Daily Update: Cena’s surgery, Smackdown debut, McGregor’s next fight

TNA PPV tonight! That’s right, TNA is running a PPV show tonight, in Bethlehem, PA after four straight days of tapings. As noted by Dave, the ratings for the first real episode of Impact on POP TV did poorly, and I can’t imagine that this PPV will do anything but that. 

Conor McGregor will move up in weight to challenge UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in an effort to become the UFC’s first dual belt holder and their third fighter to win belts in two weight classes. More on that here. The show in March will be headlined by McGregor vs. RDA and co-headlined by Holly Holm’s first women’s bantamweight championship defense against Miesha Tate. Yes, UFC is not going with the Ronda Rousey rematch immediately.  

We’re looking for reports on tonight’s WWE show in Houston (Brock Lesnar vs. Sheamus, Chris Jericho vs.  Alberto Del Rio, Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens for IC title),tonight’s NXT show in Tampa and tonight’s TNA show in Bethlehem, PA if there’s anything not on the PPV to Dave Meltzer

We’ll also be doing our weekend poll on the TNA 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

TNA ONE NIGHT ONLY PPV TONIGHT FROM BETHLEHEM, PA AT 8 P.M. EASTERN

Kurt Angle & Drew Galloway vs. Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards vs. Eli Drake & Jessie Godderz

Bobby Roode & James Storm vs. Eric Young & Bram

Women’s gauntlet match for No. 1 contender for the title (possibly to be won by Awesome Kong since Gail Kim vs. Awesome Kong in a title match was already taped for Impact)

Mahabili Shera vs. Aiden O’Shea

Bobby Lashley vs. Tyrus

Mike Bennett vs Robbie E  

NEW JAPAN WORLD PRO WRESTLING RETURNS ON AXS TV AT 8 P.M EASTERN (one hour earlier than usual)

A.J. Styles vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for IWGP title

CMLL ON WWW.CLAROSPORTS.COM LIVE FROM ARENA MEXICO TONIGHT AT 9:30 P.M. EASTERN TIME

Bengala & Leono vs. Camorra & Espiritu Negro

Esfinge & Pegasso & Stigma s. Canelo Casas & Okumura & Virus

Silueta vs. Dallys

Marco Corleone & La Mascara & Maximo Sexy vs. Kamaitachi & Negro Casas & Mr. Niebla

Euforia & Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero vs. Dragon Rojo & Rey Escorpion & Thunder

Volador Jr. & Cibernetico vs. Rush & Caristico

CES MMA FROM LINCOLN, RION AXS TV AT 9 P.M. EASTERN

We’re looking for reports on Saturday from the ROH TV tapings in Concord, NC (Young Bucks vs. Matt Sydal & ACH, Roderick Strong vs. Masada, Frankie Kazarian vs. Alex Shelley, War Machine vs. All Night Express plus Top Prospect tournament matches), Lucha Underground TV tapings in Boyle Heights, CA, WWE house shows in Montgomery, AL (Roman Reigns vs. Sheamus for WWE title; New Day vs. Dudleys & Tommy Dreamer, Kane vs. Bray Wyatt) and Bossier City, LA (Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens for IC title, Chris Jericho vs. Alberto Del Rio, Ryback vs. Rusev), TNA PPV tapings in Bethlehem, PA and NXT in Citrus Springs, FL.

Sunday has Lucha Underground tapings in Boyle Heights, CA, as well as WWE house shows in Mobile, AL (Roman Reigns vs. Sheamus for WWE title; New Day vs. Dudleys & Tommy Dreamer; Kane vs. Bray Wyatt) and Monroe, LA (Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens for IC title, Chris Jericho vs. Alberto Del Rio, Ryback vs. Rusev).

Raw is live Monday from New Orleans.  Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman return on the show.

Smackdown and Main Event tapings will be Tuesday in Lafayette, LA.

If you’ve ever wanted to WATCH our radio shows here on the site, check out our new Youtube page! No full video shows, but lots of video clips, full free audio shows that you can tell your friends about, and much more to come! Make sure you subscribe today! We have have clips of the post Summer Slam / Super China Buffet show featuring a lengthy Brent Kremen discussion, as well as clips from the X-Mas show. This is a soft launch but we will be releasing much more shortly.

