Daily Update: NXT, Apollo Crews, NWA

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WON NEWSLETTER: March 1, 2021 Observer Newsletter: 2020 Awards Issue, Elimination Chamber

The biggest and most-talked about issue of the year, the 2020 awards issue, is out today.  The issue covers the awards winners as voted on by the readership in these categories.  It also has all the top place winners for every category, comments on the awards for this year as well as a listing dating back to 1980 of all the awards winners in all the different categories.

We also have the performer and match of the week.

WWE Elimination Chamber show, with notes on direction, business, interest level, poll results and star ratings.

Also in this issue:

The new television war in Canada on Wednesday, how the first week went and what to look for, details on the WWE’s A&E Documentaries, who is being covered and more, reaction to Undertaker’s comments about current wrestlers being soft, migration of WWE Network to Peacock, Sasha Banks talks wanting to quit a few years ago, WWE business approaches, how WWE & AEW are doing as compared to televised sports this past week, Bill Goldberg on TV, notes on lots of new signees and are starting in camp including some not revealed yet, new WWE Network event, update on the Vince McMahon/Oliver Luck legal case, Ric Flair on why he doesn’t talk to the other Horsemen, Arn Anderson talks why a major international star flopped in WWE, WWE wins awards, the current WWE market value and the most-watched shows of the past week on the WWE Network.

This past week’s UFC show, the background, how it affects fighters going forward, and details behind the late changes in the show.

Television ratings of the past week, including segment-by-segment numbers for the past two weeks on Wednesday, who was watching in different age groups, how different segments did on Raw & Smackdown and more.

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SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • This week’s NXT injury report lists MSK’s Wes Lee as not being cleared to compete, so it appears that the Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs. MSK NXT Tag Team title match that had been announced for Wednesday’s NXT officially won’t be taking place on the show. There was a segment on this week’s NXT where The Grizzled Young Veterans attacked MSK backstage. It was said that Lee suffered a broken hand when The Grizzled Young Veterans used a steel chair in the attack. MSK defeated The Grizzled Young Veterans in the finals of the men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic to earn a title shot against Lorcan & Burch.
  • Apollo Crews debuted a character change on SmackDown last night, with Crews embracing his Nigerian heritage. Crews said the fans don’t actually know anything about him, Crews said he’s been nice, humble, and respectful for far too long without getting that same respect. Crews said that’s unacceptable given that his ancestors are Nigerian royalty. Crews noted that his great grandfather said that if your enemies defy you, you show them the steel. Crews said that’s what he did when he attacked Big E last week. Crews defeated Shinsuke Nakamura on last night’s show.
  • After Finn Balor posted a picture of his action figure in the ring with a Conor McGregor action figure and a Triple H action figure wearing a suit, McGregor responded: “No more mr. nice guy!” Triple H then tweeted: “Just say when.”
  • In an interview with Inside the Ropes, Bobby Lashley spoke about wanting to face Drew McIntyre: “As far as Brock, Brock is one person but how I look at it is Drew beat Brock in, like, no time. So, of course, my sights were set on Brock for some time but, like I said, Drew is the man, Drew is the one that beat him, Drew beat Goldberg. Of course Brock is that kind of mystery match, dream match that everybody has wanted us to have for some time now but right now, I’m looking to be the best and right now the best is Drew. Drew is the top guy. If I beat Miz, or when I beat Miz, I think Drew is the guy.”
  • On Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry said he plans on having a match in the next six months. Henry said he just wants to have one match and has to wrestle in this decade.
  • Ric Flair appeared on Busted Open Radio on his 72nd birthday. He discussed his storyline with Charlotte Flair and Lacey Evans:

It caught us off guard. It was presented to me. I think it was just a trial run and nobody really understood for sure exactly what was going to go. I would be remiss if I thought Ashley (Charlotte) was crazy about it. For me, I pretty much can pull off anything I want. I’m really good at doing things if I like the program and understand it, but, at the same time, it’s hard to be in a program against someone in your family, especially your daughter when everybody knows you’re so proud of her and you’ve been so positive towards her in you’re thinking and you’re so happy for her success.

