We’re looking for your thoughts on UFC 193 and also the Tenryu retirement show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to Dave Meltzer
We’re also looking for live reports from Raw tonight in Greenville, SC with Superstars matches. dark matches and anything else not evident from the live show. Tonight’s show, the go-home Raw for Survivor Series, features quarterfinals of the WWE championship tournament, with Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro, Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto, Kevin Owens vs. Neville and Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler. Undertaker is also booked on tonight’s show so they’ll probably do an Undertaker & Kane vs. Wyatt Family angle of some sort.
We’re also looking for reports on yesterday’s Lucha Underground tapings in Boyle Heights, Saturday’s WWE show in Minehead, England and NXT shows in Winter Haven, Orlando and Sebring, Florida, at Dave Meltzer
Smackdown tapings are Tuesday night in Knoxville.
Figure Four Weekly:
Figure Four Weekly (11/9/15): Reexamining indie wrestling distribution business models
A look at where indie wrestling companies stand right now when it comes to capitalizing on technology and business trends, including comments from Whoo! Wrestling’s Allan Barrie.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
Exclusive news on WrestleMania, how SummerSlam has changed due to the Seth Rollins injury, updates on Rollins, notes on the WWE title tournament and what key stars besides Rollins and Randy Orton are now unlikely to wrestle at WrestleMania is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
We also look at the different potential finishes of the WWE title tournament, how it looks to be progressing, a look at the Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock fight and look back 20 years to their two previous fights, lots of notes on the fight, and the back story.
We also look at WrestleMania tickets, the Wayne Rooney angle, Dwayne Johnson and Dave Bautista update, More on Alberto Del Rio’s outside business and his angle in Puerto Rico, Undertaker week, WWE make more network predictions, notes from the next Madison Square Garden show, notes on Raw this week, Ronda Rousey talks WWE Divas division, what WWE star is ready to return from surgery, plus notes on all the WWE & NXT arena events of the past week and business note.
Click Here: Geelong Cats Guernsey
We also have our monthly business rundown of WWE and TNA, to see how both groups are doing as compared to the same period last year, as well as a breakdown on how every different WWE main event is drawing over the past month.
CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW
The latest Wrestling Observer: November 16, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Seth Rollins injury, Wrestlekingdom 10 matches
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Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.
TODAY’S DAILY UPDATE
It’s pretty much official today, which has seemed likely since ROH lost prime time, Destination America will be dropping all its pro wrestling programming. ROH announced its new expansion in syndication into a number of key markets today in conjunction with the news of being off DA.
Axl Rotten on Twitter noted that former ECW star Hack Myers will be undergoing brain surgery at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Best wishes to Myers on a successful surgery and speedy recovery.
There has been a ton of media on Ronda Rousey’s loss and its ramifications, including this NY Times article and this Baltimore Sun article
I hope Raw does a feature on Nick Bockwinkel tonight. They have run a nice five minute tribute feature on the network I’m told with comments from Gene Okerlund, Greg Gagne and Baron Von Raschke. One thing making it a solid shot is that he’s in their Hall of Fame. If Jerry Lawler was still on Raw, it would be a lock since he and Bockwinkel had so many big matches. But I’m guessing at the very least, John Layfield would bring his name up and say something nice about him.
Here is a Nick Bockwinkel interview from 2001 by Fight Network.
WWE
The WWE.com had a poll of fans who they most want to win the tournament. The numbers have fluctuated over the past two days, but the last time I checked, Cesaro was way ahead with 36 percent, and unless somebody shows this result to Vince and presses him on it, one would think Cesaro has no chance to win today. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose were dueling evenly for second place, both around 19-21%, with Kevin Owens around 13-16% while there very limited support (as in less than 5%) for Dolph Ziggler, Kalisto and Neville, and less than no support for Alberto Del Rio.
It’s Undertaker week on the WWE Network, including Undertaker’s Greatest Rivals part one tonight after Raw with JBL and part two after Smackdown with several wrestlers talking about their matches with him in a panel format. There will also be a 25 year special on Tuesday at 9 p.m. and Undertaker’s Gravest matches on Wednesday at 9 p.m.
