Daily Update: Raw, G1 standings, Jeff Hardy

THE ROUND-UP

The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS

AUDIO

Raw is in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre. Smackdown has a house show in Kingston, Ontario.

NEW JAPAN G-1 CLIMAX TOURNAMENT AT 5:30 A.M. EASTERN TUESDAY MORNING FROM YOKOHAMA BUNKA GYM

  • Tomoyuki Oka vs. Chase Owens
  • Yuji Nagata & Katsuya Kitamura vs. Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Togi Makabe & Kota Ibushi & Hirai Kawato vs. Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi & Gedo
  • Tomohiro Ishii & Jado vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Desperado
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi & David Finlay vs. Tetsuya Naito & Bushi & Hiromu Takahashi
  • Satoshi Kojima vs. Tama Tonga
  • Juice Robinson vs. Toru Yano
  • Michael Elgin vs. Evil
  • Kenny Omega vs. Seiya Sanada
  • Kazuchika Okada vs. Minoru Suzuki

Tuesday has Smackdown tapings also in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre. Naomi vs. Carmella in a non-title match has been announced. For 205 Live, they’ve announced TJP vs. Rich Swann.

FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: Figure Four Weekly 7/31/2017: Brock Lesnar vs. Jon Jones inches closer to reality

On the heels of Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor, another unlikely combat sports event seems to have become a genuine possibility. Jon Jones challenged Brock Lesnar to return to the Octagon after regaining the UFC light heavyweight title against Daniel Cormier last Saturday night. “Brock Lesnar,” Jones said. “If you want to know what it feels like to get your ass kicked by a guy who weighs 40 pounds less than you, meet me in the Octagon.”

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WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: August 7, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE second quarter earnings, UFC 214, more

A look at the WWE business notes for quarter two is among the top stories of the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Also look at the deja vu of Jon Jones, in-depth on G-1, Io Shirai, the negotiations for Broken Hardys and much more.

Look at what aspects of WWE business right now are the most valuable and how they compare to last year, the state of the company, the future of TV or streaming rights fees, Facebook and Netflix heads talk about content like WWE, the drop in U.K. ratings, the WWE network numbers and what it says, the recent WWE cost cutting measures, as well as the state of live show attendance and real WrestleMania number.

Go in depth as UFC tries to remake Jon Jones as a big star, the Daniel Cormier fight, the story behind it, the potential of a Brock Lesnar fight and where it stands and when it can happen, the similarities between this Jon Jones and the other one, a look at UFC 214, Tyron Woodley’s complaints, Dana White buries him, the realities of being a pro athlete in a sport where fans decide the stars, Cris Cyborg gets a title, all the business notes as well as match-by-match coverage and how much everyone made in their fights.

An update on the G-1 Climax tournament with the MVP race, the standings, the schedule, business notes and coverage of all the tournament matches of the past week, is in this issue.

Also there is an update on the SummerSlam card, who was being groomed for a top spot at the end of the year, the ticket demand for SummerSlam and NXT Takeover, the Bayley injury, a match that won’t be happening at SummerSlam, and much more regarding the show.

Look at Royal Rumble tickets, John Cena getting his biggest Hollywood break, update on Cena’s pro wrestling appearances including his first PPV after SummerSlam, everything you want to know about the fight over the Broken Universe gimmick, Chris Jericho in TMZ, Jericho in WWE, and Jericho’s music.

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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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WON BACK ISSUE: July 10, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF signs Brock Lesnar, future of ECW, more

With the WWF television situation being straightened out, now all eyes are on the future of ECW, both as far as national television and the company’s survival itself. ECW was officially canceled, as expected, by TNN effective with the show airing on 9/22. This date appears to preclude any chance of USA Network having ECW ready to go on the air the Monday after WWF leaves (which is believed to be the first week of September, although nobody has been able to confirm an official date), in an attempt to have a wrestling show ready to keep at least a small part of the huge audience that by habit tunes to USA in that time slot.

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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE

Bryan and I will be back tonight talking Raw, G-1, Takayama and the rest of the news with Wrestling Observer radio. You can send in questions for tonight’s show to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com.

Scheduled for Raw tonight is Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns in a last man standing match, which in theory should be a good ratings draw match. With Bayley out of action, SummerSlam’s opponent for Alexa Bliss will be decided over the next two weeks. There will be three-way matches tonight (tentative plans were Nia Jax vs. Mickie James vs. Dana Brooke and Alicia Fox vs. Emma vs. Sasha Banks), with the winners, and one would expect that to be Jax and Banks, having a singles match next Monday to determine who gets into the SummerSlam match.

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman are on the show tonight, scheduled for a Mix TV segment.

Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal is being pushed in Toronto for tomorrow night’s Smackdown show. Not sure if that will be on TV (if so, it would be advertised during tonight’s Raw) or is just local advertising of the post-show dark match.

ESPN Magazine has a gigantic cover story on Conor McGregor coming out in a few days. The magazine will also have a feature on Cris Cyborg Justino.

