THE ROUND-UP
The Latest from the F4W Staff
NEWS
OTT Wrestling to premiere on FloSlam with Ricochet vs. Ospreay
WWE SmackDown video highlights: Dolph Ziggler earns a title shot
WWE 205 Live results: Rich Swann vs. TJ Perkins
WWE Tribute to the Troops live results: On-screen Shield reunion; Roadblock tag title match set
WWE SmackDown live results: AJ Styles vs. James Ellsworth
UFC to crown women’s featherweight champion at February’s UFC 208
UFC 206 prelims & Bellator afternoon event fall below ratings averages
AUDIO
WOL: Smackdown, Raw ratings, New Day, Vader good news, more! 12/14
B&V&C: Rock vs. Austin, DX, Sting vs. Hogan, fans hit the ring, more! 12/13
WOL: Jim Ross talks Tokyo Dome on AXS TV, plus Raw and tons more! 12/13
WOR: Raw report, Alberto Del Rio, Tokyo Dome line-up, tons more! 12/13
FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: 12/05/2016: More history of pro wrestling in California
As 1979 went on, additional problems started to develop for promoters in California, but especially for Roy Shire in Northern California. Both wrestlers and promoters alike were revolting in different ways, and while the former was nothing new, the latter was a bit out of the ordinary. Shire had slowly been pulling out.. Subscribers click here to continue.
WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: December 12, 2016 Linda McMahon given Trump cabinet position, WWE TLC review, more
A look at Linda McMahon being named to Donald Trump’s cabinet is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer newsletter. Find out what has been said that is totally misleading about her background, the background of Vince McMahon buying the WWF, her previous comments on Trump and others from wrestling who have been in similar positions.
This issue contains TLC show run down, with poll results, match-by-match coverage with star ratings, notes on the next set of Smackdown angles, where Raw is going for the next PPV and business notes on the show.
News on the Jerry Lawler and Lita situation, an update on the Jimmy Snuka manslaughter case, lots of WWE Network news and new surveys, John Cena and Dwayne Johnson updates on work outside of wrestling, new bookings for Brock Lesnar and Bill Goldberg, notes on two athletes WWE is looking at signing, Olympic gold medalist getting a tryout, WWE star gets engaged, former WWE stars returning, WWE product commercial awarded, update on several injuries, and a look at the most watched shows on the WWE Network this past week, all in this big issue of the Observer.
Also, check out the business notes regarding all the WWE and NXT live arena events held around the world over the past week, including highlights of every show.
Have a look at ROH’s biggest event of the year, Final Battle, with a look at the show, contract updates, the story behind the Young Bucks vs. Hardys match, why Cody Rhodes turned, business notes and star ratings.
Coverage of the UFC TUF finale and the Demetrious Johnson vs. Tim Elliott title match, how close the Joseph Benavidez vs. Henry Cejudo fight really was, business notes on the show, and how much everyone on the show earned, all inside this issue.
Lastly, there are details on the ratings for all the national shows over the past week, including breakdown of who was watching all of the WWE shows, plus results of the major league arena events held all over the world this past week, as well as notes on the various TV shows… Subscribers click here to continue.
ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer, or by using PayPal directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to [email protected]. For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52. If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.)
If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can choose one free classic issue, or two free classic issues with a 40-issue subscription.
WON BACK ISSUE: November 22, 1999 WWF Survivor Series review, Austin neck trouble, more – In an industry with no rules, regulations or morals, there is nothing that happened this week that was out of the ordinary. And that’s sad. The big story this week should have been that the biggest star in wrestling today, has his career in jeopardy due to finding out just how badly thrashed his neck is… Subscribers click here to continue.
WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
John Cena returns to WWE television in two weeks at SmackDown in Chicago, Illinois.
Despite the match being advertised for a second straight week, AJ Styles didn’t face James Ellsworth on last night’s SmackDown. Instead, there was a fatal four-way main event to determine a new number one contender for Styles’ title. Dolph Ziggler defeated Dean Ambrose, Luke Harper, and The Miz to earn the title shot. Styles vs. Ellsworth will still happen at some point.
Zack Ryder & Mojo Rawley became the number one contenders for the Wyatt Family’s SmackDown tag titles after winning a battle royal last night, but Ryder suffered a knee injury during the match.
After receiving criticism for a tweet Big E made with a picture of WWE’s five black champions and the #BlackExcellence hashtag, Kofi Kingston wrote a response explaining why the achievement is important.
Tribute to the Troops will air on the USA Network at 8 p.m. ET tonight.
Tonight’s episode of NXT is headlined by the Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Samoa Joe steel cage match for the NXT Championship that was taped in Melbourne, Australia.
SiriusXM’s Sam Roberts will be a guest on this Sunday’s Roadblock pre-show panel.
WWE SmackDown LIVE will broadcast from Honda Center on Tuesday, February 14. PRESALE PASSWORD: WWEFAN
WWE stars talk to middle schoolers about cyber bullying.
