena on the 3rd March 2012.

The live WWE RAW tour will hit Sydney, Australia on Friday 31st August 2012. And if they tour Perth, WA they will likely perform at Crown Perth (formally known as Burswood Casino or Burswood Entertainment Complex).

Something tells us that Austin will be leaving his Broken Skull Ranch in Texas to catch WrestleMania lose up, and so should you.

Oh, if you didn't hear already, The Rock stars in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, which is currently breaking box office records in Australia, the US, and in most other parts of the world.

Keep checking Street Corner and the Media Man blog network for more on these developing news stories and more.

One last thing... kids, don't try this at home or anywhere else. Leave it to the professionals.

Websites

Media Man News

Oscars official website

Expendables 2

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Fancypants

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper official website

Broken Skull Ranch (Steve Austin) official website

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'Ocean's Eleven' voted greatest ever remake; Hollywood Celebrity News, Pro Wrestling Connection, by Greg Tingle

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Readers, we're hear to tell you that the 'Rock N Roll Wrestling Connection' is back, with a bit of casino fun and games thrown into the mix, both in Australia and in the USA.

'Ocean's Eleven' has been chosen as the best movie remake of all time in a recent poll.

Australia casino king James Packer, is probably going to be pleased to hear that land based casino themed movies are in vogue, since he's looking to open or take over his own Sydney, Australia casino soon. Obviously, JP won't be hoping for a casino robbery - to state the obvious. Vegas casino and hotel tycoon Steve Wynn would have caught the 'Ocean's Eleven' news no doubt. Not sure if Kevin Nash (once upon a time known as Vinnie Vegas) did. Nash, also a former leading member of the nWo is currently off the WWE wrestling roster, following a feud with Triple H.

The movie, which is based on an original 1960 film, hit screens in 2001 and went on to gross over 450 million dollars worldwide.

It sees Clooney lead an all-star cast of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts in an attempted casino robbery in Las Vegas.

Danny Ocean and his eleven accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.

Clooney has been dating former WWE wrestler - diva Stacey Keibler for over 6 months and they attended the Oscars together.

Leading man Clooney was up for a Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards.
And despite losing out on the Best Actor accolade, Clooney's girlfriend Stacy Keibler made sure he went home with an Oscar of his own as her dress appeared to have been inspired by the statuette.

Attending her first Academy Awards on Clooney's arm, Keibler looked stunning in a gold Grecian-style Marchesa creation.

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writers: George Clayton Johnson (1960 story), Jack Golden Russell (1960 story)
Stars: George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts

Top 10 Best Remakes...

1. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
2. The Mummy (1999)
3. King Kong (2005)
4. The Italian Job (2003)
5. Cape Fear (1991)
6. The Parent Trap (1998)
7. Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)
8. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
9. Scarface (1983)
10. Alfie (2004)

Top 10 Worst Remakes

1. Arthur (2011)
2. The Wicker Man (2006)
3. Fame (2009)
4. The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
5. Clash of the Titans (2010)
6. Planet of the Apes (2001)
7. Piranha 3-D (2010)
8. House of Wax (2005)
9. Freaky Friday (2003)
10. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)


Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis arm wrestle...

Hollywood tough guys and action heroes Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis challenged each other to an arm wrestle during a recent night out.

The actors were enjoying a meal with their respective wives when they started arguing about who was in better shape.

Stallone, 65, challenged 56-year-old Willis to an arm wrestling match and the pair then swept aside glasses, cutlery and plates to lock arms and start their fight.

Diners at nearby tables were initially stunned but as as they recognised the wrestler like actors they started cheering and Willis and Stallone grunted, groaned and wheezed for several minutes.

However, the men's wives were not impressed and asked them to "break it up", which they duly listened to.

It's understood that soon after their meal, Stallone went into hospital to have an operation on his shoulder, although it is not thought to have any link to his night out with Willis.

A Media Man agency spokesperson said "We suspect this may be another elaborate publicity stunt by Team Stallone, although we can't prove it. Stallone fans will recall that only a week ago Stallone was photographed in a hospital bed alongside long time mate Arnold Schwarzenegger, both nursing the same injury, and Arnold took a photo for the world to see. Well, as least the cast of Expendables 2 is doing well, and it seems that they sure as heck know how to promote a movie".