The next-to-last night of B block action is tomorrow morning and here are the standings going into it:

  • Kazuchika Okada 6-1
  • Kenny Omega 5-2
  • Evil 5-2
  • Seiya Sanada 4-3
  • Minoru Suzuki 4-3
  • Toru Yano 3-4
  • Michael Elgin 2-5
  • Tama Tonga 2-5
  • Juice Robinson 2-5
  • Satoshi Kojima 1-6

       There are still a lot of ways this thing can go. Okada faces Suzuki tomorrow and Omega on Saturday. Omega has Sanada and Okada. Evil has Elgin and Kojima. Sanada has Omega and Tonga.

WWE

  • Jeff Hardy is not at Raw tonight. The Hardys were off the entire Canadian tour. 
  • John Cena once again hosted The Today show earlier today. It wasn’t crazy as he’s not working the house show tour this weekend.
  • WWE Network debuts a table for three with Scott Hall, Sean Waltman and DDP after Raw tonight.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Mayweather-McGregor in Holland will air on Fox Sports 2 as part of the Fox subscription package and as an Internet PPV for 7.95 Euros.
  • Over the Top Wrestling from yesterday in Belfast, Northern Ireland before a sellout of about 550 fans: Curtis Murray b Jody Fleisch, Jonny Storm b Alex Maxsted, Jeff Cobb b Ricochet, Joey Ryan & Candice LeRae & Session Moth Martina b Justin Sharpe & Katey Harvey & ?, Jordan Devlin b Jimmy Havoc, Mark Haskins b Matt Cross to keep the NLW title, Bonesaw & Damien Corvyn & Dunkin Disorderby b Pete Dunne & Trent Seven & Tyler Bate to keep the tag team titles. (thanks to John Service). 
  • MLW announced a streaming service for its 10/5 show in Orlando promoted by Wale and headlined by Ricochet vs. Shane Strickland. They will partner with Pivotshare. The event will not stream live, but will be up 72 hours after the fact.
  • Rob Strauss aka Robbie E is working with Muscle & Fitness magazine. Every Monday he’ll be on their Instagram account with an exercise related post. Notable that he’s the guy doing it since the magazine has a very close business relationship with WWE.
  • Jay Lethal will be throwing out the first pitch on Wednesday night at the Tampa Bay Rays game against the Boston Red Sox.
  • All of the animals at the WrestleCircus show were adopted by wrestling fans.
  • Ted DiBiase will be doing a speaking show at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, MI on 8/20. (thanks to Jake Koch)
  • Sunday night’s premiere of the Showtime TV show “Ray Donovan” will have a pro wrestling theme as one of the main characters on the sow is training to be a masked Luchador. (thanks to Joe Puccio)
  • Hoosier Pro Wrestling from Saturday night in Columbus, IN: Kid Thunder won five-way over Kenny Cage, Scarecrow, Jawan and Johnathan Wolfe, Drax O’Brien b Dave the Rave, Duke the Nuke b Buck Sexton, Lightning Bolt b Vic the Bruiser-DQ, Clint Poe b Abraham Mohammed in a loser loves town match, Flash Flanagan b Tank-DQ, Bambino Family b Dillen Swango & Troy Van Zant to win the tag titles, Shawn Kemp b TJ Kemp to win the HPW title. Next show is 9/2.
  • CHIKARA from Saturday night: Don Kluger & Jasper Tippens & Officer Warren Barksdale b Hermit Crab & Cajun Crawdad & Sloan Caprice, Missile Assault Man b Whisper-DQ, Razerhawk b Everett Connors, Hallowicked b Ophidian, Dasher Hatfield b Merlok, Race Jackson b Silverhawk-DQ, Icarus & Fire Ant & Travis Huckabee & Solo Darling b Oleg the Usurper & Kobold & Cornelius Crummels & Sonny DeFarge, Juan Francisco de Coronado b Rory Gulak, Mr. Tochdown b Jeremy Leary. (thanks to Ben Goldstein)
  • I Believe in Wrestling from Saturday night in Orlando: Aaron Epic b Colby Corino, Mike Austin b Juan Hernandez, Chasyn Race & Amber Nova b CT Brown & Marya Castillo, CT Brown won 11 man Battle Royal. Next show is Friday night at the Team Vision Dojo with Colby Corino at the dojo for the first time plus Jesse Neal, Jerrelle Clark and Josh Hess vs. Aaron Epic.
  • Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore on Friday night in Freehold, NJ at iPlay America has MVP vs. Jake Hager (Jack Swagger) vs. Tommy Dreamer in the three-way main event, plus Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson vs. Spirit Squad, Bully Ray vs. Sami Callihan anything goes, Bobby Fish vs. Rhett Titus, plus Nick Aldis, Angelina Love, Velvet Sky and Bull James. They also have a show on Saturday night at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia with no matches announced but likely most of the same talent.
  • NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling on Saturday night in Kingsport, TN at the Civic Auditorium featuring Jason Kincaid. Kids get in free with a paying adult.
  • AIW runs 8/26 at Now that’s Class in Cleveland with Sandman and 9/15 in Cleveland at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel with a guest appearance of Dean Malenko.
  • CWE tonight in St. Albert, Alberta at the Community Hall with Tyler Colton vs. Giant Orion, plus Kaito Kiyomiya of NOAH, Silas Young, Jonathan Gresham, Phil Atlas and Kelly Klein.
  • CWE last night results from Saskatoon: Danny Duggan & Mercenary b Kaz Karter & K-Dos, Jonathan Gresham won three-way over Kaito Kiyomiya and Kenji Brea, Jordynnne Grace b Kelly Klein, Tyler Colton (managed by Nikita Koloff) b Jacob Creed, Alex Anthony & Logan Cross & Tony Novak b Ethan Price & Kute Kody & Tasty Travis, Shane Sabre & Phil Atlas b Tony Kozina & Silas Young.
  • Knokx Pro ran Saturday in Placerville, CA before 250 fans with Rikishi and Boogeyman as the biggest names.
  • Northeast Wrestling from Saturday night in Bethany, CT before a sellout 300 fans: Donovan Dijak won Battle Royal to earn a title shot at Cody Rhodes, Cam Zagami & Anthony Greene b Keith Youngblood & Daniel Evans, JT Dunn b Maxwell Jacob Freidman, Wrecking Ball Legursky b Keith Lee, Chris & Anthony Battle b Tommy & PJ Grayson, Brad Hollister b Flip Gordon to keep the King of Bethany title, TK O’Ryan & Vinny Marseglia b Vik Dalishus & Hale Collins-DQ, Ron Zombie b Ace Romero, Cody Rhodes b Donovan Dijak to keep the NEW title. Next shows are 8/25 in Pittsfield, MA at Wahconah Park with Rhodes vs. Jerry Lawler for the title plus Rey Mysterio Jr. wrestling and appearing will be Ricky Steamboat, Bob Orton Jr. and Booker T, and one of the biggest indie events of the year on 8/27 in Wappingers Falls, NY at Dutchess Stadium with Rhodes vs. Mysterio Jr. for the NEW title, plus Jerry Lawler vs. Robbie E, Ryback vs. Legursky, Hanson vs. Keith Lee, Gordon vs. Garza Jr. vs. Laredo Kid, plus appearances by Chris Jericho, Mick Foley, Steamboat, and Orton Jr.
  • FEW announced a Marty Jannetty seminar on Friday night at 7 p.m. at the FEW Training Station in Miami for $25. 
  • UPW from Saturday night in Rochester, NY: Sean Carr b Cheech, Colin Delaney b Lionel Knight, Mattick b Abyss, Defiance b Wrecking U to win the tag titles, Swoggle & Dick Justice b Wrestling Libertarian Front, Bill Collier b Coconut Jones, Carter Mason b Jay Freddie, Charlie Locke won Battle Royal to win the title, Nick Ando b Bobby Fish to win the UPW title. Fish thanked the fans after the match and said it was his last match with the promotion having signed with WWE.
  • A local story on a show in Hot Springs, AR.
  • This is not wrestling related, but with all the changes in the TV industry, Comcast is setting up a service where for $6 per month you can watch FX and FXX without any ads.(thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)
  • An interview with Cody Rhodes on his departure from WWE and goals.