Topps has announced a new WWE trading card series, Undisputed, that will be released on Wednesday. It will have the most autographed cards of any previously released WWE card product, from current names like Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, John Cena, Charlotte and Sasha Banks, to Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart, Trish Stratus Ric Flair, and NXT stars like Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe and Enzo Amore, as well as Pete Rose, Lawrence Taylor, Razor Ramon, Big Bossman, Junkyard Dog, Davey Boy Smith, Curt Hennig and Jay Strongbow.
Spectre with Dave Bautsita remained No. 1 at the box office in the U.S. with $35.4 million this past weekend. It debuted at No. 1 in Australia with $12,069,993 (thanks to James Stanios)
This made its way around the Internet recently, but WWE Divas champion Charlotte told The Sun that she would align herself with the Authority in order to make a match with Ronda Rousey happen. Here’s the interview.
Here’s the Minneapolis Star-Tribune on Nick Bockwinkel
UFC/MMA
The city of Albuquerque is planning a big celebration of sorts for Holly Holm’s title win over Ronda Rousey on Saturday.
The Holm title win was on the back cover of both of Melbourne’s daily newspapers with further coverage in both the news and sports sections. There were also editorials about the brutality of the sport and using the term sport in quotes. (thanks to Daniel Arnephy)
Here’s a New York Post interview with Holm
Tickets for the UFC 1/17 show in Boston featuring TJ Dillashaw vs. Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight title, Anthony Pettis vs. Eddie Alvarez, Travis Browne vs. Matt Mitrione, Tim Boetsch vs. Ed Herman, Paul Felder vs. Daron Cruickshank, Patrick Cote vs. Ben Saunders and more go on sale Friday to the public at 10 a.m priced from $250 down to $50. Fight Club members can get ticketsWednesday and there will get a code for an Internet pre-sale on Thursday.
Josh Koscheck will make his Bellator debut at Bellator 148 on Friday, January 29th against Matt Secor at Fresno, CA’s Save-Mart Center. In the co-main event, Paul Daley faces Andy Urich, so if both men win, you have a ready-made big fight for an early-2016 tentpole show.
Former UFC title contender, current podcast host, and ESPN analyst Chael P. Sonnen will receive the George Tragos award at the 2016 National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Dan Gable Museum during induction weekend on July 14-16. The George Tragos Award is given to an exceptionally competitive wrestler who adapted his or her wrestling skills and competitive nature to excel in MMA.
Dong Hyun Kim will now fight Dominic Waters at UFC Fight Night 79 in Seoul, South Korea on November 28th. Waters replaces Jorge Masvidal, who was moved up to the headline bout against Benson Henderson when Thiago Alves was forced out due to a rib injury. Waters made his UFC debut in July, losing a decision to George Sullivan at the TUF 21 Finale.
MISCELLANEOUS
AAA results from last night in Ciudad Juarez for a TV taping: Dinastia b Mini Abismo Negro, Speedball & Australian Suicide b Daga & Steve Pain, Garza Jr. & Psycho Circus b Dark Cuervo & Dark Scoria & Zorro, El Hijo de Pirata Morgan & Parka Negra & Taurus b Blue Demon Jr. & Electroshock & La Parka, Rey Mysterio Jr. & Psycho Clown & Chris Masters (as a mystery babyface) b Averno & Chessman & Psicosis. Psicosis replaces Cibernetico, who was at Arena Mexico and has left AAA. Pretty much sold out. After the show, Rey Mysterio Jr. & Konnan came out and talked about the history of wrestling in Ciudad Juarez, and Konnan also talked about Eddy Guerrero, who started his career in that arena. This was the first major AAA show in the city in years (thanks to Antonio Garza)
Kurt Angle talks his spoken word tour coming to the U.K.
Mark & Jay Briscoe plugging a Toys for Tots collection at ROH Final Battle shows on 12/18 and 12/19 in Philadelphia
Barry Rose pointed out that today is the 36th anniversary of the death of Eric the Red, real name Eric Hansen, a week after suffering serious head injuries after being hit by a car in Tampa after he had wrestled that night in Miami Beach. Eric Hansen’s intro to pro wrestling was notable as he was from British Columbia, and Karl Gotch was taking on all comers with the idea anyone who he couldn’t submit in five minutes would win money. The wrestlers trained Hansen, who was a huge guy, to just hold onto the ropes so as not to go down, and he was able to do it. Of course, in wrestling, soon that was built up that some fan got the better of Gotch, and JWA in Japan, hearing about that, booked him for a tour and that’s how his career got started.
