Daily Update: Ric Flair update, Cornette and GFW, Mayweather

THE ROUND-UP

The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS

AUDIO

We’re looking for reports from today’s Revolution Pro Wrestling show at York Hall in London to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

IMPACT AT 8 P.M. ON POP TV

  • Bobby Lashley vs. Matt Sydal
  • Dezmond Xavier vs. Taiji Ishimori for Super X Cup tournament finals
  • Sonjay Dutt vs. Trevor Lee ladder match for X title
  • Sienna vs Gail Kim for Knockouts title

        Bruce Prichard will make an announcement regarding the future of the GFW title since Alberto El Patron was stripped of it earlier in the week.

FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: Figure Four Weekly 8/14/2017: PROGRESS comes to Boston

On the second stop of their weekend in the United States, British promotion PROGRESS Wrestling presented an intimate show in the Boston area on Sunday night. Things didn’t go quite as planned up to that point. It started when PROGRESS and WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne couldn’t wrestle on either show after being busted open in an indie match on Friday. Then, TK Cooper suffered an ankle injury in New York and the excessive heat in the crowded venue marred what otherwise appeared to be a fun show.

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WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: August 21, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Ric Flair hospitalized, G1 Climax finals, more

An update on Ric Flair and extensive G-1 Climax coverage are the lead stories in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Full coverage of G-1, including polls on the last three nights, G-1 MVP, G-1 best match and a chart showing star ratings for everyone in the tournament and who had the best top-end matches, who was the most consistent and more, in this issue.

Look at the finances of G-1, what are New Japan’s major programs and biggest shows for the next two months, full coverage of all three nights at Sumo Hall, a measure of the change in interest levels over the past year, a look at the return of Katsuyori Shibata, and U.S. G-1 television plans for the summer and fall.

Preview WWE’s SummerSlam weekend, injury updates, lineup changes, ticket sales and plans for next year.

There is an update on the Daniel Bryan situation and why his coming back to wrestle next year is so unique, more on the WWE Network in China, how streaming services have done in China, Ronda Rousey and WWE, Adam Cole and WWE, the Mae Young Classic, Mike Bennett talks drug addiction issues, Bayley talks about her injury, Sami Zayn raising money, Dwayne Johnson update, Scott Dawson update, Shayna Baszler talks Rousey in wrestling, UK ratings, the story of Jericho’s one-night comeback, how Dolph Ziggler’s fortunes faded, WWE market value and the most watched shows on the WWE Network.

Check out all the WWE and NXT arena events from the past week with highlights from each show and business notes.

Examine the situation with Alberto El Patron and GFW and why it is what it is, as well as notes on the upcoming GFW tapings, Alberto’s response, new talent coming, the situation with Lucha Underground and what happens if Lucha Underground is no more.

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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 24, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: ECW Heatwave review, wrestling business uncertainty, more

While a hot PPV show and an impromptu brawl in the middle of the show stole the headlines, in the big scheme of things, with the future of the company at stake, those were only minor issues. After five years of the biggest boom period in the history of this industry, pro wrestling, ironically, like so many industries in this ever changing world, has never been faced with so much uncertainty

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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE

We have an update Ric Flair. Flair is doing significantly better than he was earlier in the week, but he is still in critical condition. He was given an external pacemaker and his heart is beating at normal levels and getting stronger. He is still battling an infection and on kidney dialysis. This is going to be a very slow process. It goes without saying that we all wish the best for his family and friends in this very serious time.

Floyd Mayweather today said that win or lose, this will be his last night.

Jim Cornette debuts on Impact tonight. We had noted in the new issue about talks with GFW and Cornette and presumed they would debut him tonight.

None of the four WWE shows at the Barclays Center from Saturday through Tuesday are sold out as of this morning. SummerSlam is close and is expected to sell out. Raw may sell out. NXT and Smackdown are not expected to sell out, but all four shows are expected to draw well.

Crave has a story on the Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes and Bullet Club powering NJPW and ROH.

