Daily Update: Mayweather vs. McGregor, Rousey, Alberto El Patron

THE ROUND-UP

The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS

AUDIO

FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: Figure Four Weekly 7/10/2017: What’s next for Samoa Joe?

While the question of whether that was actually a double-turn with Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman was the most interesting question coming out of Great Balls of Fire, the biggest long-term issue may be what’s next for Samoa Joe after his main event with Brock Lesnar. Lesnar vs. Joe offered few surprises, mostly delivering on what everyone thought it would be. Joe was a credible threat to Lesnar (despite having to cheat to get most of his offense) before losing in about six minutes. The match felt like the big fight that it was built up to be and Joe more than held his own.

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WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: July 17, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: McGregor/Mayweather press conferences, Paige and Alberto El Patron situation

The Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather fight and the business behind it is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Plus there is also an update on the Alberto El Patron/Paige situation, the WWE SummerSlam build and matches being talked about, coverage of the Great Balls of Fire, the WWE release of Austin Aries and politics after the New Japan shows in Long Beach.

Look at the business behind what could be the single biggest money one-day event in combat sports history, looking at the predictions, the Mayweather-Pacquiao business, the promotion, the press conferences, ticket sales and even the UFC pressuring an announcer change.

Inside this issue is an update on the situation with Alberto El Patron, Paige, comments from a witness, why Paige twice tries to give her side of the story without it holding up, how GFW, why Combate Americas and WWE are and aren’t responding to the situation, as well as more on Paige’s family’s comments on the relationship and Albert’s current pro wrestling business and grandstand challenges to WWE.

Check out the Brock Lesnar vs. Samoa Joe match, the Roman Reigns/Braun Strowman angle and the Great Balls of Fire show, and look at how this leads to SummerSlam. Look at the booking, and what was and wasn’t good about Lesnar vs. Joe, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.

Examine the departure of Austin Aries and different things that were going on behind-the-scenes.

Finally, look at International Fight Week, Amanda Nunes falling off the show at the last minute, Dana White throwing Nunes under the bus, Nunes giving her side of the story, ratings and business notes from the weekend, probable fight of the year with Johnson vs. Gaethje, the Jesse Taylor story and match-by-match coverage with poll results.

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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: June 19, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Goldberg turns heel at Great American Bash, All Japan changes, more

In a week where the entire landscape of the pro wrestling industry is expected to change, the first tree to fall, All Japan Pro Wrestling, at least in the form it has been for the past 28 years, is no more.Tokyo Sports confirmed on 6/12 that the long-rumored split talked about in this publication had started with Mitsuharu Misawa, the President and top star of the company, resigning on 5/28. The news was kept quiet by all parties until the end of the tour and they were hoping to keep it quiet for several more days in an attempt to present a smoother public transition.

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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE

We’ve got a great new interview with Kenny Omega up on the site today talking Long Beach, the G-1 tournament, the putting together of the second Omega vs. Okada match, the third Omega vs. Okada match and a lot more.

Part three of the Mayweather-McGregor press tour will be at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The front page has coverage although one or both will likely be late and hold it up for some time. A story on the press conference.

We were told that the Toronto event had a ton of wrestling fans, notable because it felt far more like a pro wrestling atmosphere than an MMA atmosphere. Lots of WWE T-shirts and there was even a “delete” chant. The craziest thing is that many if not most believed that McGregor was going to win the fight. (thanks to Kyle Shruder) A replay of the Toronto press conference at 11:03 p.m. Eastern on FS1 did 283,000 viewers.

Even though he was announced as being suspended, Impact sent out a press release today for a show on 8/6 in Bridgeport, CT at the Ballpark at Harbor Yards listing Alberto El Patron as one of the headliners. Bobby Lashley and EC 3 were also announced for the show.

It is official that Eddie Alvarez and Justin Gaethje are the coaches of the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. Dana White told Luke Thomas today that they are the coaches and the first episode has already been shot.

Ronda Rousey is at the Mae Young Classic event given one of her best friends, Shayna Baszler is in action tonight, and another best friend, Marina Shafir, lives there.