Premier Wrestling on 11/28 in Gilroy, CA at the IFDES Lodge-Portuguese Hall with a one-night three-way round robin with Jeff Cobb (6-3-1), Timothy Thatcher (4-2-1) and Joe Graves (2-1-1) fought with rounds. JR Kratos (9-2) vs. Gabriel Gallo (4-0) will be the main event. There will also be a womens’ title tournament with Nicole Savoy (3-1), Kahmora (1-1), Raze (0-2) and Kikyo Nakamura (0-1). Tickets are at www.premierwrestle.com
Pro Wrestling Phoenix from Saturday night in Council Bluffs, IA: Con Artiest b Robert Storm, Marek Brave won Battle Royal, Pat Powers b Purple, Hype Gotti & Tony Cortez & Zac James b L-Ray & Joey Daniels & Paul Daniels, Devin Carter b Dalton Lee Roth, Mad Dog McDowell & Jon West b Connor Braxton & Eddie Machete, Mark Sterling b Marek Brave. Next show is 11/29 in Omaha at the Waiting Room Lounge.
SPW from Sunday in Sacramento: Airon Skye won over Johnny Maverick, Scoot Robinson and Truex, Rik Luxury b James Von Eeerie, Sir Samurai & Drake Fost b Mustafa Saed & JD Bishop and TLO & Jonny Yen, Daniel Torch b Will Roberts, Scoot Robertson b Joe DeSoul, Michael Hayashi b Virgil Flynn, Brain Tannen (formerly in WWE developmental) b JR Kratos-DQ. Next show is 12/20 with Tannen defending against Robertson at the SPW Arena in Sacramento. (thanks to Mike Millerick)
NWA Mid South from Saturday night in Dyresburg, TN: Tim Storm b Josh Lewis, Jeremy Moore & Roosevelt b The Posse, Rob Conway b Apoc, Van Vanhorn b Chris O’Neal, Heat Seekers b Matt Riviera & Storm to keep NWA tag titles.
WrestleZone from Saturday night in Aberdeen, Scotland before 840 fans, a sellout: The Rejected b Mr. P & Kaden Garrick, Shawn Johnson b Lord Mr. Malice, William Sterling b Blue Thunder Damien b Bryan Tucker & Johnny Lions, Lewis Girvan & Debbie Sharpe b Aspen Faith & Sammii Jayen, Scotty Swift won over Alan Sterling, Crusher Craib & Bingo Ballance. Mick Foley was at ringside as commissioner for the night. Foley used Mr. Socko on Russell and Sterling at one point on the show.
CHIKARA ends season 15 on 12/5 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia with Hallowicked vs. Icarus vs. Eddie Kingston for the Grand Championship in the main event.
Lucky Pro Wrestling from Sunday in Clinton, MA: Verne Vicallo & Delmi Exo b Tequilla Rosee & Tomahawk, Davianne & Travis Gordon b Scott Levesque & Nikki Valentine, Tessa Blanchard & Anthony Greene b Scotty Slade & Alexus Nevaeah, Jessicka Havok & Brandon Webb b Natalia & Anthony Stone, Keith Gordon b Christian Casanova, Anthony Greene & Tessa Blanchard b Verne Vicallo & Delmi Exo, Davianne & Travis Gordon b Brandon Webb & Jessicka Havok, Tessa Blanchard & Anthony Greene b Daviaenne & Travis Gordon to win tournament
ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY INTERNATIONAL (thanks to Graeme Cameron)
1968 – Skull Murphy beat Tex McKenzie in Melbourne to win the IWA title
1973 – Sara Lee & Sylvia Hackney beat Mariko Akagi & Peggy Kuroda in Fukushima to win the WWWA tag titles
1979 – Rusher Kimura beat Verne Gagne via count out in Wakayama to win the IWE title. This match was Gagne’s last pro wrestling singles match defeat
1982 – Faraon beat Mascara Ano 2000 in Mexico City to win the NWA light heavyweight title
1986 – Blue Panther beat Gran Hamada in Mexico City to win the UWA jr. light heavyweight title
1996 – Hisakatsu Oya & the Head Hunters beat Masato Tanaka & Koji Nakagawa & Tetsuihiro Kuroda in Osaka to win the World Six Man Street fight titles
2012 – Prince Devitt (Finn Balor) beat Marty Scurll in St. Ives to win the IPW British cruiserweight title