WWE

  • Immediately after SummerSlam, the WWE Network will air a preview special for the Mae Young tournament, which starts on 8/28.

  • WWE is launching a SummerSlam channel on GIPHY starting tomorrow at 10 a.m. It will include the most memorable moments of SummerSlam.

  • Jim Ross & Paul Heyman are doing a speaking show tomorrow night at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York.
  • Topps and WWE are partnering for Connor’s Cure. They are making a special autographed card with Stephanie McMahon and HHH offered on Topps.com exclusively along with some Great Moments in SummerSlam history cards with proceeds going to Connor’s Cure. The card will be available Monday.
  • The Dwayne Johnson movie “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” will be released on 12/20 in the U.S. and 12/26 in Australia. (thanks to James Stanios) 
  • An interview with Drew McIntyre.
  • Good story on Samoa Joe in the New York Post.
  • SICW has a tribute to Ric Flair with old St. Louis clips.
  • Jinder Mahal talks about being released from the WWE, about being complacent and not driven or focused enough to succeed in his role. He talks about how he never used to talk to Vince McMahon after his matches in his first run, he says he would avoid Vince. Now, Vince is the first person he sees when he finishes a match. He compares his situation to that of his former 3MB member Drew McIntyre, whom he says will no doubt one day be a WWE Champion. Mark Henry takes some time in the clip to put over Jinder Mahal and the work he’s put in to get back to the WWE.
  • The 2nd clip is about his match this Sunday at SummerSlam with Shinsuke Nakamura. He says he’s an unpredictable striker and he sees him as a top WWE talent and main eventer for many years to come, as well as himself. He says that when he won the WWE Championship, it didn’t feel like a huge accomplishment because his goals are a lot bigger than just that, one of them being longevity. He also says he will willingly give up the WWE title to anyone who out-works him in the ring.

UFC / MMA

  • Ryan Bader will defend the Bellator light heavyweight title against Linton Vassell in the main event of an 11/3 show in State College, PA at the Bryce Jordan Center. Former Penn State wrestlers Ed Ruth and Phil Davis will be fighting on the show. The show airs live on Spike. 
  • Stephen Espinoza of Showtime said that Dana White was misinformed on why the Conor McGregor-Paulie Malignaggi sparring footage didn’t air on Showtime. White said that it was because McGregor made their announcer look bad. Espinoza said they received a few short clips, about 60 seconds total, which the McGregor camp gave them and was interested in using the footage but since it was a series of repetitive few second clips, they didn’t want to use all of it and he claimed the McGregor team told them if they didn’t use all of it, they couldn’t use any of it. So he said it didn’t air because the McGregor camp withdrew permission for it to air.
  • Shawn Porter, who was to fight Thomas Durlorme on the Mayweather-McGregor undercard, pulled out of the fight. Showtime reported it was due to personal reasons regarding a death in the family. Yordenis Uglas (19-3, 9 knockouts), will now face Durlorme.
  • Conor McGregor from last night on Conan O’Brien.
  • Fabricio Werdum vs. Derrick Lewis has been added to the 10/7 UFC PPV show in Las Vegas.
  • Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Jared Cannonier will be fighting on a 12/16 UFC show in Winnipeg at the Bell MTS Place. Also announced for that show is Oluwale Bamgbose vs. Alessio DiChirico.
  • Nejmi Saki, the brother of UFC fighter and former kickboxing superstar Gokhan Saki, was arrested in Dubai and charged with trafficking drugs into Australia. 
  • The Fox Sports Netherlands commentary team for Mayweather-McGregor will be Leo Oldenburger, a soccer announcer, and kickboxer Remy Bonjasky. (thanks to Henk Mulder)

