Daily Update: Raw, Best of the Super Juniors, SmackDown tag teams

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We’re looking for reports on the WWE Raw show tonight in Evansville, IN, the Progress Strong Style tournament shows from London and Impact TV tapings from Philadelphia to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.

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

IMPACT CODE RED AT 8 P.M EASTERN SUNDAY FROM THE NYC ARENA IN QUEENS, NY ON IMPACT+

  • Johnny Impact & Taya Valkyrie vs. Eddie & Alisha Edwards
  • Michael Elgin vs. Willie Mack
  • LAX vs. Dave & Jake Crist vs. Smoothe Blackmon & Chris Seaton
  • Rich Swann vs. Ace Austin vs. Trey Miguel vs. Smiley vs. Evander James vs. Mantequilla
  • Tommy Dreamer vs. Sami Callihan
  • Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz vs. Ethan Page & Josh Alexander
  • Tessa Blanchard & Violotte vs. Scarlett Bordeaux & Sonya Strong
  • Moose vs. Ken Broadway

Raw will be Monday in Cincinnati. Roman Reigns and other Smackdown stars are scheduled. 

Smackdown and 205 Live are being taped on Tuesday in Louisville.

The WWE European tour opens on Wednesday in Belfast, Ireland.

F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Looking at AEW’s build to Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes

A brother vs. brother match will be one of the key pieces of All Elite Wrestling’s Double or Nothing card.

After weeks of teases, Dustin Rhodes was confirmed as his brother Cody’s opponent for Double or Nothing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 25. Dustin issued a statement about his status with WWE after the announcement was made, revealing that he had requested his release from WWE and was granted it. Dustin also posted a video where he said goodbye to his Goldust character.

WON NEWSLETTER: May 6, 2019 Observer Newsletter: WWE earnings report, Brock Lesnar, more

One of the biggest news issues of the year, a double issue, leads off with a basic state of the industry right now. Read about how WWE business fell in the first quarter, what is and isn’t the long-term prognostication, usage of fake stats in business that history shows are meaningless to growth, WWE injuries, WWE getting behind new talent, changes in October, and more.

Read a lot more on Brock Lesnar staying with WWE and not returning to WWE, such as how the ESPN deal has changed things for top stars in UFC, when Lesnar can command so much money, what has happened over the last year with Lesnar, UFC and WWE and more.

Read the update on Money in the Bank and Double or Nothing and the ticket demand for both.

Look at the front runner for 2021 WrestleMania, notes on 2020 WrestleMania plans including what match is off the books, Dean Ambrose becomes Jon Moxley and what that means, update on situation with Luke Harper, The Revival, Gallows & Anderson and others.

Read rundowns on the UFC and Bellator shows this past week, with business notes, how much the fighters got paid and match-by-match rundowns of both events.

Read more on the Japanese legacy of The Destroyer, listing all of his championship matches in Japan, as well as his biggest wins and his infrequent losses in All Japan in the 70s and 80s.

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SUNDAY NEWS UPDATE

Our weekend show with Garrett Gonzalez is up on the site right now. We talk a ton of subjects, answer questions including the Vince McMahon/Phil Mushnick debate on Fox News that never happened, the Von Erichs, New Japan Dontaku, UFC, Cormier vs. Stipe, Raw and Smackdown plans this week and more.

We now have more tickets put on sale for a Q&A Bryan Alvarez and I are doing in Las Vegas over the weekend of Double or Nothing.

A story on Ben Askren leading to his wrestling match in MSG’s Hulu Theater tomorrow against Jordan Burroughs.

This morning, Donald Cerrone was the third most searched term on Google with 50,000, although it fell to sixth at the time of this writing. Searches related to the Canelo Alvarez vs. Danny Jacobs fight were 2.1 million and for the Kentucky Derby topped 10 million.

The complete New Japan Best of the Super Juniors lineups are expected to come out late tomorrow night.

