Daily Update: Impact from India, ICW, Naomi

THE ROUND-UP

The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS/COLUMNS

AUDIO

We’re looking for reports on today’s WWE Smackdown brand show in San Juan and NXT show in Brighton, England to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.

We’ll also be looking for reports on the Raw show tomorrow in Jackson, MS and Smackdown in Fort Lauderdale as well as NXT at the Download Music Festival in Derby, UK.

IMPACT TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ON POP TV

  • Low Ki vs Caleb Konley
  • Davey Richards vs Vinaash Verma
  • Rosemary vs. Laurel Van Ness
  • Josh Matthews vs. Sandeep
  • Braxton Sutter vs. Trevor Lee
  • Gauntlet match for Sony Six trophy

NEW JAPAN AT TOKYO KORAKUEN HALL AT 5:30 A.M. EASTERN TIME EARLY FRIDAY MORNING ON NEW JAPAN WORLD

  • Shota Umino & Tetsuhiro Yagi vs. Desperado & Taka Michinoku
  • Togi Makabe & Yuji Nagata & Tiger Mask & Hirai Kawato & Takayuki Oka vs. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Manabu Nakanishi & Jushin Liger & Katsuya Kitamura
  • Tomohiro Ishii & Gedo vs. Hangman Page & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Michael Elgin & David Finlay & War Machine vs. Cody & Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa
  • Hirooki Goto & Toru Yano & Yoshi-Hashi & Jado vs. Minoru Suzuki & Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Zack Sabre Jr.
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi & Juice Robinson & Ricochet & Kushida vs. Tetsuya Naito & Seiya Sanada & Evil & Bushi & Hiromu Takahashi
  • Kazuchika Okada & Rocky Romero & Baretta vs. Young Bucks & Kenny Omega

FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: 6/5/2017: Looking at the timing of the Brock Lesnar vs. Samoa Joe dream match

Like with most things in pro wrestling, the most important part of a dream match is getting the timing right. It was almost a year ago that Kurt Angle wrestled Zack Sabre Jr. for Revolution Pro Wrestling during an overseas trip at York Hall in London. The live crowd appreciated Angle’s work and loved seeing him. The match itself was fine, mostly sticking to a formula that Angle had perfected during the latter stages of his career. 

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WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: June 12, 2017: Extreme Rules and Best of the Super Juniors finals reviewed, tons of news

It’s a huge double issue week of the Observer, which includes a look at how the aging of the pro wrestling television audience is like that in other sports, but aging so much faster than any other, as well as the latest on the WWE summer direction, Extreme Rules coverage, Best of the Super Juniors coverage and major features on Kazushi Sakuraba and Joe Silva and how both have impacted the history of MMA.

Look at the Brock Lesnar vs. Samoa Joe match, the Lesnar direction between now and WrestleMania, the problems with the logic and finishes at Extreme Rules plus full coverage of the event including poll results and star ratings.

Examine the aging of the sports audience and where pro wrestling and MMA fit in, breaking down WWF vs. WCW in the heyday, where things stood ten years ago and where they stand now. Also, look at how that relates to other sports as well as how wrestling’s younger audience breakdown compares with that of other sports and how it has changed.

Check out the last shows of this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament, lessons from the tournament, business of the tournament, the epic last match, preview the Dominion show, Kenny Omega’s thoughts on his match with Okada this week, how this compares with other legendary series of matches, the Okada title reign, history of Super Juniors, a chart on how all the wrestlers in the tournament did and star ratings and poll on the last day.

This issue has Frank Deford’s autobiography and his views on Vince McMahon, more on the U.K. proposed network show, an update on Ric Flair 30 for 30, WWE star films movie over the weekend, notes on a lot of new talent signed to contracts that are starting in Orlando soon, WWE loading up the MSG house show, an update on the women’s tournament, Jack Swagger talks leaving WWE, the strongest power lifter ever in WWE, and the most-watched shows on the WWE Network this past week.

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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. 

