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JR's Blog: WWE Performance Center, Lesnar..UFCONFOX.. @americansoda..Q&A's updated..Grill w/ JR's!!

Posted: Apr 20th 2013 By: mikeiles

Happy Saturday to all! Hope everyone's weekend is enjoyable in every way. Let's GRILL!

Interesting Twitter feedback @JRsBBQ on the new, WWE Performance Center opening soon in Orlando. Mostly positive but there are always some who simply love to embrace their half full glasses.

How can one not think that a 26,000 square foot facility complete with multiple rings, a world class weight room with a full time strength and conditioning staff, a promo area to work on one's natural, verbal skills and a state of the art editing suite won't help develop talent is beyond my logic.

Plus, when one adds a great staff that is skilled and motivated by results and a passion for making the product better to insure the long term success of the genre, it appears to be a winning formula....the proverbial no brainer. For me, it's a dream come true.


WWE will continue to look to colleges, the NFL, etc for world class athletes who have TV friendly personalities and the aptitude for sports entertainment. College athletes will come from wrestling, football, basketball, etc...no sport will be not considered if all the previously listed criteria is in place. For example, I'm planning on attending an upcoming major, Strongman competition just to see if there may be one individual who might have the youth, strength, look and personality for WWE to consider as a potential developmental talent.

For novice athletes who aspire to join WWE, I suggest that you attend a credible wrestling school and obtain proper training. After one gets proper training, do all you can to work as many indy dates as possible, get your body of work in place and then make inroads to WWE Development with a DVD of some of your bouts and of you doing succinct promos.

Would a beginner walk into a NFL training camp and expect a tryout? Obviously, no.

It's sad that some on Twitter associate the Performance Center with what they perceive to be their own personal issues with WWE Creative which isn't a fair association whatsoever. "yeah, but...."

The current WWE International tour is doing sellout or near capacity business nightly which is another statement of the global growth and the massive, media footprint that WWE has established over the years and that continues to grow. I'm of the belief that one of the reasons for success is that WWE tours these areas no more than twice annually. Some international markets are better served once a year while others are still developing their TV following and will be added to the schedule in the future.

Big night for UFC tonight in San Jose on Fox on what I think will be a really fun night of fights. I like @BensonHenderson and his personal 'story' plus the fact that he always has action filled fights. Picking Daniel Cromier, the former OSU Cowboy, to beat Frank Mir in a heavyweight fight. I'd expect a hot, live crowd because of the 'local' influence of many of the fighters on the card and that crowd passion always, or it should, resonate at home.

Had a great lunch Wednesday with my old friend Marc Ratner who is a VP of the UFC and who formerly was the head honcho of the Nevada State Athletic Commission and who governed WWE Vegas events back in the day. Marc took me by his office to show me around and to let me look at his sports memorabilia collection of which I am a big fan. Marc also introduced me to Dana White, Joe Silva and several others including my pal and former OU coach David White who now works for UFC as well. Classy organization and I really appreciated the hospitality and had a blast shooting the breeze with Dana for a few minutes. @DanaWhite is a great follow on Twitter.

Why some folks have issues with me saying that WWE or pro wrestling in general is an entertainment entity is a mystery to me. When I first became a fan of the genre, not unlike football, I did so because they both entertained me. All sports must be entertaining and therefore becomes an entertainment entity. UFC is entertaining and it's damn sure a sport. For example, I don't understand the game of Cricket so I don't watch it and therefore it is not entertaining to me. Not picking on Cricket, just making a statement of fact.

As I said at the @CACReunion, Edge is now a full time cast member of SyFy's 'Haven' and will be shooting the fall's 10 or so episodes near Halifax from May thru September.

I'll never forget the Monday Night RAW we did years ago in Halifax when Mr. McMahon, the King and I were a broadcast team and McMahon had his on camera issues with @BretHart. The skirmish that the two of them had at the announce table created amazing angst in the arena not to mention when we actually walked the two blocks or so back to our hotel from the arena. I vividly remember flying to Nova Scotia on a Saturday to save on commercial airfares for the Monday Taping. I found the Halifax area to be absolutely beautiful.

Watched Brock Lesnar's performance on Raw Monday again on DVR and it always amazes me how naturally animalistic Lesnar is and what an amazing athlete that he is. Lesnar got to the 'first team' quicker and the most effectively of any one that I can recall that we signed back in my era in talent relations. No one we ever signed was more athletically gifted than the former NCAA and UFC heavyweight champion. No one. Brock was making amazing money in WWE quicker than any of his predecessors or any one since.

@BrockLesnar was the best rookie that I recall seeing in WWE.

@americansoda located in Manchester and online at http://www.americansoda.co.uk is offering FREE SHIPPING on their package of JR's products within the UK only thru Friday. Great time to try our four products and not pay for the shipping for those qualifying for this great offer. UK fans...please hurry and order before this offer expires.

Still feel that in many ways WWE is going through a significant transitional period as it relates to up and coming talents and where they are moving. Obviously, upward is the goal and many are heading in the right direction. One thing some fans don't understand is that the spotlight will only shine on a small number of newer talents at a time. The 'rub' or shine a talent gets can't be spread too thin to too many individuals which then becomes a likely failure or, at best, a slow process which then becomes a point of consternation for some fans. Bottom line is that patience is needed during the process but the good news is that when talents do connect with the fanbase that more often than not they generally stay marketable longer.

Some fans also ask about who is the next 'breakout star' and that one is virtually impossible to answer. Honestly, the fans will largely determine such or that 's my take on the matter. Plus, calling up more talents from NXT without the proper spacing and the ability to shine a bright spotlight on them over an extended period of time makes little...i take that back...it makes NO sense. I'd rather see a talent continue to develop in NXT as to come to a WWE roster without a strategic plan of entry plus an extended game plan for their first several months on the roster.

So in other words patience is required as it relates to new talents showing their faces on WWE TV but I do expect some significant call up's during the Summer and Fall and once that WrestleMania is over.

WWEShop at http://www.wweshop.com has some super packages of JR's products that are timely with grilling season upon us. I'm grilling today here in Oklahoma as it's 65 degrees outside. Our products are just as viable in the kitchen which many of you know and have sent us recipes.

WWEShop ships JR's Cookbook signed by me to anywhere in the world without exception I am told.

Our Beef Jerky biz has been jumping off the page as the custom made, hickory smoked . 97% Fat Free Jerky is made in Oklahoma the old school way and not mass produced. WWEShop also has plenty in stock.

The Q&A's are updated here. Quick reads and you actually might learn something....or not.

Lastly, today's independent promotions are NOT the same as the wrestling territories of yesteryear....not even close. Nonetheless, I applaud these promotions for attempting to be successful and WWE will still be recruiting the best of the indies to bring to NXT for further development.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.
@JRsBBQ