WWE had better hope the Roman Reigns on Raw stuff means something, because Raw goes against the Celtics-Bucks early game and then the second half of Raw going against the Warriors, who are the ratings king, vs. Houston. In addition, it goes against game six of both Boston vs. Columbus and San Jose vs. Colorado in the NHL playoffs, and both Boston and San Jose could win their series as each is up 3-2. Smackdown on Tuesday has both NHL & NBA playoffs, but not early.

WWE

  • Investors talking that WWE will have a resurgence in October and blame the bad quarter on Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and A.J. Styles being out.  
  • The WWE web site is listing six teams on the Smackdown roster as it pertains to the tag team titles, listing the B Team, Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev, Heavy Machinery, Finn Balor & Ali, Shane McMahon & Elias and Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods.
  • Ronda Rousey appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert promoting the new Mortal Kombat 11 video game. Rousey had a cast on her arm from her surgery after breaking her hand at WrestleMania. Aside from bringing up the injury, she never brought up pro wrestling. 
  • TMZ reported that Paige is looking for Hollywood roles.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • On tonight’s episode of “Billions” on Showtime, there is a charity boxing storyline. Deontay Wilder is the trainer of one guy on the show and cornerman, while Stipe Miocic appears in the corner of the other. Dudley Mafee, a character on the show, is a wrestling fan and it gets played up. There was also a reference to George Steele in the commentary. (thanks to Ross Blair)
  • Warrior Wrestling 5 on 5/12 in Chicago Heights, IL at Marian Catholic High School at 2 p.m. is a fund raiser for scholarships for Marian Catholic High School. The last show in March raised $10,000. The listed lineup has Brian Cage vs. Wardlow for the Warrior Wrestling title (no word on if this is possible because Cage is hurting pretty badly), Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Robert Anthony where if Pillman wins, he gets five minutes with Frank the Clown, if he loses Frank the Clown will shave Pillman’s head, Tom Lawlor vs. Chris Ridgeway, Sam Adonis vs. Pat Monix, Austin Aries vs. Eddie Edwards in a cage match, Pentagon Jr. & Fenix vs. Kotto Brazil & Daga, Volador Jr. vs. Gringo Loco, Tessa Blanchard vs. Jordynne Grace with Nora Greenwald (Molly Holly) as referee and more.
  • Last night’s Bellator show was explosive with four first round finishes, all impressive including a potential knockout of the year by Raymond Daniels over Wilker Barros.
  • I Believe in Wrestling from Friday night in Orlando: Chasyn Rance b Jake Shadows, Mike Reed & Marina Tucker b Jarrett Diaz & Sofia Castillo, Kahagas b Kwame Nas, Cisco Sucio & Danny Malo b Ali Mohammed & Chris Ramirez, Jay Say won three-way over Jason Cade and Remi Danilo, Amber Nova won three-way over Kaci Lennox and Ellie Hile Andrew Merlin & Carlos Gabriel b Justin Black & Joey Ozburne, Aaron Epic b Deon James to in Florida title. Next show is 6/7 with the Florida J Cup.
  • WrestleRock from last night in Melbourne, Australia: Nick Bury b Taylor King, Vixsin & Chanel Phoenix b Xena & Kingsley, Ritchie Taylor b Mad Dog, Avary b Lochy Hendricks, CK Dowie b Mitch Waterman. (thanks to Kevin Chiat)
  • Saraya Knight comes to Australia on 5/17.
