Friday 4/15 Torch Today – WWE breaks emergency glass, Big Show vs. Shaq WM32 hype continues, Seth Rollins being reintroduced, Edge & Christian Show filming, Hart dogs Reigns booking, WM32 cover art features old title belt, Justin Credible says “retirement sucks,” WXW TV new episode

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

Big Show at Texas Rangers Opening Day - April 4, 2016 (c) MLB/Texas Rangers

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

TORCH TODAY – Friday, April 15, 2016

In case of emergency, break glass. Triple H added to the second leg of the European Tour captures’s WWE dependence on part-time wrestlers to fill top spots when main roster stars are injured, or watered down by the booking. Plus, the timing is interesting with Hunter joining the shows after the Raw and Smackdown tapings, which now includes Shane McMahon at Smackdown. And, The Undertaker is still advertised for Wednesday’s Newcastle show that Hunter is joining. The tour is definitely a fluid situation, especially following Bray Wyatt’s injury.

At PWTorchLivecast.com: On-demand access to Wade Keller’s interview with former WWE writer Matt McCarthy on Thursday’s Livecast.

At PWPodcasts.com: Full Recap of this week’s “Art of Wrestling” podcast with Colt Cabana and special guest Konnan.

At MMATorch.com: Friday’s MMATorch Daily Top 5.

Big Show and Shaq continue to do business trying to stir up a match for WrestleMania 33 next year in Orlando. Show playfully cut a promo on Shaq in an interview with Dubai radio host Myles while on the Middle East Tour. Meanwhile, Shaq sent a message to Vince McMahon through TMZ to make the match happen.

– WWE is continuing to subtly reintroduce Seth Rollins in regular Tapout commercials and videos. WWE released a video of Rollins talking about fitness as part of a commercial shoot for the new product line.

– The official box art has been released for the WrestleMania 32 DVD. On the cover are the Big Three matches of Triple H vs. Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose, and The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon. Plus, the Women’s Title match of Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch, but with the Divas Title instead of the Women’s Title belt. The DVD is scheduled for release on May 10. (WrestlingDVDNetwork.com)

Bret Hart was interviewed by Total Wrestling Magazine for their latest issue. Hart is not a fan of WWE’s current creative direction, especially “dropping the ball” and “lacking imagination” with Roman Reigns’s WWE Title booking.

Justin Credible addressed his “retirement status” after somewhat having a wrestling match at an independent show last weekend. “It sucks quite frankly. Once you have that wrestling bug in you it’s real hard to get away because that’s what I do,” Credible told the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast.

“The angle I did over the weekend where basically I was just at the ‘gimmick’ table and was just selling ‘gimmicks’ and somebody called me out to the ring and basically all I did was went in and did my “Terry Funk” impersonation and threw a ton of chairs in the ring and started hot, the kid did the match and I just came in and did the finish. So, it wasn’t a match. Sometimes in this business you make deals and it’s amazing how it’s so in the back of your mind what the big picture is and I’m not sure how many people know but my wife is dealing with cancer and it’s pretty serious so (wrestling a match) is the last thing on my mind. I don’t know what kind of deal I made with him but he expected me in my gear and I showed up and said ‘dude, I’m retired,’ but I’ll throw a superkick and hit people with a stick and that is pretty much what happened. So, no, I did not come out of retirement and it sucks being retired.”

– The WXW promotion in Germany has a new episode of their Shotgun TV series. Featured in the latest episode are Will Ospreay and Jeff Jarrett.

– Finally, Edge & Christian spent the week at WWE HQ in Stamford, Connecticut filming more episodes for the Edge & Christian Show on WWE Network. Included was fellow Canadian Lance Storm.

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