Daily Update: Joey Ryan & Dave Crist, Being the Elite, PROGRESS

DAILY UPDATE

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While this is a diverse request this doesn’t have to be just one person! If you fit any part of this please feel free to inquire.

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WON NEWSLETTER: June 22, 2020 Observer Newsletter: #SpeakingOut and the David Starr allegations, more

Coverage of an incredibly newsworthy week is the focus of this week’s double-issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

We look at what could be the end of the career of David Starr, his significance in wrestling, the charges made about him by an ex-girlfriend, his response, the response fro companies he was headlining for and a discussion of the bigger picture story and business history on the subject.

The new issue also has:

Most recent COVID-19 case in the WWE, how plans changed for WWE taping, the schedule going forward, the company’s policies on the subject of testing and fans how WWE’s reaction compares to other companies, the politicizing of the COVID story in Orange County and how things could change this week.  We also look at how every other company is handling the situation, Kevin Owens not wrestling at next week’s taping, a UFC fighter who just tested positive and a training partner pulled from this week’s who had problems at the Orlando Airport that all the wrestlers that don’t live in the area have to fly into.

More on the departure of Paul Heyman as the head of Raw. We look at Heyman’s goals, USA Network’s reaction, the previous difference between Raw and Smackdown, how Raw has already changed, how the booking this year on Raw had changed, how NXT looked different, as well as a look at how all the wrestling shows have done over the past month and actual drops both from late last year and from early this year in the COVID era.

Talent that was being featured that wasn’t this week and why.

A feature on New Japan Pro Wrestling opening up, talking about the first shows, plus New Japan Cup coverage with match-by-match and star ratings, and where the tournament goes this week.

One of the most significant issues in MMA, weight cutting,and how another sport handles the situation.

A feature on the stockholders lawsuit against WWE regarding Saudi Arabia including two secret witnesses and what they have said about the television negotiations and what really happened after the October show when talent couldn’t get out of the country.

Full coverage of Backlash, noting the Randy Orton vs. Edge match, match-by-match coverage with star ratings as well as poll results on the show.

More on the XFL’s demise, a huge story regarding TV rights and how it relates to WWE & AEW when their deals are up, Evolve not running new shows, WWE and new touring shows, new TV series based on the life of a wrestling star, Sports ratings for the past week, Canadian ratings for the past week, most-watched shows on WWE Network and WWE’s current market value.

Mustafa Ali talking the behavior of the police, replacement feud on Smackdown and why, Drew McIntyre talks current scene, the stalker returns to Performance Center, Randy Orton talks Tommaso Ciampa, Wade Barrett talks booking idea he was given, plus next week’s TV stuff.

Coverage of this past week’s UFC show.

A back of the book feature on Johnny “Mr. Wrestling II” Walker.  We’ve got his unbelievably long career title history, a look back at Georgia Wrestling in the 70s and 80s, his early days as Johnny Walker, how far masked wrestlers went to keep their identities secret, Jim Cornette talks the one time he saw him without his mask and working with him in Mid South, Les Thatcher talks their friendship clothes, the kneelift, the birth of the gimmick and it taking off, his famous match with Junkyard Dog in New Orleans, and his period as the No. 2 babyface in the 60s in an opposition promotion in New York.  We also look at his criminal record updated.

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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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE

Bryan and I will be back tonight talking about the darkest week in wrestling history, as well as Raw, New Japan Cup and other news. You can send questions to the show to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com

It certainly appears Joey Ryan and Dave Crist are done with Impact. Ryan was in a match taped for tomorrow night’s show and that will probably be his last appearance with the promotion. I think there’s really no choice there.

Jim Cornette on the Drive Thru gave his side of the story regarding the claims against him and his wife. The irony of some aspects of this between Jim talking about people bullying his wife given some of the stuff he’s done, and people talking about her looks after what he said about Dana Brooke is on one side, and also the people bullying his wife and talking about her looks regarding aspects of a story, some of which regarding statements about the athletic commission and the timeline of Cornette’s involvement in OVW having ended years before the guy in question ever came to Louisville that are clearly bullshit just weeks after Hana Kimura is sad.

Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees has recommended that everyone in the state wear masks when outside their home unless eating or exercising due to COVID-19. AEW is taping on Wednesday and WWE tapes on Friday. Tonight’s Raw was taped this past Wednesday before the Orange County order came into being.