  • Stardom from Saturday in Tokyo: Hanan b Rina, Hana Kimura b Hina, Saya Iida b Leo Onozaki, Arisa Hoshiki & Saki Kashima & Starlight Kid & Tam Nakano b Hazuki & Natsuko Tora & Andras Miyagi & Natsu Sumire and Jungle Kyona & Konami & Ruaka & Rebel Kel in a three-way, Toni Storm d Momo Watanabe, Bea Priestley b Kagetsu to win the World of Stardom championship.
  • Stardom from today in Tokyo: Arisa Hoshiki & Tam Nakano & Saya Iida & Hanan won three-team over Momo Watanabe & Bea Priestley & Leo Onozaki & Hina and Hana Kimura & Ruaka & Rebel Kel & Rina, Natsu Sumire b Saki Kashima-DQ, Hazuki b Starlight Kid to keep the High Speed title, Toni Storm b Andras Miyagi, Kagetsu & Natsuko Tora b Jungle Kyona & Konami. (thanks to Shannon Walsh, Tomi Yamada, and wrestlingwithdemons.net)
  • Northeast Wrestling from last night in Bethany, CT: JT Dunn b Brad Hollister to win NEW title, Private Party b Christian Casanova & Brandon Watts, Jimmy Preston b Mike Verna, Keith Youngblood b Daniel Evans in a no DQ match, Aiden Aggrom & Danger Kid b Tommy & JP Grayson, Richard Holiday b Zane Bernardo, Chuck O’Neil  b Brett Ryan Gosselin, Chuck O’Neil b Dexter Loux, Chuck O’Neil b Chris Battle, Mike Gamble b Anthony Battle. (thanks to Nick Mahmood)
  • Best of the West live TV taping on 5/11 at the Best of the West Arena at 5766 Fountain Way in Fresno at 6 p.m. 
  • CCW on 5/19 in Los Banos, CA at the Parasio Brewery with Super Crazy.
  • CWA on 5/26 in Hilmar, CA at Grange Hall at 5 p.m.
  • Best of the West on 5/26 in Merced, CA at the American Legion Post.
  • Pro Wrestling Revolution on 5/31 in Visalia, CA at the Rawhide baseball stadium.
  • VIPW on 5/25 in Nanaimo, BC at the Departure Bay Activity Centre. They also run 5/24 in Victoria BC at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 912.
  • Hoosier Pro Wrestling from last night in Columbus, IN: Big D b Cousin Cooter, Drax O’Brien b Zack Pittman, Lighting Bolt b Omega De, Guy Lombardo won over Ace Jackson and Scarecrow to keep the cruiserweight title, Do Do Brown & Alice Crawley b Duke the Nuke & Richard Sharkey-DQ, Tank & Fireball b Buck Sexton & Dynamite Dillen to win the tag titles, Tim Lutz b Butcher Manson to keep HPW title. Next show is 6/1 with Crowley vs. Sharkey in a strap match.
  • Jim Cornette, Bobby Eaton, Stan Lane and Dennis Condrey will appear as part of the Midnight Express 35th anniversary celebration in Richmond, VA at HUGE TMPT Con 3.
  • Bodyslam Wrestling from last night in Odense, Denmark: Tank b Adonis, Capt. Bodyslam b Erik Sabel, Jurn Simmons b Veit Muller, Killer Kelly & Alexander Jams b Steinbolt & Sixt, Rick Dominick won three-way over Michael Fynne and Peter Olisander. (thanks to Kristian Buus Nielsen)
  • Al Snow’s autobiography will be released this coming Wednesday. 
  • An interview with Gino Gambino talking New Japan coming to Australia and announcing for New Japan.
  • Dean Ambrose at the CAC Wednesday night talking about trainer Cody Hawk.
  • Chris Jericho did a yard sale this weekend.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Second Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions

F4W Empire Convention Info:

  • Ed in San Antonio presents PODER~! at the FSW arena on Friday 5/24 – Showtime is at noon – Main event: Bryan Alvarez vs. Logan Stunt
  • Empire dinner on Friday 5/24 at 8:30 p.m. at Texas de Brazil – Price is $82 – All you can eat meat and salad, sodas, tea, and coffee, plus dessert included
  • Empire suite party on Friday 5/24 for those who were not able to get the Q&A package – Price is $25

Purchase tickets here. 

CONTACT INFORMATION