Daily Update: Raw tonight, Max Holloway, Big Show re-signs

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THE LATEST NEWS

THE LATEST AUDIO

We’re looking for reports from Raw in Atlanta tonight with the matches not on Raw and anything else not evident on the live show, as well as reports from the Smackdown house show in Knoxville to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.

We’re also looking for your thoughts on New Japan Sakura Genesis show, 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.

The WrestleMania go-home Raw is tonight in Atlanta at the Phillips Arena. Announced are a face-to-face confrontation with HHH, Stephanie McMahon, Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle, as well as Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor. The show will also feature the climax of the John Cena / Undertaker storyline as well as the final angle between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.

The final main roster show before WrestleMania is the Smackdown / 205 Live / Mixed Match Challenge tapings on Tuesday in Nashville. The finals of MMC with The Miz & Asuka vs. Bobby Roode & Charlotte Flair will take place as well as Mark Andrews vs. Drew Gulak.

​F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Another chapter in Daniel Bryan’s unbelievable journey

When Daniel Bryan chronicled his “improbable journey” to the main event of WrestleMania in his first book in 2015, there’s no way that he could have known how unbelievable the story of his career would end up being. A day that, not long ago, seemed like it was never going to come arrived last Tuesday as WWE announced that Bryan has been medically cleared to wrestle for the company. “Following more than two years of extensive evaluations, four-time World Champion Daniel Bryan has been medically cleared to return to in-ring competition by leading neurosurgeons, neurologists and concussion experts, including Dr. Robert Cantu, Dr. Javier Cárdenas and Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher,” WWE’s statement said.

WON NEWSLETTER: April 2, 2018 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Changes to Wrestlemania card, more

An update on WrestleMania, with changes in he show, rumors about the show, ticket sales for all the major events of the week and what shows have the most and least interest is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

This issue has full coverage of New Japan going to the Cow Palace, the background of how that happened, notes on the Long Beach show with match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results. Also look at a Friday night show that week, the situation with Rey Mysterio Jr., thoughts on the main event, this week’s biggest shows and future booking.

Read the updated WWE/Hulk Hogan situation.

Examine the notes on PWG leaving its home base in Reseda and full coverage of the weekend show, the PWG business, and match-by-match coverage with star ratings.

Also inside is a full events calendar for WrestleMania week with the non-WWE and ROH shows, how the rules for independent shows will differ from those of WWE shows, and where the big stars and key matches will be taking place.

We also look at two lawsuits against WWE that were thrown out and why, and thoughts on both why they were and what questions they bring up. There is also more on the Greatest Royal Rumble show and the big ethical question everyone is avoiding.

Look at Vince McMahon’s competition for a spring football league and moves that they are making. Plus, get the update on Bryan Danielson, Charlotte Flair, changes in commercial content on Raw coming soon, as well as the latest plans for after WrestleMania.

There is a ton of WWE Hall of Fame news, non-wrestling news involving Paul Heyman, Ronda Rousey media, former WWE star to host a television show, key live dates for the next year, future of Jim Ross, and lots of women wrestlers defend Moolah and others who don’t.

Find out more on John Cena’s acting gigs, Ric Flair starting a new company, new DVD releases for 2018, update on Dean Ambrose, UK TV ratings, most-watched shows on the WWE Network as well as a rundown of all the WWE live evens over the past week with highlights and business notes.

Check out the weekly coverage of all the ratings of the major shows, detailed notes on who is watching all the WWE shows, results from the major league events held around the world, and the major TV show rundowns.

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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE

Tonight is the Raw go-home show. All hands are on deck. For what it’s worth, nobody has seen Undertaker there but they also could be hiding him. Some of the people backstage, which doesn’t mean they’ll be on Raw, include James Storm, Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, R-Truth, and Alicia Fox.

Evidently Max Holloway has a ton of weight to drop to hit 155 at the weigh-ins on Friday for Saturday’s UFC 223 show in Brooklyn. His nutritionist, George Lockhart, would not give a number in interviews, but said it tied for the most weight anyone he has ever worked with has had to cut at this last notice. He did note that the other person, who he didn’t mention, who had to drop similar weight, made it in four days while Holloway has six.

Big Show, who rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange this morning, noted that he had signed a new multi-year contract and is retiring no time soon.

A long story about the WWE doing a show in Saudi Arabia which won’t allow women to perform.

Two 90s wrestlers who worked independently and some WCW during their careers, Machine Gun Mike Kelly and Scotty McKeever both passed away over the past week. We’ll have more on both in the next issue. We send our best to the families and friends of both. 