Action movie fans take note however that in the filming of the original Expendables WWE wrestling legend "Stone Cold" Steve Austin did break the neck of Stallone for real, or so the story goes.


Wrestling Legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper In Fancypants Movie...

Fancypants is a 2011 film directed by Joshua Russell and starring Patrick Gleason, Roddy Piper, and Robert Carradine. Featuring Nick Turturro, Richard Kind, and introducing Jackson Dunn.

It is a comedy/drama about a professional wrestler who is afraid of conflict in real life. He is nearing the end of his career and finds out he has one fan left in an 8-year old boy, who hides a secret that will change Leo's life forever. The film was shot entirely on location in Chicago.

The film won Best Feature at the 2011 Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was an official selection at the 2011 Seattle True Independent Film Festival.

Roddy Piper is also rumoured to be one of the house-mates in upcoming WWE reality TV show, 'Legends House'.


Four Canadians indicted on US gambling charges; Online Casino Royale or Ocean's Eleven...

US authorities seized the gambling website Bodog on Tuesday and announced the indictment of four Canadians on charges of illegal sports betting and money laundering, including founder Calvin Ayre.

The federal grand jury indictment of Ayre, James Philip, David Ferguson, Derrick Maloney and the Bodog Entertainment Group was unsealed in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the latest blow by US prosecutors against online gambling.

"Sports betting is illegal in Maryland, and federal law prohibits bookmakers from flouting that law simply because they are located outside the country," US Attorney Rod Rosenstein said in a statement.

"Many of the harms that underlie gambling prohibitions are exacerbated when the enterprises operate over the Internet without regulation," Rosenstein said.

US law prohibits US financial institutions from knowingly accepting payments for online gambling made through credit cards, electronic transfers and checks, but bills have been introduced in the US Congress to ease the restrictions.

In April, 11 people were charged with bank fraud, money laundering and other offenses in a crackdown on the three largest online poker companies -- Absolute Poker, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.

A spokeswoman for the US Attorney's Office told the press that none of the four accused Canadians is in custody but warrants have been issued for their arrests and the United States would seek their extradition.

The indictment accuses Bodog and the defendants of conducting an illegal online sports gambling business and conspiring to commit money laundering between June 2005 and January 2012.

"The defendants and their conspirators allegedly moved funds from Bodog's accounts located in Switzerland, England, Malta, Canada and elsewhere to pay winnings to gamblers, and to pay media brokers and advertisers located in the United States," the US Attorney's Office said.

"The conspirators directed payment processors to send at least $100 million by wire and by check to gamblers located in Maryland and elsewhere," it said.

Internal Revenue Service special agent Eric Hylton said "laundering money from illegal activity such as illegal Internet gambling is a crime.

"Regardless of how the money changes hands -- via cash, check, wire transfers or credit cards -- and regardless of where the money is stored -- in a United States financial institution or an offshore bank -- we will trace the funds," Hylton said.

In an affidavit supporting a seizure warrant for the Bodog.com website domain name, a former employee of Bodog was quoted as saying the gambling operation has hundreds of employees in Canada and Costa Rica.

A visitor to Bodog.com is met with a message reading "This domain name has been seized" and pictures of the official seals of the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security.

In a statement on his website, Ayre, who is described by Forbes magazine as a "former billionaire," said the Bodog.com domain name has been dormant for some time.

"Not sure what to say," Ayre said. "The brand left the market last year and the domain in question has been dormant globally for longer than that."

Ayre, 50, who launched Bodog.com in 1994 and operates several other gaming websites, also said he was a victim of "abuse of the US criminal justice system for the commercial gain of large US corporations.

"It is clear that the online gaming industry is legal under international law," he said. "It is also clear that the rule of law was not allowed to slow down a rush to try to win the war of public opinion."

The gambling charges are punishable by up to five years in prison while a conviction for money laundering conspiracy can bring 20 years behind bars.


