Daily Update: FTR vs. The Briscoes, UFC 282 judging, more UFC notes

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

  • Notes on the backgrounds of everyone voted in
  • Huge historical stories on the two promoters voted in talking about wrestling history all over the world
  • Notes on a lot of the people who were not voted in and their candidacy
  • Performer and match of the week
  • Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show
  • Cain Velasquez returns to pro wrestling as AAA comes to the U.S., background, future, attendance, audience drawn and more
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings from the past week, looking at the whys, what can be learned, segment by segment of the main shows, competition and more
  • Major mask loss in a cage show coming on January 1 to Arena Mexico
  • A look at the finals of the Stardom tag team tournament as well as the big show at the end of the year
  • What Hall of Fame candidate returns to Dragon Gate on Christmas
  • Several stars leaving All Japan
  • First IWGP women’s title defense to be held in the U.S.
  • New Japan tag team tournaments notes
  • Battle of Los Angeles news
  • Another major movie being produced on a 90s star and his unique story
  • Impact has one of its best matches of the year
  • A detailed look at Tony Khan’s explanation of William Regal’s departure and why he allowed him to go
  • Khan talks about Rampage going forward
  • Dustin Rhodes talks retirement
  • Notes on ROH PPV show
  • Notes on WWE going to new markets and ticket advances
  • International TV ratings
  • AEW & WWE streaming numbers
  • More news on the Pro Slap league TV deal and time
  • Dana White talks Jiri Prochazka’s injury
  • Shawn Michaels talks NXT
  • Lots of WWE injury updates
  • Cena’s schedule for the next few months
  • Lots of WrestleMania news

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

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Sunday Update

We have two weekend shows up on the site. We have a really strong Hall of Fame show with Garrett Gonzales and John Muse from Friday night and last night’s show with Bryan covers all the big events from yesterday including the ROH Honor Club revival and Sasha Banks/NJPW story in detail. 

The Hall of Fame issue, which is actually our largest issue ever, is up on the site. People have been amazed at the story on new inductee Lou Daro and the beginnings of major league pro wrestling in Los Angeles. Also put up on the site today is a back issue from 2005 with one of my favorite bios ever, the story of Reggie “The Crusher” Lisowski, a regional cult hero who is very much a cultural icon in several Midwestern cities.

If you are voting for match of the year this year, you have to watch the Briscoes vs. FTR chain match yesterday at ROH Final Battle. The match was incredible. Now if you don’t like blood, don’t watch it, but otherwise I can’t imagine anyone thinking seeing that match wouldn’t be worth $40.

Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov went off on Dana White after last night’s show claiming that Magomed Ankalaev was denied the UFC title due to politics and demanded they change the result of the fight with Jan Blachowicz. That isn’t going to happen. White doesn’t pick the judges. Ankalev after the fight said he wa so mad about the result he was thinking about leaving UFC, again blaming them for the judging. Since then he’s said he didn’t mean that.

Most of the talk after the show wa about the two top bouts and the judging. The problem, as we’ve only noted for the last 23 years, is that judging with ten point must does not mean the person the judge thinks wins the fight wins it on his card. Now I would say the Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon fight was bad judging, because Douglas Crosby and Ron McCarthy gave Pimblett round one, which Gordon clearly won. I thought Gordon clearly won the first round and Pimblett won the second. The third could have gone either way. I had Gordon but it was close enough I wasn’t sure he was winning it. Two judges gave that round to Gordon and one to Pimblett. Media scores were 96 percent for Gordon but all three judges gave it to Pimblett. Pimblett got by far the biggest reactions with lots of fans wearing blond wigs. He claimed he won the first two rounds easily, so that got people mad. The reality is that Pimblett has that charisma that some guys have and most don’t, but in UFC, to stay a top star you have to be able to beat the top guys. Pimblett did not seem like someone who could get into the top 15 last night, let alone be a championship contender.

In the Anakalev vs. Blachwoicz light heavyweight title fight, which was ruled a draw, I felt Blachowicz won rounds two and three solidly and Ankalaev won round four and I gave him a 10-8 in round five and also gave Ankalaev round one to end 48-46 for him But round one to me was very close and could have gone the other way, so a 47-47 draw was very possible. It’s wasn’t my score but a draw was not a bad score. All three judges gave the close round one to Blachowicz.

Judge Michael Bell gave Blachowicz the first three rounds, which is plausible, and had him winning 48-47. Judge Derek Clearly gave Ankalaev rounds three, four and five and gave five a 10-8 so he had a 48-46 score for Ankalaev. No way Ankalaev won round three. Sal D’Amato had a draw at 47-47 giving Blachowicz rounds one through three but giving Ankalaev a 10-8 third. 92 percent of media scores were for Ankalaev and not won had it a draw. Ankalaev had a 19-14 edge in significant strikes in round one.

The crazy thing after, which I can’t explain logically, is that after the draw in a title match, White said that he hated the fight and zoned out after the third round. When asked who he thought won, he said, “I don’t even know. I started to zone out after like f***ing three rounds.” Ankalaev’s leg was injured from all the low kicks so he’ll be out for a while. So he announced that Glover Teixeira will face Jamahal Hill, two completely different fighters, for the light heavyweight title, on 1/21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Last night’s title fight made no sense since Teixeira should have been in a title fight and was willing to fight on 1/21. I guess by that logic doing a title fight with him does make sense, but in theory a draw in a title fight should necessitate a rematch of those two for the title. It just keeps making the title look more like a prop than a valid championship.

