Daily Update: Maria Kanellis, Jon Moxley, Urijah Faber

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F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Recapping WWE Money in the Bank 2019

This year’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view offered WWE the chance to revitalize one of their best match types.

The Money in the Bank briefcases haven’t been all that much of a factor over the past couple of years. Both men’s winners (Braun Strowman and Baron Corbin) failed on their cash-ins. The women’s winners (Alexa Bliss and Carmella) were successful, but Bliss cashed in on the same night that she won the 2018 ladder match. WWE has missed out on being able to use Money in the Bank as a star-making tool or something to kick off notable angles.

WON NEWSLETTER: May 27, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Death of Ashley Massaro, Double or Nothing preview

A story on Ashley Massaro, the ramifications of her death, mental illness in pro wrestling and the legal fight she was in, the horrible story about Kuwait are all part of an extensive lead story in the current issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Look at her career before wrestling, life after wrestling, rundown the physical toll of pro wrestling, winning Diva Search, comments from those who knew her, her thoughts on a comeback, the concussion lawsuit and all the different questions her career as a swimsuit contest winner being rushed into pro wrestling matches because she got so popular so quickly raise.

Also look at the one debut of a promotion show in history that can compare with AEW’s Double or Nothing, look at the difference between this show and All In, the different fights the promotion has to face, and a detailed rundown of why Pac isn’t on the show, his status with the company, what the company wants out of its PPV shows, where a number of suggested surprise wrestlers are booked on that night, and why putting on the best shows is not the complete or even close to the key factor in a wrestling war.

Also look at the changes in television wrestling in the U.K. in 2020, and what this may mean when it comes to WWE and AEW in that market as far as exposure, and whether that is or isn’t a big issue.

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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • Tonight’s Memorial Day edition of Raw is taking place at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. WWE has announced that Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, The Miz, and AJ Styles will face off in a number one contender’s fatal four-way elimination match, with the winner challenging for Seth Rollins’ Universal Championship at Super ShowDown in Saudi Arabia on June 7. Brock Lesnar will appear and announce whether he’s cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase for a shot at the Universal Championship or WWE Championship, though it hasn’t been announced when Lesnar will be getting his title match against the champion he chooses. The status of the United States title will also be addressed tonight.
  • WWE uploaded their Memorial Day tribute video.
  • Maria Kanellis tweeted today: “Contracts are up in 3 weeks. Just saying…”
  • PWInsider reported that Road Dogg (Brian James) is now working full-time in NXT. His exact role wasn’t noted.
  • John Cena visited 12-year-old fan Diego Hernandez, who has a terminally ill medical condition, for his birthday.
  • WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded The Revival vs. DIY from NXT TakeOver: Toronto.
  • Today is Natalya’s 37th birthday.
  • CBS Local Sports and TV Insider have interviews with Paul Heyman.
  • WWE posted a behind-the-scenes video from this year’s Performance Center Combine.

Pro Wrestling

  • AEW tweeted out video of Jon Moxley’s first promo for the promotion. Moxley said his appearance was an official declaration of war to anyone who wants to get in his way or who stands in AEW’s way. He closed the promo by saying “this is what you call a paradigm shift.”
  • New Japan GM Michael Craven issued a statement on Moxley, noting that NJPW doesn’t have a working relationship with AEW as of now: “New Japan and Jon Moxley came to terms on an agreement some time ago, completely independently of All Elite. Our understanding is that he is free to wrestle in Japan. We wish AEW well, but have no working relationship as of now.”
  • Chris Jericho noted that Moxley will be appearing on the Talk is Jericho episode that’s being released this Wednesday.
  • Cody Rhodes tweeted a better look at the AEW World Championship.
  • Terry Funk spoke to Sports Illustrated about AEW.
  • During an emotional moment at Starrcast, Kenny Omega said he couldn’t ask Kota Ibushi to sign with AEW because he knew Ibushi would do it, and that would put off Ibushi’s dream of winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
  • NJPW officially announced EVIL and SANADA for night one of this year’s G1 Climax. The show is taking place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on July 6, and Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Jay White, and Jushin Thunder Liger have also been confirmed for it.

UFC/MMA

  • In an interview with Dan Hardy, Urijah Faber said he’s accepted a fight to return to the UFC. Faber’s opponent has yet to be revealed.
  • Police were expected to talk to Alex Oliveira and his lawyer today regarding the incident where Oliveira allegedly assaulted his ex-wife and left with their child.
  • ESPN reported that Elias Theodorou has been released by the UFC.
  • Luke Rockhold doesn’t think Anthony Smith is a “credible character” in the light heavyweight division: “I got a problem telling the truth, so I don’t think much of him. I don’t think he’s a credible character in the division, really. He’s about to get shut down. He’s about to get it [from Alexander Gustafsson at UFC Stockholm]. He’s going to get beat up bad, back-and-back, and be put in his place, just like I said.”
  • Valentina Shevchenko explained why she isn’t setting goals for her title reign: “Of course I want to do the maximum [that] I can, but I don’t like to put the goals [out there], to put the numbers [on it] or something like this, because if you set up this, it’s already in your head. And if you can’t reach it, your mind starts to break, and you have all kinds of troubles and problems. Not physically, but mentally. And this is usually the most [common reason] why people, they are broken. Not because of the body, because of, like, physical issues. No, it’s because of mental issues. And I don’t want to put [myself] in this situation.”
  • Former UFC fighter Patrick Holohan spoke to MMA Fighting about becoming an elected councilor in Ireland.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Owen Hart wins IWGP Junior Heavyweight title

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