A note in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune talked about WWE officials scheduled to be at the 10/22 Minnesota Vikings football game and said they were there to discuss WrestleMania in 2020 or 2021. The only name they list as attending is Curt Hawkins. (thanks to Christopher O’Donnell)

WWE

  • Make a Wish announced World Wish Day on 4/29. John Cena will be involved with this.
  • Sporting News interviews with Jeff Jarrett and Adam Cole.
  • Paul Heyman talks to NBC Sports about Cody and making your own break in WWE.
  • Dolph Ziggler will be on the Good Mythical Morning show with Rhett & Link’s on Thursday.
  • Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch issued a challenge to War Machine at WWE Axxess this week. 

MISCELLANEOUS

  • A story on the Cody vs. Kenny Omega match.
  • AAW from Saturday night in LaSalle, IL before 400 fans: Juntai b Andy Dalton, Scarlett b Kylie Rae, AR Fox & Myron Reed b Stephen Wolf & Trey Miguel, Eddie Kingston b Jimmy Jacobs, Jessicka Havok b Ivelisse to keep the women’s title, Trevor Lee won three-way over Moose and Shane Strickland to keep the Heritage title, Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett b Curt Stallion & Jake Something to keep the tag team titles, Paco won Heritage Rumble, ACH b Keith Lee to keep the AAW title in what was said to have been a great match. Next show is 4/13 in Merrionette Park, IL at 115 Bourbon Street with ACH (or Trevor Lee, depending on who wins a 4/7 match in New Orleans) defending the AAW title against Rey Fenix, Penta 0M vs. Teddy Hart, MJF vs. Ace Romero, Joey Janela vs. Eddie Kingston plus Tenille Dashwood, Su Yung, Kimber Lee, Jessicka Havok, Trevor Lee, Sami Callihan, David Starr, Hudson Envy, DJZ, Myron Reed, Besties in the World, Dave & Jake Crist, Jeff Cobb and more.
  • More matches were announced today for Progress shows in Australia. The joint show with MCW in Melbourne has added Tyler Bate vs. Dowie James. The joint show with PWA in Sydney has added Robbie Eagles vs. Travis Banks in a champion vs. champion match and Pete Dunne vs. Caveman Ugg.
  • Laura James was announced for the World Series of Wrestling tour of Australia in June. They said that later this week they will announce another person for the tour, a Bullet Club member who has never been in Australia previously.
  • Future Wrestling Australia announced a 6/23 show in Western Sydney with Hurricane Helms, Chelsea Green, Gino Gambino and Shaul Guerrero (as a host, Shaul is Eddie & Vickie’s daughter and the wife of Aiden English).
  • Melina Perez was in Australia the last two weekends. She was advertised by AWE and BCW to wrestle, but on both shows, there were subs for her and she refereed the matches. (thanks too Kevin Chiat)
  • CZW announced these first round matches for its annual Best of the Best tournament on 4/14 in Voorhees, NJ as Tessa Blanchard vs. David Starr vs. Peter Avalon, Matt Riddle vs. Wheeler Yuta vs. Curt Stallion, Myron Reed vs. Trey Miguel vs. Zachary Wentz and Joe Gacy vs Joey Janela vs. Brandon Kirk. (thanks to Jake Koch)
  • Ground Zero from Saturday night in San Diego: Ju Dizz (Julius Coleman) b Karl Fredericks, Terex b Dicky Mayer, Jesse James & Hoss Hogg b Rico Dynamite & Che Cabrera, Owen Travers b Jorel Nelson, B-Boy & Michael Hopkins & KC Douglas b Jake Atlas & Matt Wandagriff & Lucas Riley, SoCal Crazy b Adrian Quest, Delilah Doom b Heather Monroe, Tyler Bateman b Eli Everfly, Andy Brown b Douglas James. Next show is 4/28 in Imperial Beach, CA. Atlas was already working eight days after suffering a dislocated hip at the PWG show.
  • The report yesterday of a 5/5 show in Chicago at the Copernicus Theater was erroneous. We’re told the news was the result of a local Chicago troll.
  • Motor City Comic Con takes place 5/18 to 5/20 in Novi, MI. DDP will be there all three days. Trish Stratus will be there Saturday. Both are charging $40 for autographs and $50 for photos.   
  • Jerry Lynn has been added as a special referee for the 4/5 Wildkat Sports show in New Orleans at the Sugar Mill. He will referee a four-way with champion J Spade against Bob Holly, Billy Gunn and Stevie Richards. Hurricane Helms has also been added to that show.
  • The Swiss Wrestling Entertainment Promotion, as an April Fool’s joke apparently, released that Hulk Hogan would be on its next show.
  • Lions Pride Sports from Saturday night in Stephenville, TX: Mike Dell b Brett McKenzie in  no DQ match, T-Ray b Ray Andrews, Franco D’Angelo b Barrett Brown, Nobe Bryant b Johnny Swole-DQ, Nobe Bryant b Johnny Swole & Brysin Scott in a handicap match. (thanks to Steve Fullhart)
  • A two and a half hour interview with Teddy Hart.
  • An interview with Wes Brisco.

Daily Professional Wrestling History: Hogan vs. Savage at WrestleMania V

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