Daily Update: John Cena’s return, BOSJ, Lucha Underground

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The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS

AUDIO

NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS ON THURSDAY FROM NAGOYA AT 5 A.M.EASTERN TIME ON NEW JAPAN WORLD FOR THE B BLOCK FINALS

  • Jushin Liger & Hirai Kawato vs. Taka Michinoku & Taichi
  • Juice Robinson & Ricochet & Dragon Lee vs. Seiya Sanada & Evil & Hiromu Takahashi
  • Ray Rowe & Hanson & David Finlay vs. Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Tiger Mask vs. Bushi
  • Ryusuke Taguchi vs. ACH
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Desperado
  • Kushida vs. Volador Jr.
  • Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay & Jado vs. Kenny Omega & Bad Luck Fale & Marty Scurll

FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: 5/30/17: How the WWE Network changed the pro wrestling marketplace

Though the service launched over three years ago, it’s still becoming increasingly apparent that the WWE Network has forever changed the pro wrestling marketplace. FloSports raising the month-to-month rate of its streaming products, including FloSlam, for new subscribers to $29.99 per month has most recently reignited the conversation about the pricing of wrestling broadcasts.

Subscribers click here to continue.

WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: May 29, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE weekend show reviews, CMLL drama, plus tons of news

A detailed look at why Jinder Mahal got the WWE title, the strange situation of NXT Takeover blowing away the main roster PPV, and what the audience for all the U.S. shows that aren’t Raw and Smackdown say about what fans want from extra hours of wrestling are all part of the current issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

A look at the business and interest levels of WWE Backlash and NXT Takeover, plus what happened with ticket sales when the Backlash card was announced, the Jinder Mahal push, and how to judge it, and how something like this has never been done and look at other tries to make lower card guys into champions quickly and the result.

Upcoming big shows, plans for a major match coming up soon that hasn’t been hinted at, as well as full coverage of Backlash & NXT Takeover with match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.

Updates on SummerSlam ticket sales, Dwayne Johnson’s week and how Saturday Night live did with him as host, updates on a lawsuit regarding WWE Network royalties, a storyline change, plans for a special Smackdown, updates on WWE injuries, more on the WWE women’s tournament, update on different wrestlers talking to WWE, rugby star may be signing with WWE, the three most-watched wrestling matches in the history of cable television, plus business notes and show highlights from all the WWE events this past week.

One of the craziest stories ever, with the Alvarado family’s destruction of Ultimo Guerrero’s car, how it happened, why it happened, the story behind CMLL firing two of its champions, who didn’t get fired, how the athletic commission is handling this and politics behind what happens next.

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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. 

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: May 8, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF Backlash review, Sakuraba defeats Gracie, tons more

Mark Coleman was the big winner but Kazushi Sakuraba came out as the big hero in the highest profile MMA show in history on 5/1 at the Tokyo Dome. Coleman defeated Akira Shoji, got what amounted to a forfeit win over New Japan’s Kazuyuki Fujita and became the first man in nearly five years to tap out Igor Vovchanchin, who went into the tournament as the top rated heavyweight in the world, before 38,000 fans (ticket prices ranged from $950 for ringside down to $57 for the upper deck so the gate was several million dollars).

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WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • In a post on Twitter, John Cena indicated that he’ll be returning to WWE on the July 4th episode of SmackDown. Cena wrote: “Bittersweet day today as I begin another night in Atlanta. Such a funny movie but #SDLive @WWE is so close! 7/4 can’t get here fast enough!” Cena has been off of TV since WrestleMania 33 and has been filming the movie “The Pact,” which he has a starring role in alongside Ike Barinholtz and Leslie Mann. SmackDown will take place at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on July 4th.
  • Shinsuke Nakamura will face Kevin Owens in a non-title match on next week’s episode of SmackDown.
  • Ratings for last night’s SmackDown episode will be out tomorrow due to the Nielsen delay caused by the Memorial Day holiday.
  • Fightful’s Brandon Howard posted a clip of WWE Chief Financial Officer George Barrios seemingly saying on May 22nd that WWE has already announced a deal with ICW and PROGRESS to show their events on the WWE Network. No announcement about that has been made, but the deals have been reported on for months. Dave Meltzer tweeted yesterday that it was up to Vince McMahon if shows from PROGRESS would come to the Network. 
  • The first episode from the most recent set of NXT tapings will air on the WWE Network tonight. The show features Tommaso Ciampa explaining why he betrayed Johnny Gargano.
  • Another new NXT theme song will debut on the episode tonight.
  • Sami Zayn mocked Donald Trump’s “covfefe” tweet: “I had a great time tonight facing two very talented covfefe.” John Cena also referenced Trump’s tweet in an Instagram post.
  • Nia Jax posted about the SmackDown women’s Money in the Bank ladder match: “Wow! First ever Money in the Bank Women’s Ladder Match! Amazing how #SmackdownLive uses their ENTIRE women roster every Tuesday!”