New Zealand independent wrestlers compete for a chance in WWE.
The WWE superstars show up at Fort Meade to talk to troops.
PRO WRESTLING
VICE Sports posted an excellent profile of The Young Bucks. Dave Meltzer is quoted in the piece, and the Bucks talk about making money outside of WWE and how close they came to joining wrestling’s biggest promotion. An excerpt from the piece: “When A.J. was about to leave, he pulled us aside before anybody knew anything and he asked us about our contracts,” Matt recalls. “At that point, it was December and we had just signed — we signed in November. He’s like, ‘You did? Ughhh.’ The idea was he was going to try and get us to walk out with him and be the guys with him… If we never signed, there’s a great chance we could have been walking out on Raw with those guys, I feel.”
Tommy Dreamer tweeted that James Ellsworth won’t be appearing at House of Hardcore this weekend despite previously being advertised.
This weekend’s PWX Season’s DELETE-ings show will be broadcast as an iPPV on the Highspots Wrestling Network. The promotion previously streamed their X16 tournament on FloSlam last month.
UFC / MMA
Junior dos Santos vs. Stefan Struve with headline UFC Fight Night on February 19th in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Ariel Helwani reports that Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will face Jorge Masvidal at UFC on FOX 23 in Denver, Colorado on January 28th.
Vitor Belfort will take on Kelvin Gastelum in the main event of UFC Fight Night on March 11th in Fortaleza, Brazil.
Cris Cyborg reacted to the UFC making Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie for the new women’s featherweight title.
Mickey Gall thinks that CM Punk will have a tough time against any UFC caliber fighter.
Submission Radio’s European correspondent spent time with Wanderlei Silva ahead of Bellator 169. With having to recently pull out of his fight with Cro Cop at Rizin, Silva doesn’t appreciate Mirko calling him scared “He, in front of me, tell me I’m the best in the world, I’m a legend, and now (he’s) coming to talk behind the cameras. But understand, now I’m going back to Brazil, and on New Year’s Eve you’re gonna have a chance to talk all the things face to face. And I wanna see (you say them).”
King Mo opened up to Submission Radio about his real thoughts on the MMAAA and Bjorn Rebney. On the MMAAA and King Mo calling it the “UFC Athletes Association” – “Because that’s what it is. It is the UFC Athletes Association. It ain’t MMAAA, because all I see is UFC fighters and an old dick-rider on that picture – meaning Bjorn. He’s the dick-rider. I don’t see it representing other organizations. But the thing is, I’m not gonna knock them, I just think it’s weird they got Bjorn on the forefront. If they were smart they would put him in the background, like making sure things are okay in the background and making sure their agenda gets pushed. Because what it comes down to, is it’s about the fighters. So put the fighters in the forefront, and whoever else in the back. I hope they get their job done and I hope they can accomplish what they want to accomplish, but it just don’t look right when you have someone who has done some shady things in the past towards fighters trying to all of a sudden be like, hey, I wanna fight for fighters rights, just for this organization…
Anthony Taylor talks about a scuffle he had with James Gallagher at SBG!
UFC 208 – Saturday, February 11 – Brooklyn, NY. UFC Fight Club pre-sale starts Wed Dec 14 at Noon ET.
VARIETY
BCW ‘Twas the fight before Xmas: Sunday, December 18 at 3 PM – 6 PM, Royal Canadian Legion Col. Paul Poisson Branch 261, 12326 Lanoue Street, Tecumseh, Ontario N8N 1N3.
Ring Rust Radio had TNA Star BROKEN MATT HARDY on the show this week.
Satoshi Ishii takes on King Mo at Bellator 169, Submission Radio sat down to talk to him about the fight, wanting Fedor and lots more.
Former ECW Legend/WWE Superstar Tommy Dreamer sat down with Under the Mat Radio discussing such topics as: House of Hardcore 23 coming up in Joppa, MD, what he said about Brock Lesnar that got cut off the ECW Unauthorized special on WWE Network, and how him drinking Taker’s Tobacco spit skit came about and how much he got paid.
The Card Is Going To Change Podcast With John Thorne and Chandler Biggins takes an unprecedented honest look inside the world of Independent professional wrestling as the promoters of Absolute Intense Wrestling John Thorne and Chris “Chandler Biggins” Bryan discuss the trials and tribulations of operating an independent professional wrestling company in the modern era. Episode 27: The Headhunters Only Shop At 7-11.
Eddie Edwards stopped by Wrestledelphia to promote Total Nonstop Deletion and discuss what it’s like to be champion of a company in turmoil.
Today in Professional Wrestling History (12/14): Jeff Hardy wins the WWE Championship
CONTACT INFORMATION
Poll opinions: [email protected]
Feedback: [email protected]
Show results and news tips: [email protected]
Wrestling Observer Radio questions: [email protected]