Daily Update: Scott Steiner, WWE notes, Matt Hardy

DAILY UPDATE

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Are you interested in attending our annual F4W/WON convention? We will hold it during AEW Double or Nothing weekend. For more information, check this post for activities and prices.

WON NEWSLETTER: 40th Annual Awards Issue The results from the 2019 WON awards are in.

One of the year’s biggest issues, our 40th annual awards issue is out this week.  The issue covers these awards:

1) Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award for Wrestler of the Year; 2) MMA MVP; 3) Most Outstanding Wrestler; 4) Most Outstanding MMA Fighter; 5) Tag Team of the Year; 6) Best On Interviews; 7) Promotion of the Year; 8) Best Weekly TV show; 9) Pro Wrestling Match of the Year; 10) MMA Match of the Year; 11) U.S/Canada MVP; 12) Japan MVP; 13) Mexico MVP; 14) Europe MVP; 15) Non-heavyweight MVP; 16) Women’s Wrestling MVP; 17) Women’s MMA MVP; 18) Best Box Office Draw; 19) Feud of the Year; 20) Most Improved; 21) Most Charismatic; 22) Bryan Danielson Award/Best Technical Wrestler; 23) Bruiser Brody Award/Best Brawler; 24) Best Flying Wrestler; 25) Most Overrated; 26) Most Underrated; 27) Rookie of the Year; 28) Best Non-Wrestler; 29) Best TV announcer; 30) Worst TV announcer; 31) Best Major wrestling show; 32) Worst major wrestling show; 33) Best wrestling maneuver; 34) Most Disgusting promotional tactic; 35) Worst TV show; 36) Worst match of the year; 37) Worst feud of the year; 38) Worst promotion of the year; 39) Best Booker; 40) Promoter of the Year; 41) Best gimmick; 42) Worst gimmick; 43) Best book; 44) Best documentary

We have the top placings in every category as well as a list of winners of every award dating back to 1980.

The new issue also covers:

Coronavirus and an update on its affect on Japanese pro wrestling.

Young Bucks vs. Kenny Omega & Adam Page match and compare it to great tag team matches of the past, in particular Misawa & Kobashi vs. Kawada & Taue from 1995 and Midnight Express vs Fantastics from 1988.

AEW Revolution with business notes, storylines, match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.

Preview Elimination Chamber with early business notes and the current demand.

Folding of the Wrestle-1 promotion.

WWE and All Japan, WrestleMania ticket sales and secondary market interest, update on WrestleMania show, Jeff Hardy, John Layfield in the Hall of Fame, XFL ratings updates, Injuries and other WWE absences, notes on a new WWE wrestler who just had his first match this past week, Renee Young talks her situation and Jon Moxley, next MSG show, Notes on the Tampa Takeover show, company value, most-watched shows on WWE Network, and a rundown of all the WWE and NXT live events over the past week with highlights and business notes.

Saturday’s UFC show, looking at the key matches and stories, business notes and match-by-match coverage.

Regarding the Wednesday numbers, we’ve got full details, demos that each side won, how every segment did and what match ended up as the difference maker. 

All the WWE and AEW television shows from the past week.

In-depth looks at the ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.

Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week. 

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@wrestlingobserver.com or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • AJ Styles will be the guest on Tuesday’s WWE Backstage.
  • The next member of this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class will be announced on Thursday’s episode of Corey Graves’ After the Bell podcast.
  • WWE has announced that — after the angle where he was attacked by Jack Gallagher last week — Lio Rush is out of next week’s 205 Live Captain’s Challenge match. The 10-man elimination tag match will be Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Tyler Breeze, Oney Lorcan, Danny Burch, and a mystery partner vs. Tony Nese, Mike Kanellis, Brian Kendrick, Ariya Daivari & Gallagher. It was also announced earlier this week that Rush was pulled from wXw’s 16 Carat Gold tournament this weekend due to his WWE schedule.
  • Shayna Baszler spoke to the New York Post about how WWE has handled her friendship with Ronda Rousey: “I am glad that it’s not something that WWE has like forced down people’s throats. I’m not afraid. It’s not that I want to hide the fact that Ronda’s my friend. I don’t. But at the same time, I busted my ass just as hard as anyone else to do this, so I’m glad that people can see it.”
  • The New York Post and CBS Local Sports have interviews with Liv Morgan ahead of Elimination Chamber.
  • The cast of WWE’s The Bump (Kayla Braxton, McKenzie Mitchell, Evan T. Mack, Dan Vollmayer, Matt Camp & Ryan Pappolla), Drew Gulak, Mandy Rose, Tyson Kidd, and Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry are advertised to appear on the Elimination Chamber edition of WWE Watch Along. It will stream on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter during tomorrow’s PPV.
  • Bayley and Sasha Banks posted in-character tweets joking about having the weekend off after last night’s SmackDown.
  • The City of Warren Police and Fire Retirement System filed a securities fraud class action lawsuit against WWE alleging that the company didn’t disclose behind-the-scenes issues about its relationship with Saudi Arabia.
  • WWE’s YouTube channel has surpassed 40 billion views.
  • WWE uploaded a behind-the-scenes video from John Cena’s appearance on SmackDown last week.

Other Wrestling

  • PWInsider reported that Scott Steiner would be undergoing a heart procedure today after collapsing backstage at last night’s Impact tapings. Tommy Dreamer tweeted that Steiner is expected to make a full recovery.
  • Steiner’s wife Christa tweeted a message thanking everyone at Impact Wrestling for taking care of him: “First of all I went to thank everyone @IMPACTWRESTLING for taking such great care of my husband @ScottDAmore @THETOMMYDREAMER @johnnyswinger2 @JoeyRyanOnline @IMPACTWRESTLING & Cobb County EMTs. We appreciate all the well wishes, thoughts & prayers. He will make a [100 percent] recovery.”
  • The latest Dark Order message posted by AEW spells out “Matt Hardy” with the first letter of each of its lines.
  • Hardy told Sports Illustrated about the promotions he’s spoken to: “I am speaking with AEW, and I am very close with the Young Bucks. We’ve been great friends for a long time. They understand this business and know how to break the fourth wall and have fun with all of this. They really are special. I’ve also spoken with Impact and I spoke with the NWA. I had great conversations just this week with Triple H about NXT. I’m not sure where I’m going to go. From a character perspective, I want to go to an Arcadia. That’s where I can take the second coming of ‘Broken Matt’ and build upon it. I need a canvas where I can paint and collaborate.”
  • Colt Cabana is the latest entrant announced for the Clusterf*ck match at Joey Janela’s Spring Break IV.
  • Hideki Suzuki vs. Thomas Santell is the first opening round match announced for the Gotch-Robinson Cup at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport III.
  • On Twitter, Su Yung announced that she’s a free agent.

MMA

Daily Pro Wrestling History:Bruno Sammartino vs. Giant Baba

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