Pro Wrestling

  • The last night of A Block action in the Best of the Super Juniors came down to Will Ospreay facing Hiromu Takahashi in the main event to decide who would advance to the finals. Ospreay won and will be going to the finals for the second straight year after previously winning the 2016 tournament. The B Block winner will be decided at a show in Aichi overnight. Everyone in that block is at six points, so the winner will be decided by tiebreakers. The finals will take place on June 3rd.
  • In his last-ever Best of the Super Juniors match, Jushin Thunder Liger defeated Taichi to earn his only points in this year’s tournament. Liger previously announced that this year would be the last time he would be entering the BOSJ. He cut a promo after his win, saying that the junior heavyweight scene in next year’s tournament will be even better despite his absence.
  • Lucha Underground returns on the El Rey Network tonight with its season three mid-season premiere. Johnny Mundo vs. The Mack in an “All Night Long” match for Mundo’s title will air on the episode.
  • ESPN spoke to Willie Mack about the incredible journey in life that he has gone through to get to where he is now. He mentioned being homeless after his developmental deal with WWE fell through in 2014.
  • In addition to the Christopher Daniels vs. Cody main event for the ROH World Championship, Matt Taven & Vinny Marseglia vs. CMLL’s Ultimo Guerrero & El Terrible has been announced for ROH’s Best in the World PPV on June 23rd in Lowell, Massachusetts. Stardom’s Kris Wolf will also make her ROH debut in a Women of Honor match over Best in the World weekend.
  • OTT is launching its on demand service tomorrow.
  • Migos paid tribute to Scotty 2 Hotty on their latest song.

UFC/MMA

  • Dana White said that he hasn’t talked specifics with the Floyd Mayweather camp, but called a 50/50 financial split between the UFC/Conor McGregor and Mayweather “pretty fair.”
  • Jimi Manuwa vs. Volkan Oezdemir is set for UFC 214 on July 29th in Anaheim, California. It was previously announced that Manuwa would be on the show so that he could fill in for Daniel Cormier or Jon Jones if one of them can’t make their main event.
  • Kevin Lee and Michael Chiesa won’t face any punishment for their confrontation at the UFC summer kickoff press conference.
  • The UFC uploaded episode three of Embedded for UFC 212.
  • Dominick Cruz will join Jon Anik and Brian Stann on the announce team for UFC 212.
  • Joe Rogan claimed that Jose Aldo’s legacy will always be tarnished by his loss against Conor McGregor.
  • Vitor Belfort has one more fight on his UFC contract after his upcoming matchup with Nate Marquardt.
  • Dan Hardy wants to face a veteran fighter if he comes back to the UFC.
  • From Paul Fontaine on the ratings for the UFC’s show in Stockholm, Sweden from last weekend: “Sunday’s UFC did 496,000 viewers for the main card and 353,000 for the prelims. Those numbers are way down from usual due to the fact that the show aired in the morning/afternoon on Sunday. The only time that UFC has ever done a number lower than this on FS1 was on April 4th, 2015 (Chad Mendes vs Ricardo Lamas), which did 389,000 viewers for the main card and 304,000 for the prelims.”
  • Ariel Helwani reported that Megan Anderson vs. Helena Kolesnyk will headline Invicta FC 24 on July 15th. Anderson had been lobbying to fight Cris Cyborg in the UFC next.
  • Prior to their fight at Bellator NYC, Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva will appear at a press conference in Hollywood, California on June 8th at 1 p.m. PT.

Today in Professional Wrestling History (5/31): Owens defeats Cena at Elimination Chamber 2015

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