Daily Update: Seth Rollins, Frankie Edgar, UFC 297 fallout

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • Match of the week and performer of the week
  • Kazuchika Okada leaving New Japan
  • What is next and where his decision stands
  • Coverage in Japan
  • Future prospects in AEW or WWE
  • How this not only affects New Japan but the change in the marketplace
  • Okada’s career legacy
  • Preview of Royal Rumble and Revolution
  • Full coverage of Battle in the Valley, the return to Chicago, and the next major events
  • Debut of Matt Riddle and Jack Perry with New Japan
  • Impact turns into TNA, business notes, full coverage
  • The PFL vs. Bellator dream card, lineup, how this relates to pro wrestling in the past, and how this show exemplifies the complete economic changes in the fight business
  • Full coverage of the ratings over the past week, including weekly ratings, competition, comparisons with a year ago and segment-by-segment
  • Dream rematch shows continue at Arena Mexico
  • Lots of new tournaments
  • Takagi vs. Mochizuki
  • Masa Fuchi main events at the age of 70
  • Anniversary of the first pro wrestling show in Japanese television
  • FantasticaMania notes
  • Wrestling references by Paul Walter Hausen at the Emmys
  • Demolition of famous arena
  • Kevin Von Erich is Israel
  • Update on Iron Claw movie business
  • Mark Hitchcock show update
  • New wrestling history book out
  • Examining WBD press release on AEW
  • New AEW international deal
  • Samoa Joe talks current scene
  • Advance ticket sales to WWE, AEW and UFC events
  • New AEW signee who will have a new gimmick and details as to why
  • Overseas programmer talks about AEW setting ratings record
  • Sean Strickland and sponsors and this isn’t going to be fun for Dana White when Bud Light hears about it
  • A college working with fighters for courses in fight disciplines
  • New Cena movie
  • Drug testing realities
  • WWE injury updates
  • WWE, AEW & TNA PPV updates
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • What Canadian ratings mean in comparison to U.S. numbers
  • Coverage of all the WWE house shows of the past week

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

Sunday Update

Garrett and I did two shows over the weekend. Our Friday show covers Seth Rollins and Kazuchika Okada and the rest of the news in depth. Last night we had Ryan Frederick on and talked UFC 297, plus a lot more on Okada and Rollins, Gable Steveson, Collision, Randy Orton, Sean Strickland and a lot of other topics.

The only update we have regarding Seth Rollins is that he has to make a decision. The treatment he’s going to get for his injury and how it relates to time off, the championship and WrestleMania will all likely be addressed on Raw tomorrow night.

Dana White said that he thought Sean Strickland won the fight over Dricus du Plessis. He also said that he believes you should have to take the title from a champion, but it’s impossible to score fights with the current system and have that mentality. You have to score each round. If you score the fight as a whole you can give the champion the benefit of a very close fight, but once you are scoring rounds, it means the person who you believe actually won isn’t necessarily the person you scored to win because if you thought Strickland won or you through du Plessis didn’t do enough to win, you can’t erase a round you gave to du Plessis to make your card reflect that thought. Most people don’t realize this about current judging. Du Plessis won a split decision to win the middleweight title. White said after that even though he thought Strickland won, there wouldn’t be a rematch. The hope is du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya next for the title. Du Plessis also challenged Adesanya after the win.

Regarding last night’s main event, Judge Derek Clearly had du Plessis winning rounds two, three and four and up 48-47. Judge Eric Colon had the same scores. Judge Sal D’Amato had du Plessis winning two and four and gave Strickland one, three and five and up 48-47. I had it the same as Clearly and Colon but felt round two was the close one that could have gone either way. Most had it the same, a split decision based on how you scored round two. What’s notable is that this fight was more exciting without anyone knowing the scores, although I feel the Japanese system of reading the scores out every round is far superior. Because going into round five people would have known du Plessis had the fight won unless he got a 10-8 round against him and even with Strickland winning five they would know he didn’t win. Legit nobody knew who would get the decision because it was that close. Media scores were 57-43 percent in favor of du Plessis.

