Daily Update: NJPW Wrestling Dontaku, upcoming matches, XFL

THE ROUND-UP

THE LATEST NEWS

THE LATEST AUDIO

We’re looking for your thoughts on both yesterday and today’s Wrestling Dontaku shows from Fukuoka, Japan, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

We are also doing a poll on Sunday for Backlash.

We’re looking for reports tonight from the NXT show in Crystal River, FL to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com

NEW JAPAN WORLD PRO WRESTLING ON AXS TV TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. EASTERN TIME

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. in New Japan Cup final

MAJOR LEAGUE WRESTLING FUSION TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ON BEINSPORTS

  • Tom Lawlor vs. ACH
  • MVP vs. Sami Callihan

CMLL FROM ARENA MEXICO TONIGHT AT 9:30 P.M. EASTERN TIME ON THE CMLL FACEBOOK PAGE

  • Fantasy & Shockercito & Ultimo Dragoncito vs. Mercurio & Pequeno Violencia & Mini Pierroth
  • Amapola & Seductora & Tiffany vs. Lady Maravilla & Marcela & Princesa Sugehit
  • Valiente & Kraneo & Blue Panther vs. Forastero & Cuatrero & Sanson
  • Ultimo Guerrero vs. Rush
  • Block A of Gran Alternative tournament: Atlantis & Magia Blanca, Volador Jr. & Flyer, Mistico & Electrico, Angel de Oro & Robin, El Terrible & El Hijo del Signo, Mephisto & Yago, Ephesto & Maquiavelo, Hechicero & Espanto Jr.

Saturday has NXT in Daytona Beach, FL. We’re looking for reports on this show to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com

WWE BACKLASH ON SUNDAY AT 7:30 P.M. EASTERN TIME FROM THE PRUDENTIAL CENTER IN NEWARK, NJ ON THE WWE NETWORK

  • A.J. Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in a no DQ match for WWE title
  • Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe
  • Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass
  • Seth Rollins vs The Miz for IC title
  • Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton for U.S. title
  • Nia Jax vs. Alexa Bliss for Raw women’s title
  • Carmella vs. Charlotte Flair for Smackdown women’s title
  • Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
  • Bayley vs. Ruby Riott (pre-show match)

Raw is Monday from the Nassau Coliseum in New York. There is also a Smackdown house show in Allentown, PA.

Smackdown and 205 Live are Tuesday from Baltimore. Mandy Rose vs. Becky Lynch was announced for the show an Jack Gallagher & Brian Kendrick vs. Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik was announced for 205 Live.

F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: WWE’s bet on Saudi Arabia

If WWE was concerned about criticism of their partnership with Saudi Arabia, they certainly didn’t show it at the Greatest Royal Rumble.The first event in WWE’s 10-year agreement with the Saudi General Sports Authority was a weird mix of special event, house show, and propaganda. It wasn’t just a stadium show with Saudi Arabia as its backdrop. The location wasn’t just spotlighted in the set design or advertising like with WrestleMania host cities. 

WON NEWSLETTER: May 8, 2018 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Fallout from the Greatest Royal Rumble

A look at the Greatest Royal Rumble, both the financial and ethical aspects and answering a lot of questions about the show is the lead story in the new double-issue of the Observer.

Look at the different controversies, from why the show is completely different from anything in pro wrestling history, to the questions regarding the women and Sami Zayn, attempts at defending the situation. Review the show itself, with a complete rundown of the Rumble, match-by-match coverage with star ratings, records set for the Rumble, the Lesnar vs. Reigns finish, and Lesnar going forward.

Look at first day ticket sales for New Japan’s show at the Cow Palace, why it’s difficult for New Japan to promote matches when they put tickets on sale, the Okada vs. Tanahashi feud, Chris Jericho in New Japan, talk of running more Dome shows in the upcoming years, as well as full coverage of the Hi No Kuni show in Kumamoto with match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.

This issue features Glenn Jacobs and his mayor campaign, including his chances of winning the overall election, details of how he won the election and the campaign itself, and wrestlers who came in to support him.

Have a look at the life and career of Universo 2000, the longest reigning world heavyweight champion in pro wrestling of the modern era, who passed away on Wednesday.

There is a story looking back at the birth of UFC with the announcement of Art Davie into the UFC Hall of Fame.

Coverage of the birth of the new PFL, the $1 million tournaments and prize packages, the two-time gold medalist that is starting with the group, and a lot of former UFC names that have entered in the different weight classes.

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FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE

Bryan and I will be doing two weekend shows, one tomorrow night covering the two Dontaku shows and Sunday night after Backlash. You can send questions for both shows to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com

My impression is that some people haven’t been able to access the Dontaku show from earlier today. I was able to, but that may have been because I was watching it live last night and hadn’t left the web page. The individual matches are up on the site but the show as a whole may not be.

