Daily Update: Ronda Rousey resurfaces, WWE UK dates

AXS TV is airing college basketball tonight so no New Japan, live fights or Inside MMA.

WWE and NXT aren’t running shows tonight.

CMLL will be airing live at 9:30 p.m. at www.clarosports.com  This is expected to be available in the U.S. free of charge live from Arena Mexico. 

The New Japan tag team tournament continues this weekend.  Here are the tournament matches that will be up in the morning each day on New Japan World (they aren’t airing live)

New Japan Tag team tournament tomorrow in Yamaguchi

Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe vs. Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian

Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows

Katsuyori Shibata & Hirooki Goto vs. A.J. Styles & Yujiro Takahashi

UFC ON FIGHT PASS FULL CARD IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA AT 5 A.M. EASTERN AND 2 A.M. PACIFIC TIME

Dominique Steele (171) vs. Dong Hyun Kim II (170)

Ning Guangyou (134) vs. Marco Beltran (136)

Yao Zhukui (126) vs. Fredy Serano (125)

Seo Hee Ham (115) vs. Cortney Casey (116)

Tae Hyun Bang (156) vs. Leo Kuntz (156)

Yui Chul Nam (146) vs. Mike de la Torre (146)

Dongi Yang (186) vs. Jake Collier (185)

Doo Ho Choi (146) vs. Sam Sicilia (146)

Choo Sung-hoon (better known as Yoshihiro Akiyama, but using his Korean name here) (170) vs. Alberto Mina (171)

Dong Hyun Kim Original (170) vs. Dominic Waters (170)]

Benson Henderson (170) vs. Jorge Masvidal (170)

WWE runs Saturday night in Kansas City with Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, The Wyatts, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Baron Corbin, Alberto Del Rio, Kane, Usos and Ryback.

WWE runs Sunday in Huntington, WV with Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, The Wyatts, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Baron Corbin, Alberto De Rio, Kane, Usos and Ryback.

New Japan tag team tournament Sunday in Ehime

Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga

Michael Bennett & Matt Taven vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii

Hiroshi Tanahashi & Michael Elgin vs Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi

Raw is Monday in Pittsburgh.  Nothing to this point has been announced for the show.

New Japan tag team tournament Monday in Fukuoka

Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba

Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tetsuya Naito & Evil

Smackdown and Main Event will be taped on Tuesday night in Hershey, PA.

New Japan tag team tournament Tuesday in Fukuoka

Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga

Michael Bennett vs. Matt Taven vs. A.J. Styles & Yujiro Takahashi

Kazuchika Okada & Yoshi-Hashi vs. Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba

It’s Black Friday and that means Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online has a huge deal for you!

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Figure Four Weekly

Figure Four Weekly (11/23/15): Lots of Updates in Hulk Hogan-Gawker case
Lots of news including a win for Gawker, the new police report, the remaining mysteries of the case, what Bubba the Love Sponge is saying, and more.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

A look at the decision to make Sheamus the WWE champion and its ramifications is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.  We look at WWE’s options, both the obvious ones and the ones out of the box, different ways to use people, the nature of the decision, the prior identical decision in 2011 and the storyline it was supposed to lead to and why it was made.

We look at the real long-term goal, the note on the ratings, the portrayal of Sheamus leading up to the title change, the plans for the TLC show, what has been messed up, the women’s division, the WWE blaming Charlotte on a bad taste angle, ESPN and WWE, plus match-by-match coverage of Survivor Series with poll results and star ratings.

We look at the TNA deal with Pop TV, both the good and the bad of it, plus the tapings in Bethlehem, the economics of the deal and note on the station.

We’ve got a look at the New Japan tag team tournament, with current standings, goals of the tournament, who probably can’t win the tournament, and coverage of the tournament so far.

We also look at why Genichiro Tenryu is one of the biggest stars of the past 40 years in wrestling, with a look at his career in wrestling, his days in sumo, his early U.S. run, his rise in All Japan, why he left All Japan, how his leaving led to a boom period for All Japan, his deal with Super World Sports, his feud with Riki Choshu  and Jumbo Tsuruta, the real story behind his Tokyo Dome match with Hulk Hogan, the story behind his rise. the WAR days his biggest matches and his final show.

We also have an update on Randy Orton, Cesaro, notes on new WWE signing La Sombra, thoughts on the Sombra signing, how it’s the same and different from the original Mistico signing, WWE week on USA and changes this year, WWE Network shows, Brock Lesnar’s return to Raw, legal briefs filed by WWE, why Stephanie McMahon has been gone from TV and why she’s back regularly, next Takeover special, HHH talks Hogan’s return, John Cena talks his departure, WWE star teases retirement in a few years, Mick Foley upset with creative direction and notes from the developmental shows over the weekend,.