Progress has made changes in management has Glen Robinson and Matt Richards are leaving and James Amner, Lucy Cave, Vickie Haskins and Michael Oku are now involved as management. Most of the top guys with the promotion have had ties with them being mentioned in different stories including Travis Banks, Jordan Devlin, David Starr, Scotty Davis, El Ligero and referee Marc Perry. Richards has not been accused of anything but said he has fallen out of love with wrestling.

There is no Being the Elite this week. That is due to all the things that have come out. Kenny Omega tweeted about it briefly but it is over some realization that the business they were trying to change for the better is in some cases and places a lot worse than we all realized. I think there is a realization that some of the comedy skits from the past that were fine then look bad now, particularly with Joey Ryan.

WWE

  • Raw tonight is being called championship Monday with Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair for the women’s title, Bayley & Sasha Banks vs. The Iiconics for the women’s tag titles, Street Profits vs. Viking Raiders for the men’s tag titles, R-Truth vs. Akira Tozawa and the Ninjas for the 24/7 title plus Ric Flair appears to anoint Randy Orton the greatest wrestler of all-time, Rey Mysterio confronts Seth Rollins and Edge talks about his future.  That sounds like a show that should do well above usual ratings.
  • Roman Reigns, Jeff Hardy, Jeff Jarrett, Dana Brooke, R-Truth, Jey Uso, and Wesley Blake will be raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society tonight during Raw.
  • FS1 will be airing the 2008 Royal Rumble at 7 p.m. tomorrow unless things change.  The show also features Edge vs. Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy (this match was huge at the time), Ric Flair vs.MVP, JBL vs. Chris Jericho and the Rumble.

UFC

  • Jon Jones teased fighting Mike Tyson in a boxing match if Tyson promised to give him a rematch under MMA rules.  That is not going to happen by the way.
  • Anthony Smith vs. Alexander Rakic will be airing on the 8/29 show.
  • Mariya Agapova vs. Shana Dobson has been added to the 8/22 show.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • The final first round matches of the New Japan Cup take place at 6 a.m. Eastern tomorrow morning on New Japan World:
    Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Yoshi-Hashi
    Yoh vs. Bushi
    Satoshi Kojima vs. Evil
    Hirooki Goto vs. Yujiro Takahashi
  • Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. has the first set of second round matches
    Togi Makabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii
    Toru Yano vs. Hiromu Takahashi
    Kazuchika Okada vs. Yuji Nagata
    Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Taiji Ishimori
    Due to my rules of not watching New Japan before Raw on Mondays (not to mention how busy news is, I haven’t watched today’s show. What I was told is not to watch it before Raw even if I had time.
  • Dwayne Johnson will be hosting a concert on 6/27 called Global Goal”:  Unite for Our Future.
  • There was a tweet by NWALegends.com which was since taken down that appears to be leading to Billy Corgan going after the group for using the NWA name, which he owns.  The person who tweeted has no affiliation with the NWA.  The tweet said, “I’m about sick of reading these #SpeakingOut pieces.  I’m sure some are legit and I feel bad for those folks.  But a lot I’ve read mention hotel room and bathrooms.  Not blaming all victims, but jeez, if you ended up alone with a guy in a bathroom or hotel room, you were a rat.”  Yeah, that’s one ignorant tweet.  Also, let’s please retire the word “rat” while we’re at it.
  • David Marquez, who is affiliated with the NWA, wrote, “This is beyond fucked up Greg.  Greg Price has no affiliation with the NWA.  It’s time you find our own identity before @billy and co. does it for you.”‘s
  • Impact tomorrow night:
    Susie vs. Taya Valkyrie
    Cody Deaner & Cousin Jake & Willie Mack vs. Johnny Swinger & Chris Bey & ?
    Cancel Culture vs. Crazzy Steve & 2 mystery guys
  • Ehren Schaffter is looking at doing a book on independent wrestlers and is looking for both male and female independent wrestlers to talk with at cesindiewproject@hotmail.com
  • WrestleCon has announced a 2021 convention from 3/25 to 3/28 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles in conjunction with next year’s WrestleMania.
  • An interview with MLW’s Alex Hammerstone is at The Wrestling Estate
  • Entertainment reporter and founder of Reel Talker, Jim Alexander, interviewed Stu Bennett “Wade Barrett”.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Daily Pro Wrestling History (06/22)

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