More UFC notes. Darren Till said he believes he will continue fighting even though he’s lost five of his last six. 

Anthony Smith was under contract to face Hill, and literally while working on the post-game show found out about Hill getting the match with Teixeira for the title meaning he was out of his fight. He literally found out on the air when White said what was next.

The New Japan tag team tournament finals are Wednesday morning from Sendai at 4:30 a.m. Eastern time. The heavyweight final is Aussie Open vs. Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi, with the winners facing FTR for the titles at the Tokyo Dome. The junior finals are Chris Bey & Ace Austin vs. Lio Rush & Yoh. Most likely the winners will face TJP & Francesco Akira at the Tokyo Dome show, but that’s not a lock. That’s the show with Karl Anderson vs. Hikuleo for the Never title.

Jamie Noble’s potential last match will take place at the WWE show tonight in Charleston, WV. It’s billed locally as his retirement match. He’s a producer with WWE and actually retired years ago but was being given this as a farewell match.

Last night’s UFC 282 did 650,000 Google searches which is very low for a PPV show. Not a surprise because from a marquee value situation, this was one of the weakest shows, and then putting the light heavyweight title up with Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev when people saw Jiri Prochazka (injured) and Glover Teixeira as the top fighters didn’t help much. Boxer Terrence Crawford was No. 3 last night, Darren Till was No,. 4, Ilio Topuria was No. 8 and Raul Rojas was No. 13, all at 50,000. 

WWE results from last night in Saginaw, MI:

      • Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson & Mia Yim b Damien Priest & Dominik Mysterio & Rhea Ripley with a magic killer on Mysterio
      • Iyo Sky & Dakota Kai b Asuka & Alexa Bliss to keep the tag titles when Sky pinned Asuka
      • Dexter Lumis b The Miz with the head -and-arm choke
      • Bobby Lashley b Omos via DQ for using a chair
      • Johnny Gargano & Kevin Owens b Chad Gale & Otis when Gargano pinned Gable
      • Bianca Belair b Bayley for the KOD to keep the Raw women’s title
      • Austin Theory b Seth Rollins with a low blow and A Town Down to keep the U.S. title. Rollins laid him out after the match with the curb stomp

We’re looking for your thoughts this weekend on the ROH, NXT and UFC 282 shows. You can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

We’re also looking for reports on these weekend shows:
*WWE last night in Wheeling, WV
*WWE tonight in Charleston, WV
*WWE tonight in Kalamazoo, MI
*New Japan tonight at the Vermont Hollywood in Los Angeles
We’re looking for results, finishes, thoughts and highlights on the event to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Other Notes

Smash Wrestling has announced Drago & Aerostar vs. Terbnak de Team for 1/28 at the Toronto Rec Room for a 4 p.m. show. Taylor Wilde vs. Jody Threat was also announced as well as Jake Something. They will also be airing the Royal Rumble on the big screens immediately after the show for all ticket buyers.

Winnipeg Pro Wrestling from Friday night in Winnipeg: Rylie Jackson b Warhorse, Technical Difficulties b Red Hot Summer, Free Range Kara b Laynie Luck, AJ Sanchez b Kody Lane to keep the WPW title, Tommy Lee Curtis b Devon Monroe, James Roth won three-way over Kevin O’Doyle and Josh Holliday, Bobby Schink b Chad Daniels, Jody Threat b Blair Onyx to win the WPW title. Show was sold out with a hot crowd (thanks to Blair Pacheco)

Mission Pro Wrestling from last night in San Antonio, TX: Diego Renay b Joey Hyder, Emmy Camacho b Jade, Casey Blackrose b Devin Carter to keep the Mission Pro Cup, Tiffany Nieves b Mysti Marks, Madi Wrenkowski & Rache Chanel b Dannni Bee & Charity King in a candy cane street fight match to keep the tag titles, Branden Vice & Zakai Living & Jesse James b Don Juan & David Kidd & Jett Black, Jazmin Allure b MJ Santana, JP Harlow b Simon Miller, Jennacide b Janai Kai to keep the MPW title (thanks to Shannon Walsh and No Prima Donna)

XPW from last night in Pomona, CA: Bo Cooper won three-way over Terex and Judge Joe Dred, Juventud Guerrera b Willie Mack-DQ, Original Psicosis won over Vinnie Massaro and Damian 666, Matt Cross b Bestia 666, Kat Martini b Biggie Biggs to keep the TV title, Maga Butcher (formerly Necro Butcher) b The Body, Shlak b Ciclope to keep the King of he Death match title, Ludark Shaitan won a three-way elimination match to win the women’s title over champion Taya Valkyrie and Lindsay Snow, Masada b Drake Younger to keep the XPW title.

There was an interview segment with Guerrera who ranted about CM Punk wasting all his opportunities while he never gets any opportunities.
(thanks to Shannon Walsh and No Prime Donna).