In last night’s Chris Curtis vs. Marc-Andre Barriaut fight, most had it 29-28 for Curtis. But judge Derek Clearly had it 29-28 for Barriault and Eric Colon and Declan Woods had it 30-27 for Curtis. Media scores were 78% for Curtis and 22% for Barriault. Like nobody thought Curtis won all three rounds except two of the judges.

In the Google trends for the past week, the only reference to anything related to boxing, wrestling and MMA was last night’s UFC 297 which was No. 4 yesterday with 1 million searches. All three topics ahead were NFL playoff related.

Frankie Edgar was announced as the first inductee into the 2024 class of the UFC Hall of Fame. Even though that Hall of Fame also isn’t voted on, their inductions at least have more credibility than WWE, although they don’t have Frank Shamrock in.

Sportsbetting.ag has Du Plessis at -105 and Adesanya at -115 if that match happens.

Drake bet and lost $700,000 on Strickland last night.

Adele said that she thought the best movie of the year was “The Iron Claw.”

WWE house show results from last night in Montgomery, AL

  • A.J. Styles b Solo Sikoa
  • Jinder Mahal b Ricochet
  • Creeds b Gunther & Ludvig Kaiser
  • Nia Jax b Ivy Nile
  • Jey Uso b Damian Priest in a street fight
  • Omos b Akira Tozawa
  • Becky Lynch & Shotzi & Michin b Asuka & Iyo Sky & Kairi Sane
  • Cody Rhodes b Shinsuke Nakamura in a bullrope match

Seth Rollins was originally to headline and was then announced as being replaced by Randy Orton, but Orton wasn’t there either.

We’re looking for your thoughts on New Japan New Beginning in Nagoya from yesterday, you can leave a thumbs up, down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com. We’re also looking for reports on tonight’s WWE show in Jackson, MS, with results, finishes and highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

With no football tomorrow, Raw is expected to be way up in the ratings and the top show on cable, and maybe even overall tomorrow. The lineup right now has Cody Rhodes and C.M. Punk face-to-face, Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest, Chad Gable vs. Ivar, Miz vs. Dominik Mysterio and Ivy Nile vs. Valhalla.

There will be an 80s Wrestling Convention Fan Festival on 5/4 in Morristown, NJ at the Mennen Sports Arena. Among those appearing are Stan Hansen, Jake Roberts, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham, JJ Dillon, Baby Doll, Demolition, Powers of Pain, Dan Spivey, Boris Zhukov, Slick, Tom Prichard, Tito Santana, Tony Garea, Scott McGhee, and Tony Atlas. Bill Apter will host. There will be a magazine Q&A with Bill Apter and George Napolitano.

Amazing Red vs. Mustafa Ali has been announced for the 4/5 Wrestling Revolver and House of Glory joint show at the Trinity Center for Urban Life in Philadelphia. It will stream on TrillerTV+.

Mace, Mansoor and Jack Victory were backstage at last night’s TNA tapings in Kissimmee, FL.

During the El Chiringuito Inside live broadcast of Real Madrid vs. Almeria, someone in the audience asked a question about the tribal chief. None of the announcers answering questions had a clue what they were talking about and the guy asking said he was WWE champion. They all rolled their seats and wondered what that had to do with anything. (thanks to Leonardo Mendez Toledo)

Today is the 42nd birthday of Go Shiozaki.

Empire State Wrestling on 3/15 in Niagara Falls, NY at the Frontier Fire Hall with an appearance by Demolition, plus Bill Colier vs. Gregory Iron.

There is a Go Fund Me to raise money for a funeral for Frank “Francisco Ciatso,” the longtime Florida-based wrestler who passed away

Big Time Wrestling out of Newark, CA at the Pavilion has the 2024 Kirk White Memorial Battle Royal (where the winner is presented with the original Roy Shire Cow Palace Battle Royal trophy from the 60s) this coming Friday night. Also on the show are Alan Angels, Dave Dustra, Aaron Solo, Brooke Havook and Viva Van.

Jon Moxley vs. Gringo Loco headlines a Wrestling Revolver show on Thursday night that airs on Trlller +. There is also a first time ever match with Steve Maclin vs. Mance Warner plus Jake Something vs. Masha Slamovich, Ace Austin vs. Matthew Palmer and Sami Callihan vs. JT Dunn and the Grizzled Young Veterans.