Daily Update: NXT tapings, Percy Watson, Angelico & Jack Evans

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​F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Seven thoughts from Wrestlemania 34

With a card that was still strong on in-ring action, Sunday’s WrestleMania 34 ended up being one of the weirdest events that WWE has ever produced. The show seemed destined to become one of the best in WrestleMania history, starting off with two very good matches and peaking with Ronda Rousey & Kurt Angle vs. Stephanie McMahon & Triple H blowing away all expectations. The Undertaker answered John Cena’s challenge shortly after that, squashing him in under three minutes. And Daniel Bryan returned to the Superdome and made his in-ring return in what was a great moment.

WON NEWSLETTER: April 9, 2018 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Massive Wrestlemania 34 weekend, more

The final words before WrestleMania, the change in UFC’s PPV this week, coverage of Sakura Genesis and a look at the Andre the Giant documentary are the lead stories in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Read the update on WrestleMania and the week regarding the matches, the questions and ticket sales. Look at what WWE Fan Axxess has scheduled and notes on who will be appearing on the different shows.

Go through the background of UFC making Max Holloway vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov as Saturday’s PPV main event, including how Tony Ferguson was injured, who else was asked to face Nurmagomedov, challenges for Holloway, examining the risk/reward for Holloway and what Dana White says about how it all went down. 

Find out about the crazy risks that Will Ospreay has been taking, his match with Marty Scurll at Sakura Genesis as well as the Kazuchika Okada vs. Zack Sabre Jr. match, go through the upcoming matches, the lineups for the next month of new Japan major shows, business notes on the show, as well as the huge controversy Sabre got into based on a promo he did in Japan making mainstream media in Mexico.

Examine the life and times of Andre the Giant, and review the upcoming HBO documentary on Andre, how it got done, myths about Andre, Andre’s early days, where the name came from, behind his confrontations with Akira Maeda, Blackjack Mulligan and Badnews Allen, the famous Andre vs. The Monster story, the build to Andre vs. Hogan and the sad end of his career and life.

There is more on Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman and their WWE futures, who WWE says won’t be at Mania, notes to look for when WWE announces its new number, more on Greatest Royal Rumble, thoughts on WWE, injuries, health of Daniel Bryan, who else was talked with about teaming with Ronda Rousey, the next planned Roman Reigns program, Cena and Dwayne Johnson have new movies out, most watched shows on WWE Network, as well as results and highlights from every WWE and NXT show this past week with business notes.

Check out the new promotion that Josh Barnett and Kazushi Sakuraba are debuting next week in Japan at Sumo Hall, with the unique rules plus Sakuraba comments on it, and so much more.

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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WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • Following TakeOver: New Orleans, NXT is taping its next round of television episodes at Full Sail University tonight. While their tag team name was changed to the War Raiders, the former members of War Machine are still being called Hanson and Rowe.
  • WWE recorded video of Mauro Ranallo during TakeOver and posted some of his reactions.
  • Percy Watson was announced as a new permanent fixture on the 205 Live announce team last night. Nigel McGuinness wasn’t on commentary for the show and will be back in two weeks, with it becoming a three-man booth after that.
  • On 205 Live, Brian Kendrick returned to WWE television for the first time since having his nose and orbital bone broken during a match with Hideo Itami last December.
  • Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado vs. Akira Tozawa & Hideo Itami in a tornado tag match is set for next Tuesday’s 205 Live.
  • WWE’s upcoming DVD “Twist of Fate: The Best of the Hardy Boyz” will include footage from Impact Wrestling and their Broken Hardys characters.
  • Peyton Royce and Billie Kay are being called “The IIconics” on the main roster, though the team name is pronounced normally despite the two Is.
  • Bayley tweeted about Royce and Kay being called up: “When these two got signed and moved to America, they were sleeping on my apartment floor in Orlando for a few weeks until they could get their feet on the ground. So proud to see how far they’ve come, they sacrificed so much to have their moment tonight. #IIconics”
  • James Ellsworth congratulated Carmella on her SmackDown Women’s Championship win: “I’m in tears, you did it girl! Congratulations @CarmellaWWE  Forever my friend who is a girl .. #SDLive”
  • Becky Lynch explained why she wasn’t able to help Charlotte Flair during Royce and Kay’s attack or Carmella’s cash-in. Lynch defeating Ruby Riott was last night’s pre-SmackDown dark match, with Shinsuke Nakamura beating Dolph Ziggler after 205 Live.
  • Triple H tweeted out his usual post-debut pictures with Ember Moon, No Way Jose, and The Authors of Pain from Monday’s Raw, along with photos with Bobby Lashley and Nicholas.
  • Cody Rhodes wished his brother a happy 49th birthday: “Happy Birthday @Goldust. A truly kind and loving soul! His career & body-of-work is spellbinding and he isn’t done yet. I love you and am very proud of you. Although I complained the entire time, he is undoubtedly my favorite tag-team partner and I’ll have his back always.”
  • Rusev posted after his Greatest Royal Rumble casket match with The Undertaker was announced: “Bury me softly, Brother”
  • Steve Austin and Court Bauer recapped WrestleMania 34 on the latest edition of Austin’s podcast.
  • ESPN has a Q&A with Bill Simmons about HBO’s Andre the Giant documentary.

Pro Wrestling

  • Angelico and Jack Evans both announced their departures from Lucha Underground.
  • Daisuke Sekimoto will be facing Shota Umino at NJPW’s Lion’s Gate Project show on May 15th. The Lion’s Gate shows usually feature young lions, outsiders from other promotions, and some of NJPW’s older veterans.
  • The Young Bucks challenging for The Briscoes’ Tag Team titles, Six-Man Tag Team Champions Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky vs. Cody Rhodes, Hangman Page & Marty Scurll in a non-title match, and Dalton Castle & The Boys vs. The Kingdom have been added to the lineup for ROH’s TV tapings in Pittsburgh on Saturday. Flip Gordon will also challenge for Silas Young’s TV title.

UFC/MMA

Daily Professional Wrestling History: DDP wins his first WCW World title

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