Daily Update: Nick Diaz, Paige VanZant, Ricardo Lamas

DAILY UPDATE

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WON NEWSLETTER: September 7, 2020 Observer Newsletter: Future of Brock Lesnar, Rock battles COVID-19, more

A look at the different directions Brock Lesnar could go is the lead story in the new issue of the Observer. We look at the money he can generate for a fight with Jon Jones, the reality about his trying to fight today, why he’s a free agent right now, what Tony Khan said about Lesnar, and why, unless Dana White isn’t telling the truth, it’s unlikely he will fight.  Plus we’ve got comments by both White and Scott Coker on fights they would want to make if he does want to fight.

Also in this issue: 

Positive COVID tests of Dwayne Johnson, A.J. Styles, Kevin Nash, Glover Teixeira and others that came out this week.

Payback, including the genesis of the Roman Reigns heel turn, the Rey Mysterio injury, the booking of the show, plus poll results and star ratigns.

New Japan at Jingu Stadium, including Tetsuya Naito growing up going to the stadium, all three-time IWGP champions, most IC tilte runs in Japan, business notes, plans for the tour going on this weeeknd, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.

The departure of Mauro Ranallo from WWE, looking and his five years in the company, his background prior to the company, what old and new projects he’s expected to work on, and why he left.

The NXT title Iron Man match, next Takeover shows, Rey Mysterio television cartoon show, Paul Levesque stock sales, Levesque talks UK brnad, more on different allegations against WWE talent, returns of peope who have sit time out, change to Payback, Charlotte Flair news, Renee Young talks leaving WWE, Styles talks Heyman, lots of TV ratings updates internationally, new member of WWE Board of Directors, WWE market value and the most watched shows of the past week on WWE Network.

This past week’s UFC show.

Bio of Tom Anderson, who wrestled as The Claw and one half of the Masked Interns tag team. We look at two of the most tasteless angles in wrestiling that he was involved in, how one failed miserably and how the other was a huge business success.  This includes the death of Alberto Torres, the heyday of the The Interns, the history of the masked doctors tag team and where it all came from, and classic stories involving Paul “Bear” Bryant, Ken Ramey, Lonnie Mayne, Beauregarde and what top promoter wouldn’t use the Interns and Ramey and why.

The life and career of Ric Drason, from bodybuilding to wrestling, including what two AEW stars he started, the glory days of Gold’s Gym in Santa Monica and the characters involved, his art work that sold millions of T-shirts, how one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time got his name from him, and why he had chacnes to be a star and the reason he never was.

A major change in how television ratings are done and how this is expectede to impact sports the most.

A comparison of the last week of AEW with competition and the show this past week where the only television competition was a replay show. We look at how this impacted every audience, what the audience numbers are likely to be for a regular unopposed Wednesday for AEW or NXT, and go in depth as to both sides of why WWE and USA would or would not want to move NXT. We also look at the huge change in the AEW audience from 8/12 to 9/2.  We also have how the audience ebbed and flowed during the Iron Man match.

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 with Wrestling Observer Radio talking Raw, Matt Hardy, BTE, Nick Diaz and a host of other subjects. You can send questions for tonight’s show to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com

Kevin Mubenga, the agent of Nick Diaz, told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani that Diaz is ready to return to fighting early next year. Diaz, 37, hasn’t fought since 2015.

Matt Hardy ended up being the No. 9 most searched term on Google yesterday. No updates on Hardy past that he was taken home from the hospital yesterday and is expected on television on Wednesday.

The lineup for tomorrow night’s NXT special which should draw a big number:

  • Adam Cole vs. Finn Balor in a no time limit match for the vacant NXT title
  • Rhea Ripley vs. Mercedes Martinez in a cage match
  • Bronson Reed vs. Austin Theory
  • Killian Dain vs. Roderick Strong 

The show goes head-to-head with Impact on AXS TV:

  • Chris Bey vs. TJP
  • Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz for tag titles
  • After Impact, the Impact in 60 nostalgia show on AXS has Sting vs. Bully Ray and A.J. Styles vs. Bully Ray

Ricardo Lamas, a UFC veteran, officially announced his retirement today on MMA Junkie radio. Lamas, 38, once fought Jose Aldo in 2014 for the featherweight title and he had talked about retirement the past few weeks but today made it official.

Paige VanZant on social media noted that while her husband, Austin Vanderford, and a number of their teammates at ATT in Coconut Creek, FL, had tested positive for COVID-19, she tested negative but noted having all kinds of symptoms including a 102 degree fever, a loss of taste and smell and a swollen left eye. Vanderford was scheduled to fight on Saturday’s Bellator show but was pulled today after another positive test. 

WWE

  • In storyline, WWE is saying Big E and Sasha Banks are no longer hospitalized.
  • A Bobby Lashley interview with Sports Illustrated.

UFC

  • Khazmat Chimaev, one of the company’s most talked about new fighters this summer, is scheduled against Gerald Meerschaert on 9/19, which is the final date of the current run at the Apex Arena in Las Vegas. UFC starts a five week run in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi on 9/26 with the Israel Adesanya vs. Paulo Costa middleweight title on PPV.

AEW

  • There were still 361 tickets left for Wednesday’s Dynamite tapings in Jacksonville as of this morning.

MISCELLANEOUS 

  • Ohio Valley Wrestling will reach a milestone this week when it tapes its 1,100th episode.  The show will be a two-hour special that features Jessie Godderz and Brian Pillman Jr., and air on 11Sports on Wednesday night and YTA Sports on Friday night.  There are not all that many individual promotions that have taped 1,100 consecutive weeks of television in history and likely none of the size of OVW.
  • IWTV officially launched its new app this week on Apple TV.  Users can get free content from their library.  The previous Apple TV app will be discontinued on Wednesday so make sure to update the app.
  • The United Wrestling Network’s first weekly PPV show on 9/15 has added a Dan The Man Joseph vs. Levi Shapiro match for Joseph’s UWN TV title
  • Results from the AIW and GCW doubleheader in Indianapolis over the weekend:
    AIW:  AJ Gray & Pretty Boy Smooth b Eric Ryan & Bobby Beverly, Dominic Garrini b Calvin Tankman, Derek Director b Zack Thomas, Tom Lawlor b Ethan Page, Tre Lamar over Benjamin Carter, Chase Oliver and Johnny Patch, Nate Webb & Levi Everett & Swoggle & Allie Kat b The Duke & Daniel Rockingham & Eric Taylor & Mikey Montgomery, Lee Moriarty b Erick Stevens, Colin Delaney & Cheech b Phily C & Marino T to win tag titles, Matthew Justice & Mance Warner & Manders b Joshua Bishop & Wes Barkley & Mr. Brickster in a street fight
    GCW:  Thunder Kitty b Billie Starks, Jordan Oliver b Benjamin Carter, Chris Dickinson b Alex Colon, Tony Deppen b Calvin Tankman, KTB & Shane Mercer b Tre Lamar & Lee Moriarty, Allie Kat b Ethan Page, AJ Gray b Mance Warner, Atticus Cougar won over Dyln McKay & Nate Webb & Jimmy Loyd & Cole Radrick & Ace Austin, Joey Janela b Effy, Rickey Shane Page b Matthew Justice, Blake Christian b ACH (thanks to Nick Mahmood)

Daily Pro Wrestling History: WWE Unforgiven 2008

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