Daily Update: Rocky King, Raw, WaleMania

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter: William Regal discusses health, WrestleMania 38 update

  • The main story covers William Regal’s health issues and brush with death. Regal was on Talk is Jericho and went into detail about his issues that date back nearly 30 years including with his heart, his neck, his balance and sepsis in his leg.
  • WrestleMania, Stand & Deliver, Hall of Fame and all the WWE events this coming week in Dallas. We have lineups, matches not yet announced, Hall of Fame updates, ticket sales, scalper tickets and more.
  • Another story on Scott Hall, looking at the first gimmick he pitched to Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson before Razor Ramon, times he was very upset about plans changing where he thought he needed to win, the proposal he made to McMahon in 1996 to not leave for WCW and who he learned from when his work took its greatest strides forward.
  • An update on the New Japan Cup and all the matches of the past week.
  • A story on the NCAA wrestling tournament and Gable Steveson, with all the business notes, Steveson to WWE, possibility of continuing with amateur wrestling at the Olympic level or fighting MMA.
  • The Jorge Masvidal-Colby Covington story, what both men did and said that led to it and UFC’s attitude and treatment of those who draw money.
  • The first AAA TripleMania show of the year.
  • Complete coverage of UFC in London.
  • The life and times of Pepper Martin, a 60s and 70s star who was also an actor, his idea that led to the formation of one of the greatest tag teams in history, his acting running mates, career highlights, his biggest Cow Palace matches and other career highlights.
  • DDT’s major show and the announced relationship with AEW.
  • CMLL’s El Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show and the honoring of Ringo Mendoza and Dorrell Dixon.
  • TV ratings of all the major pro wrestling shows and how it relates to sports and television overall.
  • The sad accident that led to the death of Black Warrior Jr.
  • If you asked 100 people on the street to name a pro wrestler, who is the first person that would be said.
  • Crockett Cup notes.
  • Ticket sales for all upcoming AEW & WWE shows plus scalper markets for the big shows.

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter: February 7, 2005 Observer Newsletter: Royal Rumble review, business year in review

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Monday News Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight covering Raw, Cody Rhodes, Ric Flair, ratings, MJF and more subjects with Wrestling Observer Radio tonight. You can also send questions to the show to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com
  • William Boulware Jr., better known as Rocky King, passed away yesterday at the age of 64. He wrestled from 1984 to 1990 with Jim Crockett Promotions and also used the name Little Richard Marley for a short stint as part of The Freebirds. We’ll have more on him the issue but it should be noted that after wrestling the guy was one of those ultimate good Samaritans, working with churches and civic groups, putting on shows aimed at kids, running a gym to help give underprivileged kids a direction and he’d bring food and clothes in poorer neighborhoods in Atlanta for those down on his luck. Before he got into wrestling he was homeless and he never forgot where he came from. We’ll also talk about him more tonight.
  • Greg Oliver of Slam Wrestling has a nice story on Boulware talking about some of these subjects here.
  • Tonight’s Raw is the final Raw before WrestleMania, from Pittsburgh. They will be pushing that Vince McMahon gave Seth Rollins an opponent for WrestleMania but that the person’s name (believed to be Cody Rhodes) will be kept secret until Rollins is in the ring. Rollins will be doing an interview to open the show. There will also be something to follow up Smackdown with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns. Matches announced are Riddle & Randy Orton vs Usos in a battle of tag team champions with neither titles at stake, Naomi & Sasha Banks & Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley vs. Carmella & Queen Zelina & Sasha Banks & Natalya, The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio and Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy. WWE had announced Ronda Rousey & Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch and then pulled it from the listings. Rousey noted as soon as it was listed that she is not headed to Pittsburgh and knew nothing about the booking.
  • Another unique story on the death of Indiana independent wrestler Logan Legit is here.
  • We are doing polls for the next two days on these subjects:
  • Both NJPW shows from Osaka with the semifinals and finals of the New Japan Cup, and both Stardom shows from Sumo Hall, thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match for each show to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • New Japan Cup MVP and best match of the New Japan Cup
  • We’re also looking for reports from Pittsburgh tonight from Raw for Main Event results, dark matches (if any) or anything else from the show not evident from the TV version to dave@wrestlingobserver.com, as well as any reports from last night’s house show in Toronto and Charlottesville, VA.
  • Roman Reigns will be on Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday. (thanks to Grant Zwarych)
  • Bill Goldberg was on NCIS Los Angeles last night in his recurring role as DOJ Agent Lance Hamilton.

Other Notes

  • There will be a WaleMania at WrestleMania this year. MLW doesn’t have anything to do with it. It will be at the House of Blues in Dallas on 3/31 the guests as well as The Masked Man Live podcast. Shane Strickland, Ricky Starks, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, Tasha Steelz, Chris Bey, AJ Gray, Big Swole, Joey Janela, Shane Taylor Promotions and Rocky Romero have all been announced.
  • Battleground Championship Wrestling packed the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday night: Steve Gibki b Eugene Nick Dinsmore, Beastman b Afa Jr.,Super Leather b Traxx, Wrecking Ball Legurski b Alec Odin, Mariah May b Lady Frost, Ray Jaz won three-way over Bull James and Rich Swann, Tony Nese b KC Navarro, Brian Cage b Buddy Matthews-DQ, Bully Ray b Great Nita (Atsushi Onita)
  • Insane Wrestling Revolution from Thursday night in Monroe, MI: Rod Lee b Sam Beale, Malcolm Monroe III b Zach Thomas, Hayley Shadows b Hannah Henderson, Kenny Urban b Hayley Shadows, Nick Bock & Kyle Barrett b Rhino & Heath t win tag titles, Dread King Logan b Madman Fulton, Jason Hotch b Breyer Wellington, Jackson Stone b Ben Boone, Big Kon (Konnor of The Ascension) b Mike Bennett. This is Rhino’s promotion and the next show is 5/5 in Monroe, MI with Rhino & Heath vs. Bock & Barrett, who are managed by John E. Bravo. (thanks to Leonard Brand)