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Regarding the question from yesterday’s radio show, the wrestling World championships from Paris, France next week will be airing on NBC Sports Network with six-and-a-half hours of total coverage. The shows will air on 8/23 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Eastern time; 8/24 for 4-5 p.m. Eastern, 8/25 from 7-9 p.m. Eastern and 8/27 from 3-5 p.m. Eastern. Jordan Burroughs Kyle Snyder, J’Den Cox and Helen Maroulis head the U.S. team, which is particularly strong this year in freestyle.
  • GFW announced Latin Night on Tuesday at Universal on the final day of this week’s TV tapings, which started today. It will be a joint promotion between GFW and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando. They are pushing that GFW features a number of Latin stars including LAX, Garza Jr., Laredo Kid, El Hijo del Fantasma and Drago.
  • For everyone in Las Vegas for the Wrestling Observer convention this weekend, all attendees get 20 percent off everything at the Las Vegas Fight Shop. The shop carries, New Japan, Young Bucks, Lucha Underground, WWE, UFC and Mayweather-McGregor merchandise.
  • MCW on 9/30 with a show called Tribute to the Legends at the MCW Arena in Joppa, MD. There will be a convention from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with Bill Goldberg, Joey Mercury, Rosemary, Jillian Hall, Virgil, Madison Rayne, Gary Michael Cappetta and Bill Apter.
  • All Star Wrestling on 8/25 in Surrey, BC at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds Alice McKay Building.
  • Barrie Wrestling on 9/9 in Barrie, ONT at 49 Ferris Lane at 5 p.m.
  • Anarchy Wrestling on 8/26 in Cornelia, GA with Joey Lynch vs. John Silver in the first round of the Powerbomb.tv independent title tournament. They also have a Wildside Reunion show on 9/9.
  • Absolute Intense Wrestling on Friday night at Music Lynxx in Mentor-on-the-Lake, OH with Glacier vs. Joey Janela.
  • PW Eclipse on Sunday in Oshawa, ONT at the Oshawa Legion.
  • Alpha One Wrestling on 9/10 in St. Catharines, ONT at 235 Church Street with Eddie Kingston vs. Josh Alexander.
  • Wrestling with Cancer on Saturday night in Ottawa, ONT: Jonathan Rukin & Velvet Jones & HC Ryder & Paule Platinum b Michael Von Payton & Rahim Ali & Channing Decker & Trent Gibson, Bastien Snow b Fluffy the Killer Bunny, Veda Scott b Alexia Nicole, Desean Pratt b Buxx Belmar, Vanessa Kraven won Gauntlet match, Mathieu St. Jacques b Crazy Manny to keep C4 championship Evil Uno & James Stone & Alextreme b Shayne Hawke & Stu Grayson & Thomas DuBois, Speedball Mike Bailey b Tom Lawlor.
  • SWF on 9/8 in Avenel, NJ and 9/9 in Totowa, NJ.
  • SKM Promotions in Hagersville, ONT at the Community Centre.
  • CPW on 10/28 in Toronto a the Estonian House headlined by Moose vs. Joe Coffey.
  • NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling has its final show Saturday night in Kingsport, TN at the Civic Auditorium headlined by Rob Conway vs. Devin Driscoll.
  • Dynamo Pro Wrestling on 8/25 in St. Louis at the Concordia Turners Gymnasium.
  • Chaotic Wrestling tomorrow night in Hanover, MA at Starland featuring Elia Markopoulos & Hanson & Billy Gunn vs. Brian Milonas & The Logan Brothers and Carlito vs. Mike Verna as well as Alisha Edwards.
  • Ben Askren (16-0) defends his One welterweight title against Zebaztian Kadestam (9-3) on 9/2 in Shanghai, China at the Oriental Sports Center. This will be the company’s first show in Shanghai.
  • CCW on 9/24 in Glencoe, ONT at the Glencoe Fair.
  • H20 Hardcore Hustle on 10/20 in Williamstown, NJ at 1041 Glassboro Rd, Building C Site 1 features Shane Douglas.
  • An interview with Gail Kim.
  • Photos from All-Star Wrestling in the U.K. (thanks to Lee Wall)

Today in Pro Wrestling History: Lesnar takes Cena to Suplex City at SummerSlam 2014

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/

  • Today: Meet at the High Roller for Bowling at the Link; Party at Carnival Court at Hurrah’s
  • Tomorrow: 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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