Daily Update: Khabib-GSP, Cody-Dillinger, Andrew Everett

DAILY UPDATE

Latest News
- Ricochet not wrestling at EVOLVE shows, Velveteen Dream set
- WWE Raw ratings rebound big from recent weeks
- NXT UK results: Toni Storm vs. Rhea Ripley Women’s title rematch
- Netflix finalizing deal for Hulk Hogan biopic
- Jack Swagger gets date, opponent for second Bellator MMA fight
- Monster’s Ball match added to Impact United We Stand
- NXT UK TV tapings set for Glasgow, Download Festival & Plymouth
- Over Budget Battle Royale returning for AEW Double or Nothing
- ROH TV results: Tag title match, six-man mayhem
- UFC’s Georges St-Pierre to announce his retirement
Latest Audio
- F4D: Tom in the UK, Smackdown, Geek of the Week, sponsorship game, more! 2/20
- WOL: Smackdown, Kofi title shot, Lacey Evans, GSP, tons more! 2/20
- WOR: WWE booking, road to Fastlane, The Undertaker 2/20
- B&V&C: Retro Raw and Nitro from 19 years ago this week! 2/19
- DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Omega vs. Bockwinkel 2/19
F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: WWE takes first steps toward WrestleMania 35 triple threat
It appears that WWE has officially taken the first steps towards Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair all being involved in the main event of WrestleMania 35.
An angle where Vince McMahon suspended Lynch for 60 days and announced that Charlotte would be taking her place at WrestleMania closed last Monday’s episode of Raw. Charlotte aligned with Vince and fully turned heel, with Vince calling her someone with charisma, someone with charm, and someone who knows their lane and stays in it.
WON NEWSLETTER: February 18, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Death of Pedro Morales
I don’t expect more than a few more weeks of this format of Observers.
WWE grossed $930,160,000 and turned a $98,719,000 profit in 2018, both company records. Last year the company set a revenue record of $800,959,000 and turned a $32,116,000 profit.
Pedro Morales, best known for his three-year run as WWWF champion from 1971-73, passed away on 2/12 at Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, NJ, where he had been hospitalized for two weeks. He was 78 and had been battling Parkinson’s Disease for several years.
NJPW New Beginnings: As a legit shoot, while NJPW almost always sells out Edion Arena for big shows, they comped less and opened up more seats so this number was the highest since the 2015 show headlined by Hiroshi Tanhashi vs. A.J. Styles.
UFC 234 – Chaos erupted the day of UFC 234, the first UFC pay-per-view offering of 2019, at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, causing dramatic change unheard of when it comes to UFC pay-per-view events.
It is now official that Kenny has signed with AEW.
Mustafa Ali’s eyeball got busted open and really messed up after a Garvin stomp by Randy Orton on SD Tuesday night.
Dwayne Johnson said he was the first choice to host the Oscars this year. But he said he couldn’t make it work due to the timing of shooting the Jumanji sequel.
Roman Reigns (Joe Anoa’i) will be making an appearance on a Nickelodeon series next month.
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WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE
- Kofi Kingston tweeted after it was announced that he’ll be challenging for Daniel Bryan’s WWE Championship at Fastlane: “All I have ever wanted was a chance…and it’s finally happening. Words cannot express my excitement or my gratitude for this truly rare opportunity. Over Eleven years…I am so ready! To #WWEFastlane we go!”
- Boston mayor Marty Walsh congratulated Sasha Banks & Bayley on becoming WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions: “Congratulations to our @CityOfBoston hometown champion @SashaBanksWWE and her partner @itsBayleyWWE on being named the @WWE #WomensTagTeamChampions!”
- SmackDown Women’s Champion Asuka defeated Charlotte Flair in a dark match to retain her title after last night’s 205 Live. Rey Mysterio & R-Truth defeated The Colons in the pre-SmackDown dark match.
- Jonny Flex from WildKat Wrestling was the person who lost to Ariya Daivari on last night’s 205 Live.
- The WWE Performance Center’s YouTube account posted a behind-the-scenes video of Mansoor Al-Shehail’s NXT TV debut.
- Rusev wants a role in the Hulk Hogan biopic that Netflix is finalizing a deal for: “I can play everybody from Iron Sheik to Sgt Slaughter to Big Boss Man ,Vader and Nicolai Volkoff. Book me pay me brother.”
Pro Wrestling
- Cody Rhodes responded to Tye Dillinger’s statement about requesting his release from WWE: “Fearless. I can’t wait to see what you do next. I wish you all the happiness in the world old friend. Don’t settle.”
- Andrew Everett announced that he’ll need to undergo surgery for a torn meniscus after finishing up his bookings through March.
- Five matches involving NJPW wrestlers (including the Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yoshi Tatsu vs. Kento Miyahara & Daisuke Sekimoto main event) from the Giant Baba memorial show have been uploaded to New Japan World.
- DJZ will face Ace Austin in a Battle Riot qualifying match at MLW Intimidation Games in Cicero, Illinois on March 2.
- Ultimo Dragon vs. Matt Cross is set for Defy Wrestling’s Dragon Spirit show in Seattle, Washington on March 8.
- Kris Statlander is working tonight’s NXT tapings as an enhancement talent/extra after earning the spot in a WWN seminar.
- AAA’s Australian Suicide has been added to Joey Janela’s Spring Break 3, part one in Jersey City, New Jersey on April 5.
- Today’s episode of Talk is Jericho is Chris Jericho’s live show with Dory Funk Jr.
- Jericho appeared on hour three of the Rich Eisen Show today.
UFC/MMA
- After it was revealed that Georges St-Pierre will be announcing his retirement tomorrow, Khabib Nurmagomedov posted on Instagram that he wants to face GSP in November: “Let’s do it in November. After this fight you can retire. I grow up on your fights, and have nothing but respect for you, and I believe showed that to you George when you were in Moscow. But, it would be honor for me to share Octagon with one of the greatest fighters of all time. Let’s do it 155 lbs, or I give away 5lbs to you, cause you newer done 155. Well, it’s your choice 155 or 160, Montreal, NYC, Moscow or Abu Dhabi. Send me location my Friend”
- Ariel Helwani spoke to GSP, with GSP responding to Nurmagomedov’s post: “I saw what Khabib wrote, and I appreciate it very much. Unfortunately, these decisions aren’t up to us. I will address everything at the press conference tomorrow.”
- Helwani also posted an update on Paul Felder: “Paul Felder’s collapsed lung was not healing on its own, so, according to his manager Brian Butler, he is in surgery right now to fix it. Felder is expected to be out of surgery in about an hour and will have to spend another week in Phoenix before he is cleared to fly home.”
- Tyron Woodley responded to GSP’s retirement: “Since we will never cross paths in the octagon would love to do so in the gym! Would be an honor. You have had the best run of any fighter to grace the caged canvas!”
- ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported that Anderson Silva will face Jared Cannonier at UFC 237 in Brazil on May 11.
- The UFC’s first main card on ESPN averaged 1,463,000 viewers on Sunday night.
- Dustin Poirier tweeted today: “These guys should just release me.”
- Paige VanZant vs. Poliana Botelho is reportedly set for UFC 236 on April 13.
- Patricio and Patricky Freire have signed multi-fight extensions with Bellator.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: Ricky Steamboat wins NWA title from Ric Flair
Ed in San Antonio presents the WRESTLEMANIAWeekend Events (more to be added):
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