Daily Update: SmackDown, WWE at MSG, Jimmy Rave

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WON NEWSLETTER: December 27, 2021 Observer Newsletter: COVID hits pro wrestling again, Corporal Kirchner passes away

In this week’s issue: 

The latest COVID spread through the Delta and Omicon variant leading to new cases that caused delays and changes to the NFL, NHL (which paused its season this past week until after Christmas) and NBA schedule this past week have also involved pro wrestling.

Current subscribers click here to read.

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FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE

Garrett Gonzalez and I will be back Sunday with another Wrestling Observer Radio. With the weekend being slow for wrestling, we’ll probably do a heavy Q&A show. You can send question ideas to Garrett’s twitter for the show.

Merry Christmas to everyone.

The traditional biggest house show of the year, the day after Christmas in Madison Square Garden, has Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens in a cage match for the WWE title, Becky Lynch vs Bianca Belair in a cage match for the Raw women’s title plus the rest of the Raw crew. It’s being pushed as the first time in the history of pro wrestling in MSG that there are two cage matches on the same show. Tampa also has a show that night at the Amalie Arena with Drew McIntyre & New Day vs. Roman Reigns & Usos and Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks in a street fight for the Smackdown women’s title. MSG as of this morning had 5,839 tickets out so unless they get a substantial amount of sales, it would be among the lowest crowds in the modern history of the building for wrestling.

Trish Stratus will be appearing as the host of the Wednesday night show in Toronto.

Smackdown is taped tonight. Results are available in detail in the current issue. The show has a 12 person gauntlet for an IC title shot with Cesaro, Drew Gulak, Mansoor, Sheamus, Shanky, Jinder Mahal, Sami Zayn, Ricochet, Angel, Humberto, Erik and Ivar. Also Paul Heyman does a promo about being fired by Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre & New Day vs. Usos & Madcap Moss in a Christmas street fight which means they pour egg nog on each other and Charlotte Flair vs. Toni Storm for the women’s title. 205 Live tonight has Solo Sikoa vs Ru Feng, Ivy Nile vs. Fallon  Henley and Damon Kemp makes his debut against Andre Chase.  Kemp is former University of Minnesota heavyweight Bobby Steveson, the older brother of Gable Steveson.  People have praised him to me as a very hard worker.

While ONE has lost ridiculous money, they have new money. They just closed a new $150 million round of funding led by the Qatar Investment Authority, basically the government of the country, and Guggenheim Investments. The company did cut losses in 2020 to $47.6 million from $96.3 million in losses in 2019.

AEW has no show tonight. A four-match taped show from Greensboro will air Saturday night at 9 p.m. on TNT with Cody Rhodes vs  Sammy Guevara and the TNT title at stake, Leyla Hirsch vs. Kris Statlander, Hook vs Bear Bronson and Jungle Boy vs. Isaiah Kassidy.

There is also no CMLL show tonight at Arena Mexico, with the big weekly show being tomorrow night with Mistico vs. Averno. The NWA middleweight world title, which dates back to 1939, is now just being called the Historic middleweight title.  

There will be a memorial service for Jimmy Rave (real name James Guffey) on 2/6 at the Lakepoint Sports Champion Center at 261 Stars Way, Cartersville, GA 3011 from 1-5 p.m. The period from 2-5 p.m.will be open to the public.

As noted in the Observer but now officially announced by AAA, FTR will return to Mexico to defend the AAA tag titles against Fenix & Pentagon Jr on 1/30 in Merida. There will be three title bouts on the show as Villano III Jr. & Taurus & Rey Escorpion defend the AAA trios titles against both the New Generation Dinamitas and Los Poderes del Norte, plus Laredo Kid defends the cruiserweight title against Aramis, Dragon Lee and Willie Mack. I’m not sure what world Willie Mack is a cruiserweight in.   

WWE

AEW

  • As of this morning, the 1/5 show at the Prudential Center has sold 180 more tickets since Wednesday’s announcement of Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson for the AEW title. They are closing in on 8,000. For whatever reason, the New York market buys tickets early for the company and rarely do late announcements make a difference. The announcement of Danielson vs. Kenny Omega at Arthur Ashe Stadium did move some tickets, but it was not like the announcement led to huge amounts of new ticket sales. Almost nothing does, past WWE having huge success the past two weeks for Day 1 tickets in Atlanta after sales had been slow.

UFC

  • Jorge Masvidal said he’s off the injury list and is ready to fight. 

OTHER NOTES

  • Rashad Evans comes out of retirement to face Gabriel Checco at the 1/28 Eagle Fighting Championship event in Miami, FL. Evans, one of UFC’s early television stars, has his first fight in nearly four years after retiring in 2018. Eagle FC is Khabib Nurmagomedov’s promotion.
  • Kevin Eck’s weekly look at ROH news.
  • Robbie Eagles will be returning to Australia after the Tokyo Dome shows and wrestle for PWA on 1/14.
  • 559 Fights returns to Visalia,CA at the Convention Center on 2/11.
  • Travis Banks was announced for Tuesday’s CMLL show is Guadalajara in the main event teaming with Averno & Mephisto against Mistico & Soberano Jr; & Dulce Gardenia. Then hours later, he was replaced by Black Warrior. Banks continuing to wrestle after charges made by ex-girlfriend Millie McKenzie that led to WWE cutting ties with him has been a hot button issue. He has moved to Mexico. (thanks to Rene Ochoa)
  • NFC on 1/15 at  The District in Atlanta.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Homicide wins ROH World title at Final Battle 2006

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