Daily Update: Pre-Raw notes, Moose, Kenny Omega

THE ROUND-UP

THE LATEST NEWS

THE LATEST AUDIO

We’re looking for your thoughts on last night’s Impact PPV, 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’re also looking for reports from Raw tonight with the non-Raw matches and anything not on the live show, as well as reports from the Impact tapings in Toronto at the Rebel Complex and the Smackdown house show tonight in Carbondale, IL to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.

Raw is from Cincinnati. Stephanie McMahon will return for a major announcement. Also Roman Reigns vs. Bobby Lashley, winner faces Brock Lesnar at Summerslam, and Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel vs. Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt for the Raw tag team titles. They are also advertising Lashley & Reigns & Seth Rollins & Braun Strowman vs. Drew McIntyre & Dolph Ziggler & Kevin Owens & Elias, but odds are that match will never happen. There is also a Monday night Smackdown house show in Carbondale, IL.

Smackdown and 205 Live take place on Tuesday in Evansville, IN. Announced so far is Carmella vs. Becky Lynch in a non-title match Hideo Itami vs. Drew Gulak vs. Mustafa Ali vs. TJP for a shot at Cedric Alexander’s cruiserweight title.

F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Hogan takes first step towards WWE return

Nearly three years after being fired from the company, Hulk Hogan’s return to WWE took a major step forward on Sunday. After Hogan was spotted flying into Cleveland — which was apparently a failed attempt to avoid him being seen coming to Pittsburgh, where WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view was being held — WWE announced on Sunday afternoon that Hogan had been reinstated into their Hall of Fame.

WON NEWSLETTER: (July 23, 2018): ROH/NJPW to run MSG, Hogan reinstated into WWE HOF, more

A look at the ROH/NJPW planned show in Madison Square Garden and the huge ramifications this show could have on the industry is the lead story of a big double-issue of the Observer. 

The lead story goes into how ROH/NJPW got the date back after WWE blocked it, why those at Sinclair were always confident they would be able to run the date and their big ace on why they have leverage on WWE. 

Find out who was announced, who wasn’t and why, as well as ticket prices, and what significant milestone this show can reach that no non-WWE show in history ever has.

Read what happened backstage with Hulk Hogan, talent reactions to Kofi Kingston and Titus O’Neil, what the problems were in how this was handled and the real issues involved. .

Look at the hilarious irony of the new UFC business deal in Russia.

This issue has full coverage of the Extreme Rules show, a look at the upcoming SummerSlam show, a look at the issues with the crowd, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.

Read more on the G-1 Climax tournament with business notes, standings, schedule for the next week, plus match-by-match coverage and star ratings

Also look at yet another rise in WWE stock and why, predictions on WWE future profits, Daniel Bryan talks his future and contract situation, Bryan talks about his in-ring style change, update on Vince McMahon, Dwayne Johnson’s latest movie, Bret Hart and Martha Hart argue over Owen Hart, Owen Hart honored this week, and Rousey TV appearance.

Read how a recent FCC ruling affects the growth of ROH.

Also look at the upcoming Bellator welterweight tournament, a look at the participants, schedule and championship plans.

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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE

Bryan and I will be back tonight talking Raw, G-1, Impact and the rest of the pro wrestling and MMA news tonight as well as taking your questions that can be sent to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com.

It is being reported that all of the Smackdown women were pulled off the Carbondale house show tonight to be at Raw for Stephanie McMahon’s annoncement, which is believed to be something to do with an all women’s PPV show and/or creation of tag team champions.

There were teases that Ronda Rousey would be at the show in violation of her suspension, which last week they tacked another week on when she showed up.

Paul Heyman is in Cincinnati, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be on TV as he has non-TV duties as far as helping build Brock Lesnar’s SummerSlam program. He and Brock Lesnar are scheduled for TV next Monday in Miami.

Impact had a big show last night in the sense that it was their best PPV event in recent memory, almost universally praised and with a hot crowd. They are slowly removing the negative stigma that the company has had for years.

Moose is suffering from vertigo today after getting what is believed to have been a concussion last night in his match with Austin Aries. He had one of the best matches of his career last night.

Announced for the Impact tapings tonight is Brian Cage vs Matt Sydal in a rematch for the X title, and that Scarlett Bordeaux will debut and Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella) will also be at the tapings.

ESPN is reporting Luke Rockhold vs. Chris Weidman for 11/3 in Madison Square Garden is in the works.