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WON BACK ISSUE: May 15, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WCW Slamboree review, drug testing for wrestling in NY, more

The bill in New York written by State Senator Tom Libous of Binghamton, which would require state mandated drug testing of all pro wrestlers that work in New York, if it passes, would without question wind up in some form or fashion completely changing the pro wrestling industry as we know it. Whether that’s good or bad depends upon your point of view. There are a few things clear about pro wrestling. Even if some promoters can argue that they can regulate their own companies, the fact is, this business is largely a total failure at regulating itself. 

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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE

The first Impact show from Mumbai, India will be airing tonight. They will be airing shows from Mumbai the next four weeks.

Insane Championship Wrestling in the U.K. has pulled its content from the Fite App. That’s probably a sign of something involving WWE. George Barrios had already talked about an ICW and WWE deal for possible distribution on WWE Network a few weeks ago and ICW and WWE were in talks about a deal going back several months. 

Jim Ross talks about the departure of Bob Stoops, who is retiring as head coach at Oklahoma and is a close personal friend.

WWE

  • The TV show noted in last week’s Observer that Naomi and the Usos are on, while she couldn’t talk about it, Naomi in an interview with Chuck Carroll said it was for Nickelodeon: “Oh, man. I can’t speak on it yet, but it’s definitely a fun show, a kid-friendly show. We went out there and filmed it for four days, and it was a lot of fun. You guys will be seeing that in November, I believe. Yeah. It’s not a reality show or anything like that. I wish I could tell you! I’ve probably already told you too much already! It’s just a one-time thing that we filmed, and we had a blast. It’s actually a kids show. It’s a race like a tournament. You guys will see it later this year.”
  • The Miz and Maryse are selling their Hollywood Hills mansion for $3.65 million. The 4,500 square foot home has a basketball court, swimming pool and spa.
  • This is as sleazy as it comes, a politician using a doctored photo of Dwayne Johnson to make it look like an endorsement.
  • Tickets go on sale at Noon tomorrow for the house show on 8/5 at the Bell Centre in Montreal with the Smackdown brand.
  • D-Von Dudley is taking bookings for autograph shows through Bill Behrens at showbis@aol.com. He’s based in Orlando. WWE will have to approve all bookings and be within their guidelines. D-Von works as a producer for WWE now.
  • Funeral info on the death of former WWWF referee Bucky Palmero of Pittsburgh, and more. (thanks to Norm Connors and Mike McNulty)
  • Jeff Hardy is the subject of a song.

UFC

  • Tickets for UFC 214 on 7/29 in Anaheim, CA go on sale to the public tomorrow at 10 a.m. They are priced from $500 down to $50. The show is headlined by Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title and Jimi Manuwa vs. Volkan Oezdemir. They are pushing this as “the most anticipated rematch in UFC history.” I wouldn’t go that for, but it is the biggest marquee fight so far this year.
  • Arjan Bhullar, who won a gold medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and wrestled in the 2012 Olympics, will make his UFC debut against Luis Henrique at the 9/9 show in Edmonton. Bhullar is 6-0 in MMA. Bhullar has been training at AKA in San Jose and is from Richmond, BC.
  • Chad Laprise will replace the injured Alan Jouban on the 7/8 show in Las Vegas, and face Brian Camozzi. Laprise was the former winner of the TUF Nations series on Ultimate Fighter.
  • Jack Hermansson vs. Brad Scott has been added to the 8/5 show in Mexico City.
  • The Fight Network in Canada will be airing both Glory kickboxing on Saturday starting at 12:30 p.m. and then the UFC prelims from Auckland, New Zealand at 8 p.m Eastern.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Northeast Wrestling tomorrow night in Waterbury, CT at the PAL with Alberto El Patron vs. Sam Adonis, Penta 0M vs Sami Callihan, Dijak vs. Flip Gordon, Keith Lee vs. JT Dunn, plus Jerry Lawler (managed by Kelly Kelly as Barbara Blank), Jake Roberts and Teddy Long.
  • Northeast Wrestling on Saturday night in Pomona, NY at the Credit Union Park with Rey Mysterio Jr. & Flip Gordon vs. Sami Callihan & Vinny Marseglia, Keith Lee vs. Dijak, Jerry Lawler (with Kelly Kelly) vs. Sam Adonis, Ryback vs. Wrecking Ball Legursky, Brad Hollister vs. JT Dunn plus Mick Foley, Jake Roberts and Corey Graves.
  • An Kevin Eck interview with Gail Kim.
  • An interview with Britney Young, who plays Carmen in the Netflix series Glow.
  • IPWA on 7/22 in Kitchener, ONT at the Kingsale Community Centre.
  • The matches on AXS’ New Japan Pro Wrestling tomorrow will include the Hiromu Takahashi vs. Dragon Lee IWGP jr. title match which was very dangerous but probably Takahashi’s best match this year, and the Tetsuya Naito vs. Michael Elgin match which was a match of the year candidate for the IC title. Both were taped on 2/11.
  • A story on former pro wrestler Hector Guerrero.
  • Bert Prentice ran a show on 6/3 at the Oman Arena in Jackson, TN, a hotbed for the Jarrett promotion in the old days, a legends show called Saturday Memories before 420 fans built around Jerry Lawler, Koko B Ware and Jimmy Hart: Christian James b Shawn Hoodrich, Derrick King (billed as his retirement match) b Matt Boyce, Jacob Law b LT Falk, Koko B Ware & Gary Valiant b Justin Boys & The Avenger, Joker won three-way over Kevin Zio and Thorn, Starr Twins b Misfits, Jerry Lawler b Doug Gilbert. Bill Dundee, Judy Martin and Leilani Kai were all at the show. The Nunnery Brothers, a Memphis band that Jerry Lawler used to sing with during the 70s did a concert at the show as well. (thanks to Pat Wade)
  • The reason Matt Riddle pulled out of the 6/16 PWG show and the 6/17 AAW show is because he’s under contract to WWN, and they have first dibs on him and are having him work 6/16 and 6/17 for their shows in Ybor City, FL. Riddle defends his WWN title against Martin Stone on the first night and against Jon Davis on the second night. 
  • Riddle is off the 7/8 and 7/9 Evolve shows in Charlotte and Atlanta, and Trent Baretta is now on both of those shows. Baretta will also be on the 6/25 show in Queen, NY against Austin Theory. Chris Dickinson vs. ACH was announced for the 6/24 Evolve show in Melrose, MA which is headlined by Riddle vs. Zack Sabre Jr. in a non-title battle of champions.
  • The 6/16 Style Battle show in Ybor City, FL for Flo Slam, besides Riddle vs. Stone, has an eight-man tournament with a first round of Fred Yehi vs. Maxwell Jacob Feinstein, Teddy Stigma vs. Francisco Ciatso, Anthony Henry vs. Matt Tremont and Joey Janela vs. Jimmy Lloyd. 
  • AAW’s show on 6/17 is in Merriontte Park, IL at 115 Bourbon Street and will be headlined by War Machine vs. Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly.
  • Tuff N Uff is doing a free show at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on 6/17. Free tickets are available at Port of Subs, The Las Vegas Athletic Clubs, United Nissan, Sports Clubs, The Neck and Back Clinics, Shango Premium Cannibas, Nutrishop Las Vegas and UNLVTickets.com. The show starts at 6 p.m.
  • All Star Wrestling’s 10th anniversary show on 7/7 in Cloverdale, BC at the Fairgrounds Agriplex with Tommy Dreamer, Gangrel, Short Sleeve Sampson and Tom Lawlor.
  • All Star Wrestling also runs on 6/9 at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds in Surrey BC headlined by Kyle O’Reilly vs. Kenny Lush.
  • BattleWar on 7/2 in Montreal at Foufounes Electriques.
  • Kayfabe Dojo on Saaturday night in Rochester, NY at Pineapple Jack’s.
  • Superkick’d Pro Wrestling on 7/7 at the Superkick’d Pro Wrestling Rock Show & Training Centre in Toronto.
  • All Pro Wrestling on YouTube from the Cow Palace.
  • A great John Morrison vs. Brian Cage vs. Jeff Cobb vs. Luster the Legend match from the Cow Palace.
  • A story looking at some of the best matches of the 90s.

Today in Pro Wrestling History (6/8): HHH wins 1997 King of the Ring

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