Figure Four Weekly

Figure Four Weekly 1/4/2016: More on Gawker motioning to dismiss Hulk Hogan lawsuit

More information on Gawker’s motion to dismiss Hulk Hogan’s sex tape lawsuit, tons more.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The Latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter: January 11, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Cena out with shoulder injury, New Japan stars to WWE

In the biggest news week in a long time, we’ve got a double issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter this week, covering John Cena’s injury, New Japan stars headed to WWE, a major feature looking at the year that past in pro wrestling and MMA and the year coming up, WWE direction for WrestleMania season, Tokyo Dome coverage, Rizin debut coverage, TNA changes and UFC 195.

Our lead story talks about John Cena’s injury and the injury issues in WWE with more notes on the training program being used. All the news regarding wrestlers leaving New Japan, who’s been contacted, different roles, the various schedules for different guys, other negotiations, what led to these moves, what New Japan needs to learn from this, affects on ROH, and other ideas for New Japan to break out of its standard mentality.

UFC in 2016, the success of the women’s division, UFC business review, big fights on the horizon, the state of WWE in 2015 and 2016, different fan bases, rise of NXT, where New Japan has failed on the international scene, plus AAA, CMLL, Bellator, TNA and ROH prospects in 2016.

Full coverage of New Japan’s Tokyo Dome show, match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results, the big angles, Okada’s prospects as the top star, the next big programs on the horizon, big show plans for 2016, the Fanstastica Mania tour lineup and thoughts, New Year’s Dash coverage.

The changes to this year’s Royal Rumble and scout the possibilities and big matches on the horizon for Mania, and the return of Chris Jericho.

WWE Network, John Cena on Peyton Manning and HGH, football coach trying to recruit WWE for Mania, portrayal of Joseph Maroon in the “Concussion”, lots of details on new Dwayne Johnson projects, Lesnar’s schedule, a look at 50/50 booking, Reaction to HHH circumventing his own angle, February NXT, WrestleMania plans, Jericho talks current interview style, WWE looking for new stars around the world, Dusty Rhodes tag team tournament, WWE injury updates, Austin TV show.

A complete look at the debut of the Rizin promotion, details on the ratings and how it compares to WWE & UFC, the Masato vs. Kid Yamamoto show in competition, boxing in competition, Spike TV numbers, Fedor’s return, the freak show fights and what did and didn’t work on the first two shows.

UFC 195, with match-by-match coverage, poll results and business regarding the show, a look at all the close decisions and why they went the way they did.

TNA’s debut on Pop TV, the ratings, the title tournament, who was watching, the PPV show this week, the Mike Bennett debut, the James Storm return, the departure of Taryn Terrell and the good and bad of the latest relaunch.

PLUS MUCH MORE! CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW

You can also order the print Observer right now and get it delivered to your door via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer

You can also order print issues at www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Rates are:

For the United States, it is $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 get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today.  With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today. 

Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.

Check out the latest Online Wrestling Observer BACK ISSUE: November 23, 1998 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF Survivor Series review, Rock becomes Corporate Champion
A full review of WWF Survivor Series with The Rock becoming the Corporate Champion, more WCW woes, plus tons of news.

TODAY’S DAILY UPDATE

John Cena’s shoulder injury was for a torn rotator cuff, and the surgery performed by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas in Birmingham was said to be successful.

While UFC is not expected to make the announcement for another day or two, or three, the first major show of 2016 will be 3/5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with Rafael dos Anjos vs. Conor McGregor for the lightweight title and Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate for the women’s bantamweight title.  

The debut of Smackdown on the USA Network did 2,757,000 viewers, up about 600,000 from what the show was doing on Syfy, so the boost of changing networks looks to be significant.

The WWE continues to have fun on its web site with the New Japan raid, showing a photo of most of the Bullet Club, wearing Balor Club T-shirts on their web site while Finn Balor wore a Bullet Club T-shirt in a photo released.  Balor did an interview promoting them coming talking about how he was best friends in Japan with Karl Anderson, as well as good friends with Tama Tonga, Bad Luck Fale and Shinsuke Nakamura while he was in Japan.