WWE

  • Brock Lesnar turned 40 yesterday. A Brock Lesnar through the years video to the theme of traps don’t lie. The guys over at sportsbetting.ag were the ones who put this together (they’ve done several of these morphing athlete GIFs).
  • The Ad Council’s “We Are America” Love Has NO Labels PSA with John Cena was nominated for a Prime time Emmy Awards for Outstanding Commercial. If you’ve never seen the commercial it’s here.
  • Ric Flair has been in Knoxville of late campaigning for Glenn Jacobs (Kane) in his bid for mayor of Knox County.
  • Chris Jericho will be hosting this year’s Loudwire Music Awards ceremony and concert which takes place on 10/24 at the Novo Theater at LA Live in Los Angeles. 
  • A story on Dean Ambrose.
  • Sasha Banks talks about her husband designing all of her ring costumes while doing PR work this week in Australia.
  • Charlotte Flair on growing up as the daughter of Ric Flair.

UFC

  • A great story on Jon Jones.
  • The city of Edmonton feels that it shouldn’t be regulating combat sports after the Tim Hague death, and feels it should be handled by the Provincial government.
  • Dana White’s latest vlog on the McGregor/Mayweather press conference from Toronto.
  • The Fight Network will be airing Sunday’s prelims starting at 1 p.m. Eastern from Glasgow, Scotland with the prefight show starting at Noon.
  • Joe Duffy, a lightweight fighter who has gone 4-1 in UFC, has signed a new seven-fight contract. He was a free agent. Duffy, from Ireland, once defeated Conor McGregor via submission before both were in UFC.
  • NPO Radio 1 in The Netherlands, the country’s leading news radio station did a major piece of Mayweaher-McGregor and they usually never touch boxing or MMA, except when Germaine de Randamie won the women’s featherweight title since she comes from The Netherlands. (thanks to Henk Mulder)