F4W Online / Wrestling Observer Vegas Convention Event Info

August 17-21; All times are TBA; Full information on the group Facebook page; Activities subject to change

For ticketing information go to https://f4wvegas.brownpapertickets.com/

  • Thursday: Meet at the High Roller for Bowling at the Link; Party at Carnival Court at Hurrah’s
  • Friday: Kiss Mini Golf tournament at the Rio; Dinner at Texas de Brazil; Suite party (location TBA)
  • Saturday: Future Stars of Wrestling show featuring Disco Inferno, Stephan Bonnar, Phil Baron, Shotzi Blackheart, and co-main events: 3-way match with Leva Bates vs. Mia Yim vs. Hudson Envy, and “Filthy” Tom Lawlor vs. Thomas Santell (f.k.a. Antonio “The Promise” Thomas); NXT viewing party at the Sci-Fi Center
  • Sunday: SUPER CHINA BUFFET DAY at the Wicked Spoon Buffet at 1pm; SummerSlam viewing party at the Sci-Fi Center
  • Monday: Goodbye lunch at Chen Chen at NY NY
  • All website members will also receive a 15% discount on any purchases from the Las Vegas Fight Shop for the entirety of the convention

Texas de Brazil, Wicked Spoon, NXT and Summer Slam will all be sign up and pre-paid events, prices and collection begin in mid July~!

Pro Wrestling Tees is now carrying our latest line of F4W shirts. Support the Empire~! Grab yours today!

CONTACT INFORMATION

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