Daily Update: The Rock, Callihan vs. Blanchard, Colby Covington

DAILY UPDATE

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F4W NEWSLETTER: Raw Reunion and WWE nostalgia

Joseph Currier looks at the successes and failures of WWE’s latest nostalgia episode.

WWE went back to the nostalgia well for last week’s Raw Reunion episode.

The show featured dozens of returns and was capped off by Steve Austin, Ric Flair, and Hulk Hogan all making appearances. Austin led a toast to Monday Night Raw to close the episode, with all of the returning wrestlers coming out and taking part in what was genuinely a sincere moment. Austin didn’t give out stunners to anyone. There was no one to come crash the segment. He spoke about all of the returners being a family, and it was intended to be a real celebration for all of them.

Raw Reunion also included an increasingly rare appearance by John Cena, D-Generation X, Kevin Nash & Scott Hall saved Seth Rollins from AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson, Bray Wyatt attacked Mick Foley and put him in the Mandible Claw, and there were nine 24/7 title changes. R-Truth started and ended the night as 24/7 Champion, with Drake Maverick (twice), Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco, Kelly Kelly, Candice Michelle, Madusa, and Ted DiBiase holding the title between Truth’s reigns.

WON NEWSLETTER: August 5, 2019 Observer Newsletter: WWE financials breakdown, AEW TV taping details, more

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has details on WWE’s second quarter financials. Financially, things look great. But product popularity continues to fall, slowly but steadily.

We cover how WWE was able to beat most projections and bring in higher profits in the second quarter, even with most key metrics showing declines. 

We discuss how the company’s finances look going forward, as well as two big television deals on the horizon. 

We also have news on what could end up being the most important pro wrestling show of the year, AEW’s TV debut. We break down the two key busiess aspects to the story, and discuss what those in the TV industry expect in terms of ratings for the show. 

We cover Jerry Lawler’s lawsuit against Hardeman County, TN regarding the death of son Brian one year ago.

The new issue also covers C.M. Punk and the rumor mill that seems to follow him everywhere. We talk about the reaction to his discussion of AEW in a recent interview, as well as those who say they expect him to go back to WWE. 

We also have the latest on the SummerSlam card, and how the show is doing on the secondary ticket market. We also cover how the other WWE shows in Toronto that week are doing in terms of ticket sales. 

We have coverage of UFC 240 from this past weekend, and have business notes on nthe show, and also detailed television ratings for the prelims. 

There’s also a run down of the ratings of all the major TV shows, along with detailed demo info for the WWE shows and results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week. 

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SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

Pro Wrestling

  • Sami Callihan became the number one contender to the Impact World Championship by defeating Tessa Blanchard at last night’s Impact Plus Unbreakable special. The finish was Callihan winning after interference from Jake Crist. Blanchard had the match won, but the referee was distracted by Crist. Callihan hit her with Crist’s X-Division title belt, Blanchard kicked out of a pin attempt, and Callihan then won with a piledriver.

UFC/MMA

  • Colby Covington defeated Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision at the UFC’s Fight Night show in Newark, New Jersey today and should be next in line for a shot at welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Covington and Usman argued on the ESPN+ post-show.
  • Covington entered to Kurt Angle’s theme music today, with the crowd chanting “You suck” at him.
  • Matt Hughes responded to Covington making a joke about Hughes’ train accident after defeating Lawler: “Not sure if @colbycovmma should have use my accident as fuel for his post-fight trash talk, but that was one heck of a fight. Nice win for @americantopteam, and @ruthless_rl always puts on a good fight. Reminder though, this is the fighting world. People trash talk and you gotta have thick skin.” Covington said Lawler learned a lesson that Hughes learned, that you stay off the track when the train is coming through.
  • Ben Askren tweeted about Covington vs. Usman: “I want to apologize for losing bc now all of you have to listen to Marty and Colby talk to each other. It will be damn near unbearable.”
  • Askren and Demian Maia want to face each other at the UFC’s show in Singapore on October 26.
  • Bellator’s Scott Coker commented on Dana White saying the UFC would release Cris Cyborg from any contractual obligations that they have left with her: “That’s great news. I’ll be calling (Cyborg’s manager) Audie (Attar) in the next five minutes.”

Daily Pro Wrestling History: WWF SummerSlam 1997

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