While this should be announced officially very shortly, key matches built up tonight, most of which should take place at Dominion on 6/9 in Osaka are:

  • Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega for IWGP title in a 2/3 fall no time limit match
  • Tetsuya Naito vs. Chris Jericho for the IC title
  • Will Ospreay vs. Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP jr. title
  • Evil & Sanada vs. Young Bucks for IWGP tag titles
  • Hirooki Goto vs. Michael Elgin and/or Taichi for the Never title
  • Jay White vs. Juice Robinson for the U.S. title
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Desperado vs. Sho & Yoh for IWGP jr. tag titles

The Cow Palace show on 7/7 will come out of these matches.

We’ll have a full WWE business rundown in next week’s issue. The report and conference call were a lot more vague than in the past on a lot of subjects that we’ll get into including breakdowns of where revenue is coming from. 

The business report did reveal that the complete separation of WWE and Alpha Entertainment (the parent company of the new XFL) that Vince McMahon claimed at the first press conference isn’t exactly that. WWE owned the XFL trademarks so Vince made a deal where Alpha Entertainment will get the rights to all the trademarks in exchange for an undisclosed equity stake in Alpha. The WWE did not pay for the stake, just turned over the trademarks.

WWE is looking for a Director of Operations, and a Managing Producer.

Tickets for the show Kenny Omega is putting on that takes place on 6/29 in Daytona Beach at the Ocean Center featuring a ton of New Japan talent (the current issue has a partial listing) are on sale today at Ticketmaster.

WWE

  • Tino Sabbatelli underwent surgery for a torn pec which happened in his match last Saturday night in Largo, FL, with Velveteen Dream. He was dropkicked and somehow the pec tore as he immediately grabbed his chest at that moment and they went right to the finish. That’s usually a six to nine month recuperation period and he’s already 34 years old. 
  • Pete Dunne announced he’s expecting his first child.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • ROH announced for the 5/12 show in Royal Oak, MI, Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky vs. Jushin Liger & Cheeseburger & Flip Gordon and Young Bucks vs. Sho & Yoh and Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley. Jay Lethal vs. Chuckie T and Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kelly Klein have been announced for 5/13 in Chicago.
  • All of the War of the Worlds shows will be on FITE TV for $10 live or VOD as well as Honor Club. 
  • Darby Allin, who suffered a concussion over WrestleMania week in New Orleans, has been medically cleared to return.
  • Evolve on 5/19 in Chicago has Austin Theory vs. DJZ for the WWN title, Matt Riddle vs. Shane Strickland, Chris Dickinson & Jaka defend the tag titles in an anything goes match against The End, Keith Lee vs. James Drake, Tracy Williams vs. Dominic Garrini, AR Fox vs. Zachary Wentz, Anthony Henry vs. Stevie Fierce, Darby Allin vs. Trey Miguel vs. Myron Reed vs. Snoop Strikes and more. 5/20 in Livonia, MI has Matt Riddle vs. Keith Lee for the Evolve title in a no rope break match, Chris Dickinson & Jaka defend the tag titles (if they still have them) vs. James Drake & Anthony Henry, Tracy Williams vs. Odinson, Darby Allin vs. Shane Strickland, Austin Theory vs. Trey Miguel, DJZ vs. Zachary Wentz and AR Fox vs. Myron Reed.
  • Defy Wrestling runs tonight in Missoula, MT with Flip Gordon, Matt Riddle, Brian Cage, Antonio Thomas, Jorel Nelson, King Khash and Shaff as well as Saturday night in Spokane, WA at the Hub Sports Center.
  • A story on Flip Gordon returning to Montana, where he grew up, for a show tonight.
  • A story on Adrian Street. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)
  • PBS did a five minute profile segment on Thunder Rosa talking about Lucha Libre being an art form and part of culture.
  • Evolve put out this Austin Theory mini-doc.
  • Big West Wrestling has a K-5 ladder match on 6/22 in Kelowna, BC at Lake City Bowling and Billiard
  • ECCW Cinco de Mayo tomorrow night in New Westminster, BC at the Sapperton Pensioners Hall with B-Boy vs. Tony Baroni in a street fight.
  • PWA runs tonight as well as 5/11 and 5/27 at the Pro Wrestling Academy in Campbell River, BC
  • Another PWA runs 5/11 in Guelph, ONT at Red Chevron for a Rogers TV taping.
  • Thrash Wrestling tomorrow night in Peachland, BC at the Edgewater Bar and Grill.
  • Best in the West TV results from last night in Fresno, CA: Lisa Lace b Ruby Raze, Midnight Marvels b Chris Bey & Owen Travers, Kenny K won three-way over Loony Bin and Virgil Flynn to keep the West Coast title. Next TV taping is 5/19 in Merced, CA at the American Legion Post.
  • Lucha Xtreme has a free TV taping tomorrow night in Fresno, CA at the Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company at 745 Fulton St. at 9 p.m. There will be live music and a Cinco de Mayo celebration as well as an art show starting at 5 p.m.

Daily Professional Wrestling History: WWE Extreme Rules 2014

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