Kenny Omega said on Being the Elite that he may be working with a heel fracture right now. His heel has been bothering him.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Ring Warriors TV announcer Blake Chadwick will be on Facebook live at 9 p.m. Eastern for a major announcement regarding the company, announcing a national broadcast outlet that will air its TV tapings starting in September.
  • Jeff Jarrett will be doing a One Man Show from Sheffield, England that will air on Wednesday at 3:15 p.m. Eastern on FITE TV as an iPPV. The show will be hosted by Kenny McIntosh of Inside the Ropes, who has brought over a number of major stars for similar shows.
  • Tickets went on sale today for the MLW War Games show at the Fort Lauderdale War Memorial Auditorium on 9/6. The show will be a TV taping for Bein Sports. They will have a War Games match and announced for the show so far are Low Ki, Pentagon Jr., Fenix, MJF, Tom Lawlor, Shane Strickland, Sami Callihan, Barrington Hughes, Salina de la Renta and The Dirty Blondes. 
  • AAW from Saturday night in Merrionette Park, IL: Connor Braxton NC Clayton Gainz when Sami Callihan, who was banned from the show, attacked both guys, Dave & Jake Crist NC Jimmy Jacobs & Brody King (Callihan attacked both guys as well), DJZ b Trey Miguel, Curt Stallion & Jake Something b Aaron Solow & Ricky Starks, Kimber Lee b Su Yung to keep the women’s title, Myron Reed won a TLC match for a shot at Trevor Lee’s Heritage title over AR Fox, Shane Strickland, Paco and Stephen Wolf, Rey Fenix b Dezmond Xavier, MJF b Ace Romero, Trevor Lee & Eddie Kingston & David Starr b Mat Fitchett & Davey Vega (AAW tag champs) & ACH (AAW singles champ). (thanks to Dave Gould and Jeremy Boone)
  • AAW has some big shows upcoming including both 8/30 and 8/31 in Chicago at the Logan Square Arena, which are the two days before All In.
  • Northeast Wrestling from Saturday night in Niles, OH before more than 2,000 fans: Hale Collins b Jake Manning, Ray Lyn b Adira, Brad Hollister b Mike Gamble, Ryback b Dylan Bostic, Adrenaline Rush & Inzanely Rude b Team Storm, Jack Swagger b Wrecking Ball Legursky for the NEW title, Rey Mysterio Jr. b Penta 0M in what was said to be a great main event. They also announced a firsr-ever Mysterio vs. Darby Allin match for Norwalk, CT at Dodd Stadium on 8/3.
  • Johnny Impact throwing out the first pitch at the Toronto Blue Jays game. (thanks to Steve Khan)
  • The EMW promotion has a show in Tijuana on Friday night at the Auditorio with Psycho Clown vs. El Hijo del Fantasma vs. L.A. Park in the main event plus Fenix & Pagano & Nicho vs. Juventud Guerrera & El Texano Jr. & Rey Escorpion, and Sammy Guevara vs. Taurus vs. El Hijo de L.A. Park.
  • Future Stars of Wrestling from last night in Las Vegas: Karl Fredericks won elimination match for No Limits title over Eli Everfly, Jungle Boy and Damien Drake, Heather Monroe won elimination match to become women’s champ over Mazzerati and Sandra Moon, Bad Dude Tito & Ricky Mandel & Che Cabrers b Spyder Warrior & Remy Marcel & Jack Manley, Jody Summers b Jace Battle in a loser leaves town street fight, Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson b Chris Bey & Suede Thompson in a tag title match, Gauntlet series of matches: Funny Bone b Jake Atlas, Douglas James b Funny Bone, Douglas James b Owen Travers to earn an immediate No Limits title match, Nick Bugatti b Douglas James to keep title, Graves b Stephan Bonnar (managed by Disco Inferno) by submission in a no ropes no DQ match for the Nevada title, Greg Romero & Sugar Brown & Clutch won elimination match over Tomaste & Ryan Taylor & Andrew Wiecksn, Hammerstone b Willie Mack in a TLC match to keep the FSW title. They announced Sabu vs. Funnybone on 8/2 in a Hardcore match, an 8/18 all women’s show and 9/30 will be a tournament to create the Mecca champion with Shane Strickland, Brian Cage, Hammerstone, John Hennigan, Sami Callihan, PJ Black and Teddy Hart plus one more wrestler to be announced. (thanks to Jake Koch and Mike Trask)
  • Canadian Wrestling Elite on 7/27 and 7/28 at the Howl at the Moon Music Festival for free at the Hill Top Resort which is 45 minutes north of Winnipeg.
  • Glory Pro Wrestling from Sunday in Collinsville, IL: Edvin Kudic & Camaro Jackson & Justin Taylor b Chase Holiday & Xavier Walker & Palmer Cruise, Paco Gonzalez won three-way over Shane Strickland and Air Wolf, Kevin Lee Davidson & Mike Outlaw b Logan & Sterling Riegel, Savanna Stone b Laynie Luck, Mance Warner b Ethan Page, Stephen Wolf won seven-way over Kobe Durst Barakcus, Tootie Lynn Ramsey, Clayton Gainz, Brandon Aarons and Sage Cainan,ACH b AJ Gray, T-Money & Russ Myers b Space Monkey & Shane Sabre, Aaron Solow b Danny Adams, Jake Parnell b Myron Reed, Curt Stallion b Jake Something to win Crown of Glory. (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)
  • Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling on 8/18 in East Carondelet, IL at the Community Center.
  • IPW on Saturday night in Titirangi, New Zealand: Falcon Kid b Antonio Khan, Young Nats b Savage & Stone, Jakob Cross b Oliver Griffin, Jake Sheehan b Little Ted, Candy Lee & Grace Lightning b Britenay & Ashlee Spencer, Sweet T b Tee Hawke, XS NC Dapper Dynasty, Liam Fury won three-way over James Shaw and Jukebox Hero. Next shows are 8/11 in Taranaki and 8/18 in Auckland. Toa Henare faces Liam Fury in Auckland. (thanks to Steve Ogilvie)
  • Dan Gable, namesake of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum, answers five questions about professional wrestling in advance of the 2018 George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame inductions on July 26-28. Gable won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1972 Olympics and coached the University of Iowa wrestling team to 15 NCAA team championships from 1977-97. Anyone interested in ordering tickets to Hall of Fame weekend should e-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org or call (319) 233-0745.
  • Dan Gable talks about his thoughts on pro wrestling:

One of the most common questions we get asked is, “What does Dan Gable think about professional wrestling?” So, what do you think about professional wrestling? 

  • As an amateur wrestler growing up in Waterloo, Iowa, I was influenced more than normal by professional wrestling. Like most other people, I tuned into professional wrestling for excitement and entertainment, which is a good product. I write my books for excitement and entertainment, so that’s a positive thing.
  • There was personal attachment that gave me more insight and brought me closer when Chris Taylor, my teammate at Iowa State, went into professional wrestling after college. When professional wrestlers like Iron Sheik and Kurt Angle throw my name out it enhances my connection to professional wrestling. Professional wrestling is not a foreign subject to me.

Chad Gable, a 2012 Olympian in Greco-Roman wrestling (as Chas Betts) and current WWE Superstar, shares your famous last name. What is it like knowing that your grandkids are fans of his?

  • I have grandkids whose dad is a professional wrestling fan. Knowing the family of their dad, I’m amused because I never would think they would have been professional wrestling fans. It showed me that there are fans out there of this profession that you wouldn’t think would be fans based on their personality. It must draw from a lot of different places.

You put Chad Gable through a workout in the Iowa wrestling room a few months ago. How hard did you push him?

  • He had already been through a couple hours of filming and I don’t think he was going at a high level when I came in. They were just doing things for recording and for viewing. I probably upped the pace of his heart rate from 90 to 190 in a matter of seconds. The workout wasn’t real long but it was intense. Based on what I’ve seen with him and his wrestling I think he would have developed well in the Iowa wrestling room.

You had a cameo in a professional wrestling movie called “The Wrestler” (1974) starring Verne Gagne and Ed Asner. What do you remember about filming for that movie?

  • I just remember that we filmed it on the University of Minnesota’s campus. We did it in a wrestling room and that’s where I trained for the Olympic Games. Those memories stick with you for a lifetime.

Were you a baby face (good guy) or a heel (bad guy) when you were the head wrestling coach at Iowa?

  • I think a lot of wrestling fans appreciated the success, the domination, and the entertaining style of Iowa Wrestling. It also created animosity because we dominated. A lot of people who weren’t fans because of personal reasons became fans when I stepped down as head wrestling coach. However, a lot of them still aren’t fans because (Iowa Wrestling) scarred them. When you get scarred it’s tough. If you didn’t get scarred personally and you appreciated it then you’re probably a Gable fan. There are some wrestlers out there that will never be a Gable fan.

Daily Professional Wrestling History: Great American Bash 1989

12th Annual F4W Empire Vegas Convention

Greetings friends and fans of the F4W / Wrestling Observer website. It’s time to announce the details of the 12th annual F4W / Wrestling Observer Empire Las Vegas Convention~!

This year’s event will be taking place in Las Vegas from August 16th to the 20th and will again be in conjunction with WWE’s SummerSlam weekend a.k.a. Super China Buffet Day~! There will still be the usual events, but our big draw will be WWE’s summer blockbuster PPV, SummerSlam. As per tradition, we will all gorge ourselves at a Las Vegas buffet, and then watch SummerSlam in a rented out movie theater. All information and ticketing prices are available now. Sign up ASAP as spots are limited for some events. 

This year will also feature a Future Stars Wrestling show which will include the first ever Granny’s Doubles Match Classic! Already booked for the show are the teams Mia Yim & Leva Bates, Shotzi Blackheart & ???, Samantha Heights & Brittany Blake, and Miranda Alize & Kylie Rae. Also appearing will be Kris Wolf along with many more future stars. There may even be a classic star or two making an appearance. You won’t want to miss this show! Check out the convention’s Facebook page for all additional information.

CONTACT INFORMATION