Daily Update: Bellator welterweight tournament, Raw, PROGRESS

THE ROUND-UP

THE LATEST NEWS

THE LATEST AUDIO

We’re looking for your thoughts on Saturday and Sunday’s New Japan shows in Osaka, as well as UFC 227, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

We’re looking for reports on Friday’s WWE Raw show in Augusta, GA, as well as last night’s show in Albany, GA, and the non-Raw matches from Jacksonville, FL tonight and Smackdown house show from Gainesville, FL tonight to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.

Smackdown and 205 Live take place Tuesday in Orlando with Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch vs. Billie Kay & Peyton Royce, Sheamus & Cesaro vs. New Day for a shot at the Bludgeon Brothers’ Smackdown tag titles at SummerSlam.

F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: The next step in WWE’s Women’s Evolution

WWE’s “women’s evolution” took its logical next step last week as the company announced its first all-women’s pay-per-view. Aptly, the PPV will be called “Evolution.” It will take place at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York on October 28. WWE is hyping that over 50 wrestlers from the past and present will be involved, with Trish Stratus, Lita, and Beth Phoenix already advertised. 

WON NEWSLETTER: (July 30, 2018) Wrestling Observer Newsletter: All women PPV WWE Evolution announcement, more

The lead stories in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter cover the lives, careers and deaths of Brian Christopher Lawler, Nikolai Volkoff and Brickhouse Brown.

With Lawler, look at his death, his recent arrest, the decision to not bail him out, growing up in Memphis, how he started in pro wrestling, how he got his first push and his USWA heyday. 

Look the death of Nikolai Volkoff, what led to it, the true story of his name and where he got the gimmick as opposed to the public explanation that was always told.

Find out about the strange circumstances surrounding the death of Brickhouse Brown, how he was pronounced dead and came back to life, and his description of what happened when he was dead the first time. 

Read the update on the current SummerSlam show, business notes, Lesnar vs. Reigns, as well as the market value of tickets for all the rest of the summer major events.

Also there is more on the WWE FOX deal, new programming that both has and hasn’t been discussed, updated contract information, new season of Total Divas, why Cain Velasquez was training at the Performance Center, and Sting talks if he will wrestle again.

Look at the debut of ITV World of Sport wrestling, why it was put on network TV in that time slot, ratings for the show and what they mean, who watched, why people were surprised about the viewership and what it means. 

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 Dave@WrestlingObserver.com. 

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 moonsault@mediaplusint.com. 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.

MONDAY NEWS UPDATE

Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer radio covering Raw, Dave Bautista, Sam Adonis, and everything else. You can send questions to the show to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com.

For tonight’s Raw, they’ve announced Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan, The B Team vs. The Revival in a non-title match, Mojo Rawley vs. Bobby Roode and Ronda Rousey vs. Alicia Fox. Paige is backstage although they’ve been filming a lot of stuff so that doesn’t necessarily means she’s on television tonight.  

Bellator announced today the first round of its welterweight Grand Prix tournament. This will be an eight-man single elimination tournament. The title will be up for grabs in every match the champion is in. So there will be three different title matches as the tournament goes on. It starts on 9/29 in San Jose with Douglas Lima vs. Andrey Koreschkov. The other first round matches, date and times to be announced, are Paul Daley vs. MVP, Neiman Gracie vs. Ed Ruth and Rory MacDonald defending the title against Jon Fitch. Lorenz Larkin vs. Yarlov Amosov is the alternates match. The entire tournament is a DAZN exlcusive meaning every card with a tournament match won’t be on television. A tournament video is here.

For the Progreess tour, the New York City show tomorrow is sold out, Detroit on Sunday was sold out but they have opened up new seats. Seattle is doing well but there are tickets left and there are tickets left for Chicago.

WWE

  • They were filming Ride Alongs this past weekend with Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch as well as Sonya Deville & Mandy rose.
  • There will be a Table for 3 with Beth Phoenix, Natalya and Nia Jax airing tonight on the WWE Network.
  • All the Mae Young Classic competitors are in Orlando practicing their matches, doing media and photo shoots.  
  • The English translated version of the book “King of Strong Style 1980-2014,” the autobiography of Shinsuke Nakamura through 2014, will be released by VIZ Media tomorrow.
  • The 9/9 NXT show in Royal Oak, MI is sold out.
  • There was an XFL strategy meeting held in North Carolina and former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell was at the meeting.