The Four Horsemen Including Ric Flair To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame 2012; Jim Ross Tweets - 27th Feb 2012...

Ross on Ric Flair’s Birthday: Happy Birthday to Ric Flair. Naitch called me this past week to catch up. He’s got a great opportunity with Coca Cola’s energy drink along with his state lottery work. I went on You Tube and checked out Ric’s TV commercials for the lotteries he promotes and they were hilarious.

Some of my fondest memories in the business involve Ric Flair and I’m so blessed to have been able to broadcast not only many Ric Flair bout but @ShawnMichaels bouts over the years, too as they are widely considered the two, best, all around pro wrestlers ever. That’s a debate that will rage on until the end of time but no one can intelligently say that Naitch and HBK aren’t on an abbreviated list of the best ever.


Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Continues His Journey Towards WrestleMania Match With John Cena...

Never before, never again, reads the tagline for this WrestleMania match of the decade (if not century).

One one side of the ring is wrestler, turned Hollywood movie megastar, Johnson, and on the other side, wrestler - rapper (and occasional actor, John Cena).

In old school terms, there is a lot of "heat" between the two, or at least that's what the WWE storyline would have you believe.

WWE head honcho Vince McMahon is set to make a financial killing with this with live tickets, PPV (including Australia's Foxtel - Main Event), merchandising, advertising and god knows what else.

Fruity pebbles are set to collide as Mr 'You Can't See Me' Cena wrestles with "The Most Electrifying Man In Sports Entertainment" with a lot of 'Boots To Asses" thrown in there.

WrestleMania is a bit of a triple headliner this year with CM Punk ("The Best In The World" VS Chris Jericho ("The best in the world at everything I do", then there's Daniel Bryan VS Sheamus, and how can forget The Undertaker VS Triple H, as Hunter attempts to end The Undertakers's WrestleMania winning streak inside a 'Hell In A Cell' cage match.

All up the show is pretty loaded and may actually produce one or two matches of the year, but time will tell. Before you ask, no Brock Lesnar as he's still under contract to the UFC, even though he's retired from MMA. UFC are set to invade Sydney's AllPhones Arena on the 3rd March 2012.

The live WWE RAW tour will hit Sydney, Australia on Friday 31st August 2012. And if they tour Perth, WA they will likely perform at Crown Perth (formally known as Burswood Casino or Burswood Entertainment Complex).

Something tells us that Austin will be leaving his Broken Skull Ranch in Texas to catch WrestleMania lose up, and so should you.

Oh, if you didn't hear already, The Rock stars in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, which is currently breaking box office records in Australia, the US, and in most other parts of the world.

Keep checking Street Corner and the Media Man blog network for more on these developing news stories and more.

One last thing... kids, don't try this at home or anywhere else. Leave it to the professionals.

Websites

Media Man News

Oscars official website

Expendables 2

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Fancypants

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper official website

Broken Skull Ranch (Steve Austin) official website

Crown Limited

Casino News Media

Wrestling News Media

Website Network

Media Man Int

Media Man

Media Man News

Media Man Entertainment

Casino News Media

Global Gaming Directory

Pro Wrestling Legends: Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, Ric Flair...

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Wrestling News Media Website Updated

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WWE Legends House May Appear On TV Before WWE Network Hits The Air, by Greg Tingle

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Wrestling fans from Sydney's Bondi Beach, New York, USA, Hollywood and around the world are buzzing at the news of an upcoming WWE television show - WWE Legend's House, may be one of the showcase programs on the new WWE Network.

However, a source tells us that if the WWE Network takes too long to launch, "Legends House" may start on a TV station such as Sci-Fi.

Filming is to commence next month in Rancho Mirage, California, USA and its turned into quite a news media frenzy with video camera operators and photographers all seeking out shots of the legends.

This February at least eight former World Wrestling Entertainment stars will be under one roof in a show not too unlike MTV's "Real Life" with a bit of "Jersey Shore", "Big Brother", "The Ultimate Fighter" and "Tough Enough" thrown in there for good measure.

WWE Legends House will be filmed in Rancho Mirage at the historic home of late comedian Harpo Marx at the Tamarisk Country Club.

