Daily Update: Strowman undergoing surgery, Sinclair, Emma

THE ROUND-UP

The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS

AUDIO

We’re looking for reports on today’s WWE Smackdown show in Bornemouth, England at newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.

Raw tonight from London (results are on the front page)

The storyline is Miz and Dean Ambrose are co-General Managers for one night.

  • Finn Balor vs. The Miz
  • Alexa Bliss vs. Mickie James
  • Tag team turmoil with R-Truth & Goldust, Sheamus & Cesaro, Enzo & Cass, Heath Slater & Rhyno and Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson for a tag title shot
  • Seth Rollins vs Samoa Joe
  • Jack Gallagher vs. TJP
  • Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox
  • Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt in a non-title match

Tuesday has Smackdown and 205 Live being taped at the O2 Arena in London and Raw will be in Lille, Frame.

Wednesday has a Raw house show in Zurich, Switzerland, and a Smackdown has show in Brighton, UK.

FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: 5/1/2017: The rise of Braun Strowman

It was somewhat fitting that Braun Strowman’s win against Roman Reigns in the main event of Payback came after the conclusion of a dreadful House of Horrors match between Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton. At the very least, it was a reminder of how far Strowman has come since splitting from the Wyatt Family last July. He has seamlessly transitioned out of the group and gradually become the most compelling character on Raw in less than a year.

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WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: May 8, 2017: WWE Payback review, WWE financials, plus tons of news

A brief look at the WWE financials for the first quarter, basically looking at why the profit margin was so far down this quarter, where the added spending came in, a look at the house show business in WWE and NXT, what categories are losing money in WWE, and what are increasing the most is the lead story in this week’s Observer.

Also, look at the major WWE storylines, the next few PPV shows, what WWE match result changed four times in 30 hours before the PPV, behind the House of Horrors segment, plus match-by-match coverage of Payback with star ratings and poll results.

Notes on the New Japan booking coming out of Dontaku and likely matches for Dominion, one of the company’s biggest events of the year, plus Dontaku coverage, in this issue.

The biggest junior heavyweight tournament in probably a decade is coming up. Check out some of the big matches that will be part of it, with the announcement of the bracketing of this year’s Super Junior tournament and the web site schedule.

There is an update on the ITV television project and why the tapings were postponed, plus the key thing going on behind-the-scenes.

News on Brock Lesnar going forward in WWE, his latest plans and title matches expected, more on Fate of the Furious and its box office, update on the Hardy broken gimmick in WWE, a new WWE movie with Michaels, Hogan talks Vince McMahon, indie champion gets WWE tryout his week, and the most watched WWE Network shows this past week, in this issue.

Read about the WWE & NXT shows this past week including both the Raw and Smackdown tour openers in Europe

Boxing fans, check out the highlights of the Joshua vs. Klitschko fight, the amazing U.K. business numbers, as well as whether heavyweight boxing is back big in the U.S. because of the fight or not.

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WON BACK ISSUE: April 10, 2000: Wrestlemania 16 reviewed, NBC buys into the XFL, more

Wrestlemania XVI, the first Wrestlemania that seemed to take on almost Super Bowl or Final Four level proportions as an American institution, turned out like many Super Bowls, with a flat crowd, a been there, done that main event finish ending a disappointing match, and with the exception of a ladder match, which was an amazing stunt show, it was probably not as good as an average episode of Raw. The show ended with Hunter Hearst Helmsley retaining the title when Vince McMahon, instead of Mick Foley, was the one to make the heel turn screwing The Rock at the end.

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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE

Bryan and I will be back tonight talking Raw, ROH, injuries and all the other pro wrestling and MMA news with Wrestling Observer radio. If you’ve got any questions for tonight’s show you can send them to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com.

The Sinclair Media purchase of Tribune Broadcasting for $3.9 billion went down today. Right now as of this moment, it means nothing definitive for ROH, but with Sinclair adding stations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, it’s a big deal as Sinclair would now have a local station in nine of the top ten markets. (thanks to Chris Cruise)

Braun Strowman will be undergoing elbow surgery soon. It’s not a definite, but it does put the July PPV in doubt and puts him out of June, both shows he was scheduled to headline. They shot an injury angle on Raw to cover for it. Pro Wrestling Sheet reported the story earlier today. 

Luke Rockhold on the MMA Hour today said he wants to sit out until he gets a direct path to the middleweight championship. He advocated that all the contenders sit out unless they force Michael Bisping to fight a legit top contender now or create an interim championship for he, Gegard Mousasi, Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker to fight over. Rockhold said he was offered a match with Mousasi but unless it gets him closer to a guaranteed title shot, he’s not interested. He said he’d like to face Whittaker. 

Dave Bautista talks Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and his love of Bruce Lee. The movie trailer is here. (thanks to Jeff Sheridan)

WWE

  • As of earlier today, Emma had her arm in a sling and was awaiting an injury diagnosis.
  • Linda McMahon was interviewed on a trip to Fresno, CA. She got caught in a memory lapse saying she met Donald Trump for the first time at a Rolling Stones concert at Giants Stadium, but the Stones never played the stadium until 1994, and they had worked together prior to that. She said her favorite wrestlers were Vince McMahon and HHH. (thanks to David Taub)
  • Here is a Paul Heyman news story on his doing publicity for the Richmond International Raceway.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • With the Best of the Super Juniors tournament starting a week from Wednesday, New Japan World has put up the recent incredible if not too dangerous Dragon Lee vs. Hiromu Takahashi IWGP jr. title match for free.
  • A video on Friday night’s Young Bucks vs. Penta 0M & Rey Fenix match from Tijