Daily Update: Double or Nothing, Orange Cassidy, Conor McGregor

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F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Recapping WWE Money in the Bank 2019

This year’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view offered WWE the chance to revitalize one of their best match types.

The Money in the Bank briefcases haven’t been all that much of a factor over the past couple of years. Both men’s winners (Braun Strowman and Baron Corbin) failed on their cash-ins. The women’s winners (Alexa Bliss and Carmella) were successful, but Bliss cashed in on the same night that she won the 2018 ladder match. WWE has missed out on being able to use Money in the Bank as a star-making tool or something to kick off notable angles.

WON NEWSLETTER: May 27, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Death of Ashley Massaro, Double or Nothing preview

A story on Ashley Massaro, the ramifications of her death, mental illness in pro wrestling and the legal fight she was in, the horrible story about Kuwait are all part of an extensive lead story in the current issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Look at her career before wrestling, life after wrestling, rundown the physical toll of pro wrestling, winning Diva Search, comments from those who knew her, her thoughts on a comeback, the concussion lawsuit and all the different questions her career as a swimsuit contest winner being rushed into pro wrestling matches because she got so popular so quickly raise.

Also look at the one debut of a promotion show in history that can compare with AEW’s Double or Nothing, look at the difference between this show and All In, the different fights the promotion has to face, and a detailed rundown of why Pac isn’t on the show, his status with the company, what the company wants out of its PPV shows, where a number of suggested surprise wrestlers are booked on that night, and why putting on the best shows is not the complete or even close to the key factor in a wrestling war.

Also look at the changes in television wrestling in the U.K. in 2020, and what this may mean when it comes to WWE and AEW in that market as far as exposure, and whether that is or isn’t a big issue.

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@wrestlingobserver.com or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

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SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • Today is Roman Reigns’ 34th birthday. Bo Dallas also turns 29 today.
  • The old Hardcore title’s 24/7 rule and Reigns’ biggest wins are featured on the latest editions of WWE Playlist.
  • WWE.com posted an article on Samoa Joe, Kassius Ohno, Billy Kidman, Michael Hayes, and more attending WXW-C4’s fundraiser show for Samu Anoa’i in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Wednesday (May 29). Samu is battling stage four liver cancer and is in need of a transplant.
  • R-Truth sang a remix of “Old Town Road” about being WWE 24/7 Champion.
  • Matt Riddle told the Miami Herald about what he wanted his name in WWE to be if it had to be changed: “So when I talked to them [after signing], somebody said, ‘Are we changing your name?’ I was like, ‘If you’re gonna change it, I don’t want to, but if you’re gonna change it, I only want it to be one other thing.’ They said, ‘What would that be?’ I go, ‘Ratthew Middle.’ My [birth] name is Matthew Riddle, so I wanted to change the letters around so I can be Ratthew Middle, and the crowd could chant, ‘Ratth-ew Mid-dle. Ratth-ew Middle.’ It has a ring to it.”
  • WWE uploaded The Revival vs. American Alpha from NXT TakeOver: Dallas to YouTube.
  • Cedric Alexander tweeted that he’s declaring himself the champion of WWE Main Event: “I’m just going to go ahead and declare myself @WWE #MainEvent Champion Ok? Ok cool”

Pro Wrestling

  • The first show in All Elite Wrestling’s history takes place tonight as the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas hosts Double or Nothing. The main card is airing on pay-per-view and B/R Live in the United States starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time. The Buy In, AEW’s pre-show for Double or Nothing, will stream for free on the promotion’s YouTube account and B/R Live starting at 7 p.m. Eastern. In the United Kingdom, The Buy In will be on ITV4 and the main card will be available on ITV Box Office. Double or Nothing is also available on Fite TV internationally. Here’s the card for the show:
    Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho (whoever wins will face the Casino Battle Royale winner at a later date to decide the first AEW World Champion)
    AAA Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks defending against The Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Fenix)
    Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes
    Dr. Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose vs. Kylie Rae
    SoCal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky) vs. Strong Hearts (CIMA, T-Hawk & El Lindaman)
    Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki & Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida, Riho & Ryo Mizunami
    Best Friends (Trent Barreta & Chuck Taylor) vs. Angelico & Jack Evans
    Pre-show: Casino Battle Royale (21 entrants in the match, Shawn Spears, Jimmy Havoc, Billy Gunn, MJF, Michael Nakazawa, Jungle Boy, Glacier, Sonny Kiss, Joey Janela, Brandon Cutler, Ace Romero, Brian Pillman Jr., Sunny Daze, Dustin Thomas, Marq Quen, Isaiah Kassidy, and Luchasaurus announced for it)
    Pre-show: Sammy Guevara vs. Kip Sabian
  • AEW posted a Double or Nothing graphic for Orange Cassidy, indicating that he may be a Casino Battle Royale entrant.
  • Fite TV tweeted a look at the stage for Double or Nothing.
  • Chris Jericho cut a promo about his match against Kenny Omega and called tonight the biggest show of his career. Jericho said he wants to be thanked and acknowledged as the person who made AEW.
  • Dustin Rhodes wore a “Dusty’s favorite” shirt at yesterday’s Double or Nothing press conference.
  • Chris Van Vliet has interviews with Joey Janela and MJF.
  • ROH’s YouTube account uploaded the Honor Rumble match from the G1 Supercard pre-show.

UFC/MMA

  • After Conor McGregor posted a picture of his left hand in a cast, Ariel Helwani reported that the injury isn’t believed to be serious. Helwani wrote that McGregor is targeting a return to action in the late summer or early fall, though McGregor and the UFC will need to come to terms on a new deal now that PPVs are exclusive to ESPN+.
  • Rashad Evans told The MMA Hour about what he wants his legacy to be: “I hope it’s one that is about giving. Yeah, I was tough and yeah, I did my thing. But, at the end of the day, I think a life is truly measured by how it has impacted others. I want to be able to be one that impacted a lot of people.”
  • Kayla Harrison vs. Morgan Frier and Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Chris Curtis are set for PFL 15 in Atlantic City, New Jersey on July 11.
  • The full UFC 12: Judgement Day event from 1997 has been added to the UFC’s YouTube account.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Jushin Liger wins IWGP Junior Heavyweight title

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