WWE Hall of Famer "Mean" Gene Okerlund, the legendary wrestling announcer and interviewer, has been confirmed for the show. Australian fans will recognise Gene as the host of "WWE Vintage Collection" as seen on Foxtel - Fox 8, usually in a TV spot next to WWE SmackDown or WWE Superstars.

We're been tipped off that other cast members with include "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and The Iron Sheik. We're hoping that Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, "The Honky Tonk Man", "The Magnificent" Don Muraco or even Ric Flair (*Flair is currently under contract to Impact Wrestling) are also a chance to appear. Don't expect Scott Hall to appear as the man formally known as "Razor Ramon" has been getting some WWE Wellness Program rehab (for real) in recent years, and to have Hall on the new show would not be a wise risk to take at this stage of the game, however we're hopeful Hall may be able to appear on future episodes of Legends House, should the show be as wildly successful as anticipated.

Sadly Australia's "Outback Jack" - real name Peter Stilsbury (circa 1987 with WWF) won't appear, nor will Nathan "The Front Row" Jones. Neither would be considered an outright WWE legend, however both were certainly well known in their day.

Can you imagine The Iron Sheik drinking, eating and just socialising in general with other WWE legends. Something tells us they are going to have to bleep out much of his foul language, but fans familiar with the very funny and vulgar sheik will get the idea.

Hardcore fans will remember the time Australia's Wide World of Sports on Channel Nine aired the Madison Square Garden matches featuring "The Iron Shiek". One was when then WWF Champion Bob Backlund got caught in the camel clutch by the Iranian and Backlund's manager, (the late) Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel. The other famous sheik match that aired on the then Kerry Packer owned Channel Nine was when Hulk Hogan beat the sheik with his famous clothesline and atomic leg drop. The old WWF Championship Wrestling used footage from the Hogan - Sheik match for its intro music video for many years.

The WWE is going to pitch "Legends House" to audiences as unscripted drama, which is curious as pro wrestlers by nature usually work of a script. Wooooo! - we just broke kayfabe again, but most of the western world knows pro wrestling aka "sports entertainment" has storylines, angles, script writers et al these days, but that's not to say they are not talented athletes - they are indeed some of the best athletes on the planet, but only a few such as Roddy Piper could be considered a very talented actor as far as regular movie appearances go.

The concept does share some similarities to the UFC's Ultimate Fighter (TUF) series, but its wrestling legends - not up and coming UFC stars, who have to prove their worth in matches.

Many fans are hoping for a few outcomes - legends sharing tales from the road trips and locker rooms, who hated who for real, secrets of the profession and that sort of thing. We suppose if a real fight breaks out on set that will be a bonus.

The Media Man agency's spokesperson said "We fully expect that WWE Legends House" will become one of the most popular and most talked about shows on both American and Australian television. WWE top brass genius Vince McMahon has really hit the sweet spot with this one. It's got ratings winner all over it and fits in perfectly with the current "reality era" of the WWE, where the pro wrestling action and scripts carry a much more realistic edge than in the '90 - 2000 era. Australian TV networks, be it Foxtel or Network Nine or Ten, would do well to get in early on this one and secure the rights of a sure fire winner. Kids and parents should try not to copy some of the bad language and practical jokes that are bound to be a staple of this hot new show".

Australia fans are hopeful that Aussie pay TV will get the show. Foxtel, are you listening?

Websites

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"Rowdy" Roddy Piper official website

WWE

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Pro wrestlers in Manila for 1-night show - 4th February 2012

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MANILA, Philippines – Several former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstars have arrived in Manila for a 1-night show at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The pro wrestlers, led by former WWE Intercontinental Champion John Hennigan, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIAN) Terminal 2 on Friday at 6:30 am.

Accompanying Hennigan were MVP, Carlito, Luke Gallows, John Morrison, Jillian Hall, Shief Daivari, Jimmy Ynag, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Masters, Snitsky, Rhino, Melina Shane Helms and Billy Gun.

The wrestlers will appear at the “World Wrestling Fan Xperience- Champions Showcase Tour 2012” slated at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.

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