Roddy Piper’s last movie, “The Masked Saint,” debuts tonight in 480 theaters around the country.  The story is about the life of a pro wrestler who becomes a pastor, but when there are problems paying the bills, he goes back to wrestling to raise money.  CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

There was a bomb threat this morning at Arena Mexico.  The building was evacuated at 10:30 a.m. and roads around the arena were blocked off.  The building was searched and no bomb was found.

ROH announced a battle of champions (Jay Lethal & War Machine & Roderick Strong) vs. Bullet Club (Young Bucks & Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) for 1/22 in Asheville, NC.  Anderson & Gallows are making their advertised ROH dates this month but will not be taking any new dates.

WWE

  • WWE stock closed down two cents a share today to $16.30.
  • To show the relationship with WWE & Evolve is still strong, WWE allowed Evolve to pass out flyers for their shows in January in Orlando at the NXT tapings last night at Full Sail University.
  • Tickets are on sale today for the complete out of Florida NXT shows.  Since they are in smaller buildings, most are likely to sell out quickly. 2/4 in Memphis, 2/5 in Nashville, 2/6 in Indianapolis, 2/18 in Philadelphia (Tower Theater), 2/19 in Asbury Park, NJ, 2/20 in Albany, NY
  • Daniel Bryan will be appearing toady in Cincinnati at the Cavalcade of Customs at the Duke Energy Convention Center (thanks to Brian Henke)
  • Tommy Dreamer on Katie Nolan’s sports talk show
  • A couple of stories on the Anoa’i family and wrestling related to Roman Reigns returning as WWE champion to the Gulf Coast this weekend, where he grew up.  HERE and HERE
  • R-Truth promotes the weekend show in Bossier City, LA
  • The Dudleys promote the Raw show in New Orleans on Monday

UFC

  • UFC officially announced shows on 5/8 in Rotterdam, Holland, which was reported in this week’s Observer, as well as 4/10 in Zagreb, Croatia.  Both will be FS 1 shows. 
  • A Frank Mir vs. Mark Hunt heavyweight main event was announced for 3/20 in Brisbane, Australia.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • AAA’s vacated heavyweight title, that Alberto Del Rio never lost and wasn’t allowed to return to drop, will be decided on 1/22 in the main event of Guerra de Titanes at Juan de la Barrera Gym in Mexico City.  It will start as a tag match with Dr. Wagner Jr. & Psycho Clown vs. Mesias & El Texano Jr.  The winning team will then have a singles match for the championship.
  • Glory 27 takes place on 2/26 in Chicago at the Sears Centre Arena headlined by Artem Levin vs. Simon Marcus for the middleweight title.  There is a pre-sale right now and tickets to on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Sunday.
  • During last night’s Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets game, in Dallas, they were playing the Shinsuke Nakamura entrance music between plays. (thanks to Paul Fontaine) 
  • CMLL from Tuesday night at Arena Coliseo in Guadalajara:  Chakal & Thunder Boy b Divino & Metatron, Disturbio & Malefico & Metalico b Omar Brunetti & Sensei & Starman, Okumura & Sangre Azteca & Virus b Esfinge & Pegasso & Stigma, Angel de Oro & Rey Cometa & Titan b Dragon Rojo Jr. & Polvora & Rey Hechicero, El Terrible & Rey Bucanero & Vangellys b Mistico & Valiente & Volador Jr.
  • The non-title win in the main event by Terrible & Bucanero & Vangellys sets up a CMLL trios title match on Tuesday night in Guadalajara.
  • Casino executive Bryan Lindsey was announced as having acquired a majority equity stake in Tuff N Uff, the 20-year old Las Vegas local promotion.
  • IWA Mid South tonight in Clarksville, IN at the Colgate Gym features Billy Gunn, Sami Callihan, Michael Elgin and Kongo Kong.  They also run tomorrow night in the same building with Gunn vs. Reed Bentley and a women’s no rope barbed wire match.
  • Ken Anderson on Instragram wrote he was doing voiceovers for a Super Secret Squirrel video game.

Here is today’s daily history: Daily pro wrestling history (01/08): Edge defeats John Cena to win WWE Championship