MISCELLANEOUS

  • The Professional Fighters League announced the hiring of George Greenberg as Executive Vice President and Executive Producer, and Will Blair as Executive Vice President of Sponsorship and Revenue Partners. Greenberg has worked the last 23 years with Fox Sports and won 16 Emmy Awards and has been involved with UFC production since it moved to FOX. Blair comes from WME IMG where he was Senior Vice President of Partnership Development.
  • Bill Goldberg will be appearing on 9/30 for MCW for their event at the MCW Arena in Joppa, MD. 
  • Joey Mercury will be doing a seminar on Saturday from Noon to 4 p.m. at the MCW Training Center in Joppa, MD. The cost is $50. For more info go to MCWTrainingCentre@gmail.com.
  • AAW on Saturday night at 115 Bourbon Street and Merrionette, Park, IL with Sami Callihan vs. Keith Lee and a loaded undercard that includes Rey Fenix, Dezmond Xavier, Eddie Kingston, David Starr,Penta 0M, Shane Strickland, Trevor Lee, Garza Jr., War Machine and Matt Riddle.
  • Championship Wrestling from Hollywood will now be airing on CW Plus throughout the U.S. starting on 10/7 in a 7 a.m. time slot. CW Plus runs in 111 markets reaching about 11 percent of U.S. TV homes.
  • Cross Body Pro Wrestling on 8/5 in Kitchener, ONT at the Cross Body Pro Wrestling Academy.
  • CWE on 8/5 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan at Parkland Hall with Tyler Colton managed by Nikita Koloff vs. The Big Chief, plus Silas Young vs. Garrison Creed and Jonathan Gresham, Mahabali Shera and Kaito Kiyomiya on the show. They also run 8/6 in Saskatoon at the Cosmo Civic Center and 8/7 in St. Albert at the St. Albert Community Hall.
  • World Roller Derby Week takes place 8/13 in 8/19 in Chicago, the birthplace of the sport. Roller Derby leagues from around the Midwest will be hosting a series of events at Coliseum Park on 8/13, the site the first-ever game took place. There will be retro game with 1970s rules and uniforms on 8/19 for the 46th anniversary of the Midwest Pioneers vs. Los Angeles Thunderbirds game that drew 50,118 fans, with skaters using the Chicago Westerners and Midwest Pioneers old uniforms at 8/19 at Fleetwood Roller Rink in Summit, IL. Roller Derby was born on August 13, 1935 at the Chicago Coliseum. Jerry Seltzer, who promoted Roller Derby in the 60s heyday, and the son of the inventor, will be doing media leading to the event and his company, Brown Paper Tickets, is handling the tickets for the event.
  • British actor and musician Mat Fraser (Paul the Illustrated Seal in American Horror Story Freakshow) got involved in a Pro Wrestling Phoenix match at the Omaha Comic Con this past weekend. Pat Powers, who has done a Donald Trump gimmick and was trained by Steve Corino, had been mocking Fraser all weekend leading to Fraser (who was born handicapped with no arms) giving him an arm ringer and a hip toss. 
  • Right Coast Pro Wrestling on Saturday night in Newark, DE at the Boys and Girls Club.
  • NFC on 7/22 at 5 p.m. at the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth, GA outside of Atlanta with a combined MMA and kickboxing show. Jared Scoggins vs. Cody Durden for the Southeastern flyweight title is the main event, plus there will be kickboxing from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Fighting Evolution Wrestling on 8/12 in Miami with Marty Jannetty, The Headbangers, Pope Elijah Burke and more.
  • Barrie Wrestling on 8/12 at 49 Ferris Lane in Barrie at 5 p.m.
  • CWO Summer SlamJam on 8/20 in Toronto at The Rockpile.
  • Battlewar on 7/30 in Montreal at Les Foufounes Electriques.
  • Smash Wrestling on 10/1 in London, ONT at the London Music Hall with Matt Cross, Jay White and Cody Deaner. 
  • Chaotic Wrestling tomorrow night in Woburn, MA at the Elks Lodge with Ethan Page vs. Mike Verna plus MMA fighter Chuck O’Neil and Impact’s Lisha Edwards.
  • 8/4 in Lowell, MA has Cody Rhodes, Ryback, Ted DiBiase, Brooke Adams, Hanson, Billy Gunn and the Spirit Squad.
  • The Fight Network announced it will be airing Glory 43 from The Theater at Madison Square Garden tomorrow night starting at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time with a featherweight tournament and an interim light heavyweight title fight with Pavel Zhuraviev (70-11, 26 knockouts) vs. Saulo Cavalari (60-5, 49 knockouts).
  • Combate America announced that former fighter Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc has been named Fight Director. They are pushing that she’s the first Mexican-American woman to head up recruitment and matchmaking for a combat sports organization. 
  • One of my good friends, Guillermo Monti, is spearheading a Go Fund Me campaign for a friend’s mother who needs a kidney donor.

F4W Online / Wrestling Observer Vegas Convention Event Info

August 17-21; All times are TBA; Full information on the group Facebook page; Activities subject to change 

  • Thursday: Meet at the High Roller for Bowling at the Link; Party at Carnival Court at Hurrah’s
  • Friday: Kiss Mini Golf tournament at the Rio; Dinner at Texas de Brazil; Suite party (location TBA)
  • Saturday: Burgers with Granny for lunch; Future Stars of Wrestling show featuring Stephan Bonnar & Phil Baron, and co-main events: 3-way match with Leva Bates vs. Mia Yim vs. Hudson Envy, and “Filthy” Tom Lawlor vs. Thomas Santell (f.k.a. Antonio “The Promise” Thomas); NXT viewing party at the Sci-Fi Center
  • Sunday: SUPER CHINA BUFFET DAY at the Wicked Spoon Buffet at 1pm; SummerSlam viewing party at the Sci-Fi Center
  • Monday: Goodbye lunch at Chen Chen at NY NY
  • All website members will also receive a 15% discount on any purchases from the Las Vegas Fight Shop for the entirety of the convention

Texas de Brazil, Wicked Spoon, NXT and Summer Slam will all be sign up and pre-paid events, prices and collection begin in mid July~!

Pro Wrestling Tees is now carrying our latest line of F4W shirts. Support the Empire~! Grab yours today!

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