Daily Update: Fedor fight called off, Koloff & Steele, Impact

THE ROUND-UP

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The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS / COLUMNS

AUDIO

BELLATOR 172 FROM THE SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE SATURDAY NIGHT AT 9 P.M. EASTERN AND PACIFIC ON SPIKE TV

  • Mauricio Alonso (169.5) vs. Josh Koscheck (169.9)
  • Brooke Mayo (126) vs. Veta Arteaga (126)
  • Cheick Kongo (241.6) vs. Oli Thompson (230.7)
  • Patricky Pitbull Freire (155.9) vs. Josh Thomson (155.2)

WWE has a Raw crew house show tonight in Bakersfield and a SmackDown crew show in Edmonton, as well as two NXT events, one in Winter Haven, FL and one in Cocoa, FL.

Sunday has a Raw crew house show in Long Beach, CA and a SmackDown crew show in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

UFC RUNS SUNDAY NIGHT FROM HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA AT THE SCOTIABANK CENTRE

Fight Pass at 6:30 p.m.

  • Ryan Janes vs. Gerald Meerschaert

FS 1 at 7 p.m.

  • Jack Marshman vs. Thiago Santos
  • Reginaldo Vieira vs. Alemann Zahabi
  • Carla Esparza vs. Randa Markos
  • Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Nordine Taleb
  • Paul Felder vs. Alessandro Ricci
  • Gina Mazany vs. Sara McMann
  • Cezar Ferriera vs. Elias Theodorou
  • Sam Sicilia vs. Gavin Tucker
  • Johny Hendricks vs. Hector Lombard
  • Derrick Lewis vs. Travis Browne

Raw will be Monday in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. Brock Lesnar is scheduled for the show and Big Show vs. Braun Strowman is the only match announced. There will also be a SmackDown brand house show in San Diego.

SmackDown and 205 Live will be taped on Tuesday in Ontario, CA. Announced for the show is a Battle Royal for the WrestleMania title shot, which is some sort of an angle situation, Nikki Bella vs. Natalya falls count anywhere and Naomi vs. Alexa Bliss for the women’s title.

FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: 2/13/2017: Bray Wyatt’s overdue WWE Championship win

From nearly the moment The Wyatt Family debuted on the main roster, Bray Wyatt’s place as a future WWE Champion seemed almost certain. The only surprising thing about Wyatt capturing the title is that it took until Sunday night at the Elimination Chamber, where he was finally presented as the force that WWE has all too often failed to portray him as over the last three-plus years… Subscribers click here to continue.

WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: February 20, 2017: WWE financials, death of Chavo Guerrero, more

An update on the WWE’s WrestleMania plans and then two PPV’s leading to WrestleMania is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. We update the situation with the Seth Rollins vs. HHH proposed match, new matches that have changed due to injuries, update injured talent and a new proposed championship match on the Mania show, as well as more on different planned matches.

We also look at plans for both Elimination Chamber and Fast Lane.

We’ve got full coverage of the New Beginning in Sapporo show headlined by Kazuchika Okada vs. Minoru Suzuki, with match-by-match coverage with star ratings, poll results and business notes. We look at the build up angle and the story behind the main event, and this week’s show in Osaka.

We look at the big coup by WWE Studios working with Dwayne Johnson, a current WWE star being talked about for doing MMA, Kurt Angle talks wrestling in WWE, NXT Takeover Orlando notes, and lots of thoughts on the XFL documentary and key points that were not in.

We also have more WWE WrestleMania week plans, more on Mike Adamle and his battle against dementia and his background, update on a lot of WWE injuries, a surprise coach at the Performance Center and update on where that come from, and another WWE movie project.

We also have tons of notes on the wrestlers brought to the Performance Center this past week as well as other athletes for tryouts, including who they are and their backgrounds including some very unique prospects. We also look at the most-watched shows of the past week on the network as well as a rundown of all the WWE and NXT arena events this past week with both highlights and business notes.

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.

WON BACK ISSUE: January 24, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WCW Souled Out review, WCW turmoil, more

The most tumultuous four-day period in the recent history of World Championship Wrestling started with WCW getting the word that an injury would cause champion and main eventer Bret Hart to miss the Souled Out PPV. As dominos starting falling one by one, it ended with a new booker, the crowning of a new champion who asked to be released from his contract anyway, and his vacating the title voluntarily some 18 hours later and possibly with several wrestlers leaving the company… Subscribers click here to continue.

SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • WWE acknowledged the deaths of George “The Animal” Steele and Ivan Koloff with articles on their website. The New York Times also posted an article on Steele passing away, and Mike Mooneyham wrote about Steele and Koloff for the Charleston Post and Courier.
  • Nickelodeon released a commercial for the Kids’ Choice Awards that features John Cena. Cena will host the event on March 11th.
  • Baron Corbin was interviewed by the Phoenix New Times. He spoke about not paying attention to the audience’s reaction to him: “No, because I don’t really care. And that’s why I’m good at what I do, that’s why I’m good at my job, that’s why I’m successful. I’ve never really cared what people think of how I’m doing or what I’m doing. If they have a problem with it, they can either change their mind or they can tell me how they feel, but it’s just falling on deaf ears. And that’s what’s funny right now, too, is all these people who hated me and then I go out there and I think we steal the show at TLC [with Kalisto] and now people are like, ‘Oh wait, Baron Corbin’s good.’ I don’t want them to change their opinion because someone else did. All those people who are negative can stay that way. It doesn’t fill my pockets more with their respect. Their respect doesn’t pay my bills. So I’m just going to continue to go out there and do what I do every single night.”
  • Samoa Joe made his house show debut as a full-time member of the main roster against Sami Zayn last night. The show took place in Dallas, Texas and also featured Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman in the main event with Kevin Owens not on the card.
  • WWE posted video of Brock Lesnar wreaking havoc on a lower card tag match on the house show before facing Big Show.
  • Paul Fontaine looked at the effects of brand-exclusive PPVs on WWE ratings, finding a noticeable drop in Raw ratings after those shows.
  • Billie Kay spoke to the Miami Herald about her friendship with Peyton Royce and her road to WWE.
  • Thea Trinidad is playing AJ Lee in “Fighting with my Family.”

Pro Wrestling

  • Bill Apter talked to Bruno Sammartino about the passings of Ivan Koloff and George Steele.
  • Today marks 24 years since the death of Kerry Von Erich. This also would have been Larry Sweeney’s 36th birthday.
  • Pro Wrestling Guerrilla returns with “Only Kings Understand Each Other” tonight, the promotion’s first show of 2017. The card for the show is:
    PWG Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defending against Chuck Taylor
    Sami Callihan, Jake Crist & Dave Crist vs. The Young Bucks & Adam Cole
    Cody Rhodes vs. Trevor Lee
    Matt Riddle & Jeff Cobb vs. Michael Elgin & Brian Cage
    Trent vs. Rey Fenix
    Marty Scurll vs. Jay White
    Ricochet vs. Lio Rush
  • Jeff Jarrett and Anthem’s Ed Nordholm were interviewed by Newsweek about Impact Wrestling and some of the talks they’ve been involved with in the UK.
  • Wrestle Circus has an iPPV tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET.

UFC/MMA

  • Ariel Helwani reported that Chael Sonnen offered to face Fedor Emelianenko tonight after Fedor’s fight with Matt Mitrione was called off due to Mitrione falling ill. Helwani noted that Bellator was interested in the fight but weren’t able to make it happen, with Fedor seemingly not open to a late replacement.
  • Johny Hendricks officially made weight for his middleweight fight against Hector Lombard at UFC Fight Night in Halifax tomorrow night.
  • Dan Hardy said that he’s been cleared to fight again by the best cardiologists in the UK.
  • Max Holloway isn’t afraid of fighting Jose Aldo in Brazil.
  • Jacare Souza wants to fight Luke Rockhold in July.

F4W / WO EMPIRE WRESTLEMANIA GROUP INFO

BUS INFO:

  • The Empire bus to WrestleMania will cost $50.00 and will be round trip from Rosen Inn at 9000 International Drive 32819 (a few blocks away from Wrestlcon).
  • The bus will leave at 4pm (time subject to change) for WrestleMania and will leave WrestleMania no later then one hour after the show. If you would like a seat email Ed at f4wfan@hotmail.com or message him on the BOARD~! for Paypal payment instructions.

DINNER INFO:

  • WHAT: Dinner at Texas de Brazil
  • WHEN: Friday March 31st
  • WHERE: 5259 International Dr Ste F1, Orlando, FL 32819 at 5 p.m. (they may open at 4:30 for us)
  • WHO: All your best empire buddies
  • DETAILS: The cost of the dinner will be $68.00 which includes the dinner, salad bar, soft drinks and tea, and dessert, tax and tip. This is a pre pay dinner and you can send payment to paypal at Srjaialaiot@yahoo.com (please send as a gift to a friend). Payments must be made by March 24th (if you wait until after that, Ed will charge an extra $5.00 for being a pain).

Today in Professional Wrestling History (2/18): WWF War to Settle the Score

CONTACT INFORMATION

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