OTHER

  • The Scenic City Invitational tournament finals from Saturday in Chattanooga, TN before 400 fans: 2 Cold Scorpio b Darius Lockhart, Corey Hollis b Nick Gage, Gary Jay b Jake Parnell, Fred Yehi b A.J. Gray, Joey Lynch b PCO, AC Mack won over Marko Stunt, Cyrus the Destroyer, Shaggy, Matt Lynch and Ike Cross in a match where he gets the right to choose his slot in the 2019 SCI, Kerry Awful & Nick Iggy b Mance Warner & Cain Justice, Joey Lynch won over Corey Hills, Fred Yehi and Gary Jay to win the SCI. Next show is the Scenic City Rumble on 11/17. (thanks to Larry Goodman)
  • There is an article here on Ted Kopplar Communications selling off their final television station in Springfield, MA. The story is actually a wrestling story because it is noted Kopplar Communications started with KLPR in St. Louis in 1959, and it said its biggest move was Harold Kopplar, Ted’s father, signing with Sam Muchnick to do Wrestling at the Chase. The story has a ton of St. Louis wrestling star photos.
  • Lucha Xtreme TV from this weekend in Fresno: Michael Shawn b Anthrax, Vinny Massaro & Gary Galaxy b Ziggy dice & Dreamy Drew, Sledge b Andrew Arch, Beast the Butcher b Michael Shawn. (thanks to Jon Southerland)
  • Big Time Wrestling from Friday night in Springfield, MA before 400 fans: Todo Loco b Connor Davies, James Ellsworth b Delmi Exo, Flex Armstrong b Tomahawk, The Patriot & JC Rodriguez b Vince Beach & Mr. TA, Darren Young b Danny Miles, Flex Rumblecrunch b Thomas Santell (Antonio Thomas) in what was said to be a great match, Scott Steiner b Slyk Wagner Brown.
  • Evolve results from yesterday in Melrose, MA: Anthony Henry b Jon Davis, AR Fox b Saieve Al-Sabah, AR Fox & The Skulk b The End, JD Drake b Dom Garrini, Josh Briggs b Jaka, Chris Dickinson b Tracy Williams, Matt Riddle b Austin Theory, Joey Janela b Darby Allin. (thanks to Gregory Valko and Jesse Collings)
  • Progress from yesterday in Melrose, MA: TK Cooper b Kid Lykos, LAX b Zack Gibson & James Drake, Eddie Dennis b Rickey Shane Page, Pete Dunne & Trent Seven b Chris Brookes & Jonathan Gresham, Mark Haskins b Mark Andrews, Jordynne Grace b Solo Darling, Jimmy Havoc b Flash Morgan Webster, Matt Riddle b Tyler Bate. I was told the main event was super, and it started after 11 p.m. Dunne & Seven vs. Gresham & Brookes also said to be excellent. (thanks to Jesse Collings)
  • Progress and Defy have shows on 8/9 and 8/10 in Seattle at Washington Hall. Both shows are 21 and over. Coming in includes Pete Dunne, Walter, Trent Seven, Tyler Bate, Shane Strickland (only Friday), plus Thursday has Rey Hours, Bandido and Flamita, and Friday has Toni Storm and Nicole Matthews.
  • There was a benefit show yesterday in Cheswick, PA for longtime wrestler Ken Jugan (Lord Zoltan) in Pittsburgh who was diagnosed with stage three cancer and is receiving treatments. Dominic DeNucci, Cody Michaels, Preston Steele, TC Reynolds, T-Rantula, Lou Marconi, Frank Staletto, Norm Connors, King Kaluha, Greg Mosorjak (promoter of GOUGE), and others from the 90s Pittsburgh scene were there. Steele beat Bubba the Bulldog, a local DJ, in a lumberjack match, when DeNucci, in his 80s, gave Bubba what is now called a Mongolian chop.
  • We were given incorrect results on some matches Saturday from the Virgil Flynn Productions show in Sacramento. The correct results are:  Mikey J won the Virgil Flynn Memorila Battle Royal and crown, Marcus Lewis won over Adam Mayhem, Richad Shhnary and Levi Shapiro, Anthony Rivera d Mike Hayashi with a double pin, Paul Isadora b Rob Hands, Funnybone & Chupacabra b Mike Rayne & Sheik Khan Abadi, Suburban Commandos won over Lost Treasure and Reno Scum in a non-title match.
  • PCW has an iPPV on 9/7 with Tessa Blanchard vs. Diamante. Blanchard will be auctioning off her Slammiversary ring jacket. Warbeast vs. Reno Scum was also announced.

Daily Professional Wrestling History: WCW Clash of the Champions XXXI

12th Annual F4W Empire Vegas Convention

Greetings friends and fans of the F4W / Wrestling Observer website. The 12th annual F4W / Wrestling Observer Empire Las Vegas Convention~! is just around the corner.

This year’s event will be taking place in Las Vegas from August 16th to the 20th and will again be in conjunction with WWE’s SummerSlam weekend a.k.a. Super China Buffet Day~! There will still be the usual events, but our big draw will be WWE’s summer blockbuster PPV, SummerSlam. As per tradition, we will all gorge ourselves at a Las Vegas buffet, and then watch SummerSlam in a rented out movie theater. All information and ticketing prices are available now. Sign up ASAP as spots are limited for some events. 

This year will also feature a Future Stars Wrestling show which will include the first ever Granny’s Doubles Match Classic! Already booked for the show are the teams Mia Yim & Leva Bates, Shotzi Blackheart & ???, Samantha Heights & Brittany Blake, and Miranda Alize & Kylie Rae. Also just booked for the show is a tag team Grappling Battel~! featuring Bryan Alvarez & ??? vs. The Beach Bums (PeachMachine & Mikey G), You won’t want to miss this show! Check out the convention’s Facebook page for all additional information.

CONTACT INFORMATION