Daily Update: Chet Coppock, Fight for the Fallen, Angela Magana

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F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Ronda Rousey confirms hiatus from WWE

Part one of Ronda Rousey’s professional wrestling career officially came to an end at WrestleMania.

Nearly three months after Dave Meltzer first reported that Rousey was likely finishing up with WWE at WrestleMania 35, Rousey made things official this week. She wrote on Instagram that she was going on an “impregnation vacation” with her husband Travis Browne. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, who Rousey is friendly with, then reported that Rousey is taking a hiatus from WWE to start a family.

WON NEWSLETTER: April 22, 2019 Observer Newsletter: WWE Superstar shake up results, more

A rundown of the fallout of the Superstar Shakeup leads off this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 

Go through the moves, the names, the direction, what it says about 205 Live, those coming and going, key people not brought up, couples and read a depth chart of the new rosters.

Look at the situation with Undertaker, the U.K. talk show situation and what happened, how did it happen, update on Sasha Banks situation, update on Money in the Bank PPV, update on Luke Harper, Alexander Wolfe, WWE’s relationship with Stardom, and WWE injury updates.

Also look at UFC 236, with match-by-match coverage, poll result and business notes.

Examine the Viceland documentary and the situation that led to the Montreal screwjob, including claims by Jim Cornette and Vince Russo about being the architects, from the background, and why it happened.

Also look at the career of Rich Franklin as he goes into the UFC Hall of Fame.

Read a feature on the legacy wing inductees in the WWE Hall of Fame, including major write-ups on Jim Barnett and Primo Carnera, as well as Hisashi Shinma’s role in Japanese wrestling booking history.

Run down the ratings of all the major TV shows, along with detailed demo info for the WWE shows.

As always, read the results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week. 

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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE

Chet Coppock, a well known Chicago sportscaster who had a long affiliation with pro wrestling, died earlier today in an auto accident. Coppock was 70. WLS called Coppock a Chicago sports icon, known as the Godfather of sports. He was injured in a 4/11 accident in Okatie, SC, between Savannah, GA and Hilton Head Island, SC. He was the passenger in a car driven by a 50-year-old woman. The vehicle crossed the median and hit another vehicle head-on, which led to a crash with a third vehicle. He was taken to the Savannah Memorial University Medical Center and passed away yesterday with his family by his side.

Coppock was a well known are radio talk show host of “Coppock on Sports” and I was on his show a few times. He promoted boxing matches as a teenager and was TV producer for the Milwaukee Bucks in the Jabbar/Oscar Robertson NBA championship era. I first saw him as the announcer for the Midwest Pioneers Roller Derby from 1971 to 1973 and briefly with the Los Angeles T-Birds in 1974 where he would yell “BANGO” whenever there was a hard hit from one of the babyfaces or a big heel bump, and would make up nicknames for every member of the Pioneer team. After Roller Derby ended, he became a TV sportscaster in Indianapolis from 1974-81 and would cover pro wrestling in that era. He played something of a heel role, and loved it when one year, he was voted both the most popular and the most hated television sports personality in the market, as he’d go to Pacers game wearing a full length fur coat. He worked in Chicago mostly from 1981 on.

During the 80s, he was the ring announcer for WWF live events in Chicago including the second WrestleMania. He would give wrestling results when he was a television sportscaster and regularly had WWF guests on his radio show. He once wrestled a bear and idolized Buddy Rogers as a child. (thanks to Matt Schreiner, Tom Wersderfer and many others)

AEW put tickets on sale today for the 7/13 show in Jacksonville. Based on the ticket map, there appear to be about 1,100 tickets not sold going into the public sale tomorrow.  

Former UFC fighter and current Combate Americas fighter Angela Magana has gotten out of the coma she was in earlier this week. She had emergency surgery on Tuesday and didn’t wake up from the surgery until earlier today. The current Observer has a story on it.

