Daily Update: Chris Jericho, Bray Wyatt, Rusev/Lashley

DAILY UPDATE

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F4W NEWSLETTER: NXT’s Survivor Series involvement Joseph Currier looks at how WWE featured NXT at Survivor Series and in the build to the PPV.

Even with how forced the battle for brand supremacy can admittedly be, Survivor Series is one of the bright spots on the WWE calendar.

The PPV has given us some of the main roster’s best matches in recent years. Last year, we got Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Bryan and Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair (filling in for the injured Becky Lynch). In 2017, Lesnar faced AJ Styles. Those matches wouldn’t have happened without the brand vs. brand concept. And while there would ideally be more substantive stakes involved, the brands facing off has given some life to the traditional Survivor Series elimination tag matches.

The added involvement of NXT this year only improved things. The battle of the brands would have been even more forced without their inclusion. Viewers can believe that NXT really wants to prove that it’s better than Raw or SmackDown. It’s much harder to suspend your disbelief and buy into Raw and SmackDown’s wrestlers being undyingly loyal to their brand just weeks after a draft.

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WON NEWSLETTER: December 2, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Survivor Series weekend, Mauro Ranallo/Corey Graves

Coverage of Survivor Series weekend and five shows in six nights in Chicago, as well as the business, polls and more, heads this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

We look at the directions things are going, how DVR viewership affects all the major shows, the decision on match order, what Vince McMahon was doing during the Survivor Seres main event, the next two major shows as well as Survivor Series and Takeover with full coverage and star ratings for every match.

The issue also covers:

The myth of NXT as developmental, World’s Collide, the next Takeover, the mention of Britt Baker on the air and more.

The tragic death of Aniah Blanchard, the stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris.

Changes in the UFC drug policy, regarding levels, what drugs are low levels now allowed, what UFC is encouraging fighters to do as far as supplements, . 

The situation with Corey Graves and Mauro Ranallo, what happened, why Graves should have been more careful, and where things stand.

Jim Cornette’s apology, how his departure from the NWA took place, more of the background as to why Cornette was castigated for things that nobody would have batted an eye about had others said and why, what NWA wanted to do with him and why their hand was forced.

C.M. Punk signing with FOX, Vince McMahon’s thoughts on Seth Rollins pushing the Punk match, TV ratings in Canada and overseas, WWE get awarded, legend selling home, Oney Lorcan talks future, Mike Bennett talks wanting to leave, Injury updates in WWE, WWE market value and the most-watched shows of the past week on the WWE Network, plus notes on the house shows.

Full coverage of all the WWE and AEW television shows from the past week.

In-depth looks at the ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.

Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week. 

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SUNDAY NEWS UPDATE

Our weekend audio show with Bryan Alvarez is up right now on the site and we will have a second show talking economics of pro wrestling and AEW with Brandon Thurston and Garrett Gonzalez up later today. This was somewhat of a quiet weekend although the Starrcade show is tonight.  From the 60s through the 80s, Thanksgiving was synonymous with the biggest shows of the year.  We have a retro Observer up covering the history of pro wrestling on Thanksgiving.

After the first two days of its release, Chris Jericho’s “A Little Bit of the Bubbly” sparkling win has sold 10,000 bottles.

As far as Google trends go, the only thing over the last week combat sports related was Gina Carano at No. 10 on Friday with 100,000 searches due to her debut on the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian. On Wednesday, there were 10 million searches for “History of Thanksgiving,” but that was not related to a Ric Flair vs. Harley Race match. 

As far as Rusev vs. Bobby Lashley tonight, for whatever this is worth, this is what they did in the billed last man standing matches the last two days: Lashley and Lana came out and Rusev never came out. The referee counted to ten and ruled that Lashley won the match. They celebrated and Lana said “Rusev is a fool” but then Rusev came out to attack Lashley.  They never had the match since the ten count meant that Lashley won already.

Here’s a story on the new Bray Wyatt championship belt. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)

Here’s a link to the ice hockey movie “Net Worth” that we talked about on today’s Observer Radio, a true story based in the NHL in the late 50s. I would encourage all pro wrestlers and fans interested in business to watch this movie, particularly considering how owners manipulate and players get bullied. Even as bad as it was, the NHL players had a pension plan 63 years ago.

WWE

  • Samoa Joe is currently planned to announce Raw tomorrow night with Vic Joseph and Jerry Lawler.
  • Here’s a story on a seventh grade girl who wasn’t allowed to wrestle that caught the attention of Beth Phoenix.
  • WWE 24: Trish Stratus airs on the WWE Network after Starrcade.
  • There was a category on Jeopardy on Friday called WWE Slammy Awards. The answers to the questions were Charlie Sheen, Cyndi Lauper, Ronda Rousey, Dwayne Johnson and Vince McMahon. The contestants didn’t do well in the category (thanks to Ken Raftery) 
  • A ‘Day Of’ special built around the 2019 Survivor Series airs 12/8 on WWE Network. 

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Konnan returns to MLW on Thursday’s TV tapings in New York and the Melrose Ballroom.
  • AAW from last night in Chicago: Rory Storm b Reilly McGwire, Ace Austin & Clayton Gainz b Travis Titan & Jake Landers, Hakim Zane b Myron Reed, Killer Kross b Josh Briggs, Curt Stallion b Eddie Kingston, Good Brother #3 (Mance Warner) b Nick Gage (crowd loved this match), Josh Alexander b Ace Romero to keep AAW title, Paco b Jake Something to win the Heritage title, ACH & Mat Fitchett & Davey Vega b Sami Callihan & Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz (said to be super), Jessicka Havok b Kris Statlander to keep the womens’ title (thanks to Case Lowe)
  • The next AAW show has Alexander defending against Jacob Fatu, Zane defending the Heritage title against Pac and David Starr & Kingston vs. Stallion & Something.
  • WrestleCade results from Friday night in Winston, Salem, NC:  Murphy Costagan b David Anthony to keep SWF TV title, John Skylar b Andrew Everett to keep PWI Ultra J title, Heatseekers b Jordan Cage & Caleb Courageous to keep the Innovate U.S. tag titles, C.W. Anderson b Ethan Page to keep the AML title, Gymnasty Boys b GRIT to win the vacant Fest Wrestling tag titles, Rocky Rage won three-way over Jason Kincaid and Brian Pillman Jr. to keep ASW title, Killer Kross b Billy Brash to keep the Wrestling Revolver title, Brian Cage b Willie Mack to keep the More Wrestling title, Diamante won four-way over Kiera Hogan, Miranda Alize and champion Ivelisse to win the Ladies Night Out title in an elimination match, Rich Swann b Matt Cross to keep the NWG title (thanks to Shannon Walsh and wrestlingwithdemons.net)
  • WrestleCade results from  last night in Winston-Salem, NC:  Great Muta b George South, Nick Aldis & Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson b Homicide & Hernandez & Thomas Latimer, Jax Dane won Battle Royal, Taya Valkyrie won four-way over Rosemary, Jordynne Grace and Su Yung.  Tessa Blanchard was to wrestle but due to an eye injury suffered last week in London, she couldn’t and did commentary. She said that a former ECW wrestler (Sandman) was backstage saying that he didn’t think women should be in the man event because he didn’t believe fans would accept it. She said that all the women in the ring have wrestled all over the world and held titles and they aren’t great women wrestlers, they are great wrestlers period.
  • MVP pulled out of WrestleCade weekend due to issues with a third party promoter. He was supposed to face Stephan Bonnar over the weekend.
  • BCW from Friday night in Melbourne, Australia:  Mortar b Vixsin to keep the women’s title, Nick Bury & Mitch Waterman b Carlo Cannon & Sketch, Cody Swift b Cletus to keep the Battle Express title, The Preston Kindred b The Pares to keep the BCW tag titles, Mick Moretti b Syd Parker, Gabriel Wolfe b Famous B, Mad Dog b Sabu in a barbed wire match to keep the BCW title.  Next show is 1/26 in Melbourne with Ultimo Dragon vs. Syd Parker. On 1/25 in Sydney, Dragon will wrestle Moretti. (thanks to Kevin Chiat)
  • Limitless Wrestling from Friday night in Yarmuth, MA:  Christian Casanova b Myron Reed, JD Drake b Alec Price, Masha Slamovich b Jody Threat, Ace Romero & Anthony Greene b Danger Kid & Aiden Aggro, CJ Cruz won scramble match over Pinkie Sanchez, Kevin Ku, Manders and Oswald Project, JT Dunn b Jake Something, Ashely Vox b Kris Statlander in a last creature standing match.  They used multiple doors as objects and people were raving about the main event. (thanks to Shannon Walsh)
  • NHPW on Saturday night in Perth, Australia:  Creek Murdoch b Cannon Connors and WAR, Matthew Pace b Johnny Hardway, Jebediah b Aaron O’Malley in a hunters cage match, Julian Ward b King Shahil to keep the Art of Fighting title, Lena Kross & Mercedes Martinez b Kenicki Wheeler & Rogan Karguis-DQ,Tommy Knight won three-way over champion Rory Holmes and Chris Dickinson to win the Hybrid title.  They announced Low Ki and Killer Kross on 2/12. (thanks to Kevin Chiat)
  • Adrenaline Pro Wrestling on 2/22 in Melbourne with Sammy Guevara.
  • OTT from last night in Dublin, Ireland:  Terry Thatcher won five-way over Calum Black, Kyle Fletcher, Mao and Omari, Aidan b Liam Royal, Bonesaw & Damien Corvus b Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf 450, Katey Harvey b Debbie Keitel to keep the women’s title, Scotty Davis b Ren Narita to keep the No Limits title, Paddy M b B Cool, Rey Hours & Pentagon Jr & Rey Fenix b Darren Kearney & LJ cleary & Nathan Martin, David Starr b Mike Bailey to keep the OTT title (thanks to Paul Sosnowski)
  • Defy, PCW Ultra and Progress joint show last night in Seattle.  Every match said to be ***+. Crowd looked sold out. Jake Atlas b Douglas James to keep PCW Ultra light heavyweight title, Jorel Nelson & Travis Williams & Cook Brothers & Alexander Hammerstone b Judas Icarus & Guillermo Rosas & Cody Chunn & Randy Myers & Schaff, Meiko Satomura b Nicole Savoy to keep the Progress title (disappointing), Josef Samael & Jacob Fatu won over Ethan HD & Mike Santiago and Randers & Big Jack for the PCW Ultra and Defy tag titles, Jimmy Havoc b Sonico, El Phantasmo b Artemis Spencer (thanks to Scott Janicek)
  • Stardom from this afternoon in Osaka:  Andras Miyagi b Leo Onozaki, Natsuko Tora b Itsuki Hoshino, Konami & Zoe Lucas b Saya Iida & Saya Kamitani, Hana Kimura & Jungle Kyona & Death Yama-San b Natsu Sumire & Jamie Hayter & Session Moth Martina, Riho & Tam Nanano & Saki Kashima & Starlight Kid b Bea Priestley & Momo Watanabe & Utami Hayashishita & AZM, Mayu Iwatani & Arisa Hoshiki b Kagetsu & Hazuki.
  • This evening’s show in Osaka:  Jamie Hayter b Leo Onozaki, Andras Miyagi b Saya Iida, Riho & Starlight Kid b Saya Kamitani & Itsuki Hoshino, Mayu Iwatani & Arisa Hoshiki & Tam Nakano & Saki Kashima b Bea Priestley & Momo Watanabe & Utami Hayashishita & AZM,Hazuki & Kagetsu & Natsu Sumire & Natsuko Tora & Session Moth Martina b Hana Kimura & Jungle Kyona & Konami & Death Yama-san & Zoe Lucas (thanks to Shannon Walsh)
  • Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling announced its 12/28 show scheduled for East Carondelet, IL has been canceled. 
  • Amale, the current WXW women’s champion who has worked for WWE as well, but isn’t signed and is having a lot of problems from parents as she is wrestling while being a schoolteacher. (thanks to Matt Burrows)

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Hulk Hogan wins NWA Southeastern Title

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