PLUS MUCH MORE! CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW

The Latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter: November 30, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Sheamus wins WWE title, Tenryu retirement show

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TODAY’S DAILY UPDATE

  • Want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  Right now we have a special on the site for a one-month subscription for just $3.99. 
  • Ronda Rousey has resurfaced in social media posting a family photo from Thanksgiving yesterday.  She looks fine and there is no indication from the photo of a broken jaw or any facial injuries.
  • For those in Canada, The Fight Network will be airing the main card for UFC from Seoul, South Korea at 8 a.m. tomorrow mooring, as well as repeating it at 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. Eastern time.
  • The latest on Holly Holm is a Q&A in today’s New York Times
  • Wrestlecade, based on Starrcade over Thanksgiving weekend, takes place in Winston-Salem, NC tomorrow.  There is a fan fest as well as matches with names listed as appearing including Matt Hardy, Ken Anderson, Ricky Steamboat, Bob Holly, Robert Fuller, George South, Abdullah the Butcher, The Mulkey Brothers, Tom Prichard, Barbi Hayden, Kevin Sullivan, Shane Douglas, Sonjay Dutt, The Godfather, Jimmy Golden, Sam Houston, Justin Credible, Luke Hawx, Trevor Murdoch, Harley Race, Gunner, Bobby Heenan, Stan Hansen, Tatanka, Bob Caudle, Baby Doll, Don Kernodle, Ivan Koloff, Jimmy Valiant, Shane Helms, C.W. Anderson, Armando Alejandro Estrada, David Taylor, Steve Corino, 2 Cold Scorpion, Masked Superstar, Caprice Coleman, Chris Hamrick, Al Snow, Drew Galloway, Ron Garvin, Tessa Blanchard, Brutus Beefcake, Greg Valentine, Arn Anderson, Santana Garrett, Lufisto, Jessicka Havoc, Shelton Benjamin, Johnny Mundo, Jeff Jarrett, Booker T, Stevie Ray, Missy Hyatt, Henry Godwinn, Bill Apter, Road Warrior Animal, Jim Cornette, Colt Cabana, Del Wilkes, PJ Black, Matt Sydal, Ray Lloyd, Italian Stallion and Bill Dundee. 
  • PJ Black vs. Sonjay Dutt for the GFW Nex Gen title will be on the show tomorrow.
  • Bellator announced its first show outside North America on 4/16 at Pala Alitour in Torino, Italy.  The show will be a joint promotion between Bellator and the French promotion Oktagon Kickboxing.  Tickets go on sale locally on 12/14.  Bellator also announced the signing of Alessio Sakara from Italy, a former UFC fighter who is expected to headline that show.
  • The complete CMLL bodybuilding championships

WWE

  • The complete U.K. and Ireland dates for the post-WrestleMania WWE tour in April are:

4/16 in Birmingham

4/17 in Nottingham

4/18 in London at the O2 Arena for Raw

4/19 in London at the O2 Arena for Smackdown

4/19 in Manchester

4/20 in Newcastle

4/20 in Belfast

4/21 in Dublin

4/22 in Sheffield

4/23 in Glasgow

WWE stock closed up 28 cents per share today to $17.38.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Bellator will be running a Fedor Emelianenko TV special this coming Friday night after the show in San Jose airs live.
  • Masahiro Chono’s involvement in a movie in Japan
  • A story on TNA’s Chris Melendez
  • Taya Valkyrie’s first U.S. match
  • The Fight Network will be airing KSW 33 at 2 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow from Krakow, Poland headlined by Michal Materia (22-4) vs. Mamed Khalidov (30-4-2) for the middleweight title and Michal Kti (16-& vs. Karol Bedof (12-2) for the heavyweight title.
  • Lance & Harlem Bravado have been added to the Evolve tag team title tournament that starts on 1/22 in Ybor City, FL and will also include shows on 1/23 and 1/24 in Orlando.
  • ICW runs Sunday in Edinburgh, Scotland with Grado defending the ICW title against Lionheart.
  • The Northern Wrestling Federation has its 20th anniversary show tomorrow night in Fairfield, OH at the UAW Hall with Abyss and Chris Harris appearing. 
  • Pure Wrestling Association on 12/5 in Kitchener, ONT at the Alpine Club.
  • Circle City Wrestling from last night in Indianapolis:  Jonathan Owens b Trevor Court, Dru Skillz b Rob Conway, Billy Gunn & Kevin Thorn b Rod Street & Brian Klass Mike King won Battle Royal, Thunderkitty b Cameron Star, Poison Apollo & Remi Wilkins b Corporal Robinson & Joey Kidd Owens to win tag titles (thanks to Leonard Brand)

ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY INTERNATIONAL

1970 – El Solitario beat Ray Mendoza in Mexico City to win the NWA light heavyweight title

2002 – Cima & Suwa & Don Fujii beat Milano Collection A.T. & Yossino & Brother Yasshi to win the UWA trios titles

2007 – La Sombra beat Hajime Ohara in Mexico City to win the NWA welterweight title

2011 – Katsuhiko Nakajima beat Ricky Marvin in Tokyo to win the vacant GHC jr. title

2012 – Estrellita beat Princesa Blanca in Guadalajara to win the Mexican national women’s title 

Barry Rose listed these shows that took place historically on 11/26 in Florida

1956 – June Byers beat Dot Dotson to retain the NWA women’s title (Sarasota)

1958 – Enrique Torres beat Big Ben Sharpe (Miami)

1964 – Bob Orton Sr. beat Tarzan Tyler (Jacksonville)

1968 – Sailor Art Thomas beat Great Malenko with Joe Louis as referee (Tampa sellout)

1973 – Dusty Rhodes beat Great Malenko in a cage match (Orlando)

1974 – Dusty Rhodes beat Cowboy Bill Watts in a cage match for the Florida title (Tampa)

1974 – Bob Armstrong beat Mike McCord (Austin Idol) to keep the North American title (Fort Myers)

1975 – Rocky Johnson beat King Curtis Iaukea (Miami Beach)

1977 – Dusty Rhodes beat Lars Anderson (St. Petersburg)

1979 – Harley Race beat Steve Keirn to retain the NWA title (West Palm Beach)

1980 – Dusty Rhodes & Bobo Brazil beat R.T. Tyler & Bobby Jaggers via DQ (Miami Beach)