WWE

  • The WWE Network will be doing a live special on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Eastern from Moline, IL with Finn Balor vs. Elias for the IC title and The Shield’s farewell match against Baron Corbin & Bobby Lashley & Drew McIntyre.
  • The WWE Network put up what would be one of the few surviving television shows from Leroy McGuirk’s promotion, a 1978 episode that included some taped matches from Georgia with Ernie Ladd and Ray Candy, plus squash matches with Jose Lothario, Paul Orndorff, Cowboy Bob Ellis, El Mongol and Ron Bass.
  • A story on Drew McIntyre.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Goldust will be appearing at MCW on 4/27 in Joppa, MD at the MCW Arena.
  • Pro Wrestling Revolver on 5/10 in West Des Moines, IA at the Val Air Ballroom with Moose vs. Billy Gunn, Swoggle vs. Sami Callihan in a death match, TJ Perkins vs. Rich Swann vs. Ace Austin, Daga vs. Eddie Edwards, Tessa Blanchard vs. Jessicka Havok, Joey Ryan vs. Nevaeah plus Team Tremendous, Marko Stunt, Trey Miguel, Jimmy Jacobs and more.
  • WrestleCircus returns on 5/12 in Austin, TX at the 800 Congress Event Center with Joey Janela vs. Sammy Guevara, Scorpio Sky vs. Dezmond Xavier, JT Dunn vs. Sami Callihan, Lance Archer vs. Peter Avalon vs. Colin Delaney and more.
  • Bar Wrestling on 4/25 in Baldwin Park, CA at the American Legion Post with Tessa Blanchard & Jordynne Grace & Heather Monroe vs. Watts & Yuma & BHK, Jake Atlas vs. Joey Ryan, Moose vs. Luchasaurus, Brian Cage vs Daga, Peter Avalon & Ray Rosas vs. Tyler Bateman & Mick Moretti and Andy Brown vs. Jungle Boy.
  • Dynamo Pro Wrestling is tonight in St. Louis as part of Gateway Harley Davidson’s Bike Night. They also run 4/20 in St Louis at the Concordia-Turners Gym.
  • Legacy Fighting on 5/24 in Branson, MO at the Convention Center headlined by Daniel James (8-3-1) vs. former college basketball player Patrick Martin (7-4) in a heavyweight fight. The show will air live on AXS TV.
  • The Santino Brothers Dojo in Bell Gardens, CA has a show tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. with Jake Atlas & Ruby Raze & Lucas Riley vs. Bomb Squad & Slice Boogie.
  • There will be a free Lucha Libre party on 5/5 from Noon to 3 p.m. at Madame Tussauds Hollywood with Psicosis & Peter Avalon vs. Puma King & Adrian Quest.
  • British Empire Wrestling on 6/16 in Mitcham at The Sherwood School has announced these matches for an International women’s tournament: Amber Nova vs. Lexa Valo (Germany), Kat Von Kaige (Wales) vs. Calamity Kate (Canada), Kasey Owens (Ireland) vs. Mila Smidt (France) and Machiko San (USA) vs. Nadia Sapphire (Wales). Sadie Gibbs and KC Spinelli are also on the show.
  • Action Wrestling on 4/26 in Sharpsburg, GA with Fred Yehi, AR Fox and Anthony Henry.
  • Kenia Enriquez, a two-time world boxing champion, has signed with Combate Americas and will make her debut in the fall. Enriquez is 21-1 with nine knockouts as a boxer. Enriquez currently holds the WBC interim world light flyweight championship and previously held the WBO world flyweight championship.
  • In what is billed as the last pro wrestling event ever at the Nashville Fairgrounds, which is being torn down, on 6/1, they’ve announced Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson vs. Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian. House of Hardcore is doing the show with Tommy Dreamer, Willie Mack, Bill Dundee, Tracy Smothers and more.
  • CWE tonight in Regina, Saskatchewan at The Owl with Psicosis, Jimmy Jacobs and Michael Elgin. The same crew, along with Killer Kross Vinny Marseglia, TK O’Ryan and Vance Nevada appear on 4/24 in Brandon, Manitoba at the Great Western Roadhouse.
  • CWE from last night in Assinibola, SK: Jacob Creed b Alex Ace, Vinny Marseglia won three-way over Martn Pain and Norman Harass, Psicosis & Jimmy Jacobs & Michael Elgin b Killer Kross & AJ Sanchez & Kevin O’Doyle, Alix Zwicker b Maddison Miles, Danny Duggan b Robin Lekime to keep CWE title.
  • Shannon Moore headlines for Empire State Wrestling on 5/4 in Albion, NY at the Orleans County 4H Fairgrounds.
  • Eddie Kingston vs. Curt Stallion was announced for Evolve on 5/10 in Livonia, MI. They’ve also announced that Babatunde and Adrian Jaoude from NXT are on shows next month. 
  • Frankie NYC, who did a lot of MMA business notes and passed away recently has this thread up about him.
  • An interview with Jushin Liger. (thanks to Bryan Bierman)  

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Jumbo Tsuruta becomes first AJPW Triple Crown Champion

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