It kind of caught me off guard, but, on one side of me, I’m flattered they gave me the opportunity to even be on TV. Number two, it started out a little rough and I think it was smoothing out. She (Lacey Evans) got pregnant. She’s a beautiful girl. I don’t know her that well, but what I know of her, she’s just a genuinely nice person. I’ve met her husband. I’ve met her daughter who they had on TV a little bit over on SmackDown, but, it happened and I’m sure we were just at the point we were really going to make it work.

I did have some ideas. My problem was, they won’t let me get in the ring because it’s so hard to get me cleared because of my health issues, even though I have been cleared by my doctors. I just don’t think they’re prepared to let me get in the ring in case something happened. I could have 40 releases, but, it would be that, why the hell are you doing that? Why the hell are you letting him do that? I actually wanted to put sweat clothes on and work out with her, which I thought would have been great and teach her some things and actually have her emulate my character, doing the flips, suplex in, turn around, begging off. I had it all written down, but they wouldn’t let me get in the ring. I had the master plan. It would have been fun. It never came to fruition and I’m happy that things worked out like they did, especially for her because I think she was upset, a little bit, but then she said, ‘Hey, I’m having a baby.  This is what’s supposed to happen. I’m young. I have a beautiful daughter and now I’ve got a second one on the way.’ Everybody wants to be on TV, but, in this case, if she’s not going to be on TV for a while, it’s for a very wonderful reason that we’re all aware of.

Other Wrestling

  • The NWA’s YouTube channel currently has no available content. Dave Meltzer wrote about the situation on our forum: “I was told it will be something announced in the next few days which is a good thing. Would not have to do with AEW.”
  • Kelly Klein’s attorney Stephen P. New issued a statement to WrestleZone about Klein’s lawsuit against ROH and Sinclair Broadcasting: “The one thing the [wrestling news sites] are all missing is the misclassification allegations in the lawsuit as well. We are asking the court to strike down the independent contractor agreement in its entirety. This could be revolutionary for the entire industry if the federal judge rules in our favor. I’m excited to see how this will go.”
  • Killer Kelly posted a series of videos earlier this week opening up about being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, severe depression, anxiety, and compulsive eating. Kelly said she feels back on track after finally having an answer for all the years of mental health issues she’s battled. Kelly said she’s very happy she made the grown-up decision to seek help and urged people to do the same if they’re in the same situation she was.
  • A Road to Dynamite episode will premiere on AEW’s YouTube channel at 6 p.m. Eastern time on Monday.
  • EC3 posted on Instagram about signing with ROH: “A #message from the #essentialcharacter⁣⁣. I have agreed to terms with @ringofhonorwrestling as my chosen three-letter wrestling company.⁣⁣ #RingOfHonor will provide me the corporate platform required to #free this industry, it’s competitors, and it’s fan base from⁣⁣ #conformity⁣⁣ #toxic #groupthink⁣⁣ archaic #storytelling⁣⁣ paint by number #movesets⁣⁣ banal #character development⁣⁣. Ring of Honor is aware of the extreme value in a #FreeEC3, and has provided me not only beyond fair #financial compensation, but the #freedom to push forward #TheNarrative, it’s #content and most importantly it’s ideals:⁣⁣ •Control⁣⁣ •Freedom⁣⁣ •Purpose. I very much look forward to etching my name amongst (and above) those who built the foundation Ring of Honor, competing with it’s exceptional roster, finishing what I have started with Jay Brisco, and carrying the #brand forward into the future it deserves.⁣⁣ #ControlYourNarrative⁣⁣ #FreeEC3”
  • Tom Lawlor will address the fallout of Filthy Island on Wednesday’s MLW Fusion.
  • Dark Side of the Ring officially announced that season three will feature an episode on Collision in Korea.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: NXT Arrival

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