Daily Update: SmackDown, HHH vs. Mahal in India, Tag League

THE ROUND-UP

The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS

AUDIO 

We’re looking for reports from the WWE Raw show in New Delhi, India (HHH vs. Jinder Mahal), Smackdown in Pikeville, KY and NXT in Tampa to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.

UFC FROM FRESNO, CALIFORNIA ON SATURDAY

Fight Pass at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time

  • Trevin Giles vs. Antonio Braga Neto
  • Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Davi Ramos
  • Iuri Alcantara vs. Alejandro Perez

FS 1 at 8 p.m. Eastern

  • Frankie Saenz vs. Merab Dvalishvili
  • Carls John de Tomas vs. Alex Perez
  • Luke Sanders vs. Andre Soukhamthath
  • Liz Carmouche vs. Alexis Davis
  • Benito Lopez vs. Albert Morales
  • Eryk Anders vs. Markus Perez
  • Scott Holtzman vs Darrell Horcher
  • Marlon Moraes vs. Aljamain Sterling
  • Gabriel Benitez vs. Jason Knight
  • Cub Swanson vs. Brian Ortega

EVOLVE ON SATURDAY NIGHT FROM THE ELMCOR YOUTH AND ADULT ACTIVITIES CENTER IN CORONA, NY AT 8 P.M. EASTERN

  • Jason Kincaid vs. AR Fox
  • Darby Allin vs. Austin Theory
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. DJZ
  • Matt Riddle vs. Fred Yehi no rope break match
  • Jake & Tracy Williams vs. James Drake & Anthony Henry for tag titles
  • Keith Lee vs. Walter for WWN title

BELLATOR MMA FROM FLORENCE, ITALY ON SPIKE TV AT 8 P.M. EASTERN SATURDAY NIGHT

  • Gregory Babene (185.2) vs. Tony Zanko (185)
  • Mihail Nica (155.6) vs. Carlos Miranda (156)
  • Lena Ovchynnikova (124.4) vs. Alejandra Lara (125)
  • Brandon Girtz (156) vs. Luka Jelcic (155.6)
  • Rafael Carvalho (184.6) vs. Alessio Sakara (184.2) for Bellator middleweight title

Sunday has WWE Smackdown in Louisville, KY and we’re also looking for reports from the Arolucha tapings in Nashville at the Fairgrounds.

EVOLVE ON SUNDAY AT 7 P.M. EASTERN FROM MELROSE, MA MEMORIAL HALL

  • Jason Kincaid vs. Jarek 1:20
  • AR Fox vs. DJZ
  • Fred Yehi vs. Austin Theory for FIP title
  • Matt Riddle vs. Walter
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Jake for Evolve title

NEW JAPAN WORLD TAG LEAGUE FINALS FROM THE FUKUOKA CONVENTION CENTER MO AT 4:30 A.M. EARLY MONDAY MORNING ON NEW JAPAN WORLD

  • Kota Ibushi & Kushida vs. Cody & Marty Scurll
  • Rocky Romero & Sho & Yoh vs. Kenny Omega & Young Bucks
  • Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay vs. Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi
  • World Tag League championship match

Raw will be Monday from Cleveland. Matches announced are Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro, Dean Ambrose vs. Samoa Joe, Seth Rollins vs. Sheamus, Kane vs. Braun Strowman and Drew Gulak vs. Rich Swann for the top contender for the cruiserweight title. There is also a Smackdown brand house show in Terre Haute, IN.

Smackdown will be Tuesday from Cincinnati.

FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY:Figure Four Weekly 12/4/2017: Looking at WWE’s match of the year candidates

While there’s still some time for WWE to shape how the company’s 2017 will be remembered, the beginning of December marked the end of this year’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards calendar. The insane output of high-end matches New Japan Pro Wrestling had during the voting period will rightfully lead to a strong showing in the Match of the Year category, but WWE’s in-ring year shouldn’t be forgotten. 

Subscribers click here to continue.

WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER:December 11, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: UFC 218 review, Impact management changes, more

There are a number of different features in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, including why last week’s UFC show is so important historically, an update on the Shane McMahon-Daniel Bryan storyline, the changes in direction at Impact once again and the new power structure, a look at the Clash of Champions show, the Konnan / Crash split, U.S. TV coverage of Wrestle Kingdom and how New Japan is doing on U.S. TV, the idea behind a 205 Live tour and much more.

Look at the last three UFC events and why they are important, including lessons regarding the value of titles or shows that on paper look to be filled with action and what it means to the public. Read our poll results for UFC 218 and full coverage of the show including the good and bad of China, the creation of the women’s flyweight title, two match-of-the-year candidates, as well as questions regarding sport vs. spectacle and the message being sent.

Examine the business numbers for the shows including UFC 218 preliminary PPV numbers.

Look at the changes at the top with Impact, Don Callis’ background in wrestling, who looks to be gone from Impact next, and the directives the company is under.

Read about the WWE Smackdown direction leading into the PPV show, and the long-term of Daniel Bryan and where things currently stand.

This issues goes into detail on the Konnan / Crash split, the different factors that led to it, what Konnan said about it, the Aroluxe deal and what this means long-term for Crash.

Have a look at the New Japan TV deal in the U.S., viewership update on the show, plans for Tokyo Dome coverage and what led to numbers increasing.

Check out WWE’s plans for a 205 Live tour, including plans for the division.

Also, look at Jim Johnston leaving WWE and his work in the promotion, why the WWE stock price is rising and what UFC has to do with it, more WWE injuries, and WWE Week on the USA Network.

Subscribers click here to continue.

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 Meltzer, or by using PayPal directing funds to Dave@WrestlingObserver.com. 

Rates in the United States are $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to moonsault@mediaplusint.com. For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52. If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.)

If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can choose one free classic issue, or two free classic issues with a 40-issue subscription.

WON BACK ISSUE: November 20, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Shinya Hashimoto fired from NJPW, Wrestlemania X7 sets records

Shinya Hashimoto, who headlined more big gates at the Tokyo Dome than any wrestler in history, was shockingly fired by New Japan Pro Wrestling on 11/13 after a weekend filled with turmoil after news got out he was negotiating with Pro Wrestling NOAH. The story was among many things that is threatening the future of the All Japan/New Japan relationship, which started off with the big success on 10/9 at the Tokyo Dome and has since seemed to start falling apart.

Subscribers click here to continue.

SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens in a match where Randy Orton will be in Nakamura’s corner and Sami Zayn will be in Owens’ is set for Tuesday’s episode of SmackDown, which will be the go-home show for Clash of Champions. WWE has also announced a face-to-face segment with AJ Styles and Jinder Mahal ahead of their match at the pay-per-view.
  • We have full results from WWE’s house show in India today up on the front page. Triple H defeated Mahal in the main event, with both getting big reactions but Triple H apparently being more cheered. Mahal kicked out of the Pedigree before losing, and Triple H cut a promo putting him over after. WWE has some video of the match and what happened after.
  • Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will be a guest on The Late Late Show with James Corden on Wednesday and John Cena will be on the show on Thursday. (thanks to reader Jake Koch)
  • Dave Bautista is set to star in “Stuber,” which is an action-comedy that is in development at 20th Century Fox.
  • A new episode of Ride Along with Rusev & Lana and Breezango will air on the WWE Network after Raw on Monday.
  • Today is Kurt Angle’s 49th birthday.
  • Bayley discussed her time on the main roster, her future, and working with Sasha Banks on this week’s episode of the Edge and Christian podcast.
  • ESPN interviewed Alexa Bliss about how she transitions from who she is in real life to her character.
  • Adam Pearce tweeted that he’ll be a producer on the first three 205 Live house shows next month.
  • This week’s WWE video top 10 list looks at “Mad Superstar Rantings.”

Pro Wrestling

  • Advancing out of a the B Block, Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano to earn a spot in Monday’s World Tag League finals. They’ll face SANADA & EVIL in the finals, with the winners likely getting a shot at Killer Elite Squad’s IWGP Tag Team Championship at the Tokyo Dome show on January 4th.
  • Ishii turned 42 years old today.
  • In his latest blog, Katsuyori Shibata wrote about his autograph signing at the World Tag League finals being a challenge for him and that he wants to see the people who have supported him.
  • Jay White tweeted that his name for his finishing move (the Shell Shock) is the Blade Runner.
  • Joining the list of promotions who have addressed Michael Elgin’s status with them due to his handling of a sexual assault allegation against Sean Orleans (a former student of Elgin’s who wrestled for his Glory Pro promotion), AAW issued a statement saying they’re pulling Elgin from their shows until the situation “can be resolved with all parties.” Jeff Cobb, who lost to Elgin in the finals of this year’s Jim Lynam Memorial Tournament, will challenge Rey Fenix for the AAW Heavyweight Championship on December 30th.
  • Jasper Davis, a Texas-based indie wrestler who wrestles for Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling promotion, has been charged with murder in the death of Jennifer Nicole Mamo. Prosecutors allege that Davis shot Mamo, who he was in a relationship with, and dumped her body by a creek. Davis’ truck got stuck at the creek according to investigators, and the friend he called for help said he wasn’t going to help him and called 911 after seeing Mamo’s body. Davis claims that Mamo grabbed the gun during an argument and she was accidentally shot as he was trying to take the gun from her.
  • Impact Wrestling posted its lowest non-holiday ratings number of the year this week, with Thursday’s episode averaging 226,000 viewers. Last week’s show did 255,000 viewers.
  • Tyler Bate didn’t wrestle at OTT’s “Being the Elite” show in Dublin today due to a rib injury. Bate noted on Twitter that he should be fit and ready soon enough.

UFC/MMA

Today in Professional Wrestling History: Chris Jericho becomes WWF Undisputed Champion

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