News & Notes: Tony Schiavone, Minoru Suzuki, WWE Network, Lawler

Tony Schiavone to Make Rare Commentary Appearance in Wrestling

Major League Wrestling announced Tony Schiavone will be making a special guest commentary appearance at their upcoming MLW: One-Shot event on October 5th. Schiavone will be teaming with former NXT commentator Rich Brennan (Rich Bocchini in MLW) for the event.

The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported this will be a very rare commentary appearance by Schiavone who has done almost no commentary in wrestling since the final episode of WCW Nitro in 2001.

Minoru Suzuki to Wrestle in the US Next Month for First Time in 25 Years

New Japan Pro Wrestling announced both Minoru Suzuki and KUSHIDA will be wrestling at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor event on September 22nd. This will be Suzuki’s first match in the United States in 25 years after not being among the talent sent to joint NJPW-ROH events nor NJPW’s own G1 Special in the US last month.

Both Suzuki and KUSHIDA will also be making an appearance on September 23rd for ROH television tapings.

WWE Network and Youtube Channel News

For those who missed the original airings on the Network, WWE has released the Bracketology special for the Mae Young Classic on their official Youtube channel. Link to the video here.

WWE also released a video to their official Youtube channel showcasing the first ever full-time female ref in company history, Jessika Carr (Kennadi Brink in the indies). The video was originally shown during the Bracketology special on the Network. Link to the video here.

This week’s “Flashback Friday” for the WWE Network was announced to be focusing on Smackdown’s 18th anniversary this year. Six episodes from Smackdown’s history will be shown starting at 3PM EST.

The list of episodes:
* SmackDown 12/2/1999: Six-man main event featuring the Hardy Boyz and Big Show vs. D-Generation X. Mick Foley vs. Chris Jericho. A message from Stephanie McMahon.
* SmackDown 7/12/2001: As WWE continues to battle the alliance going into Invasion, Mr. McMahon asks Stone Cold Steve Austin to change his leadership strategy.
* SmackDown 7/15/2004: Eddie Guerrero battles John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield for the WWE Championship inside a steel cage. John Cena looks to regain his U.S. Title.
* SmackDown 4/21/2005: WWE Champion John Cena faces United States Champion Orlando Jordan in the main event. JBL and Kurt Angle take matters into their own hands.
* SmackDown 10/12/2007: Rey Mysterio and Finlay battle for a shot at the World Heavyweight Title. The Brothers of Destruction take on Matt Hardy and MVP.
* SmackDown 6/14/2013: Dolph Ziggler and cohort Big E Langston face Alberto Del Rio and Chris Jericho. Team Hell No and The Viper Randy Orton face The Shield.

New WWE Game Rumored to be in Development not by 2K Games nor Yukes

During a recent episode of Dinner With The King podcast show, Jerry Lawler revealed a new WWE game is currently in development and teased its not from 2K Games nor Yukes. Lawler stated this company, which he wasn’t willing to name, scanned wrestlers during SummerSlam for this new game.

Lawler was discussing rumors of Undertaker being backstage during SummerSlam when he revealed news about this mystery wrestling game being in development.

“I did not see or hear him mentioned at all [backstage at SummerSlam]. I dress in the talent relations room where at one point or another everybody on the card came through that room and I never saw him. But you know what? Here’s something that I just realized. He may have been there because they were doing scans for a new game. Everybody that was on the show that night, myself included, had to be scanned. This company, it’s not the 2K people, it’s a different game that’s gonna be coming out next year. So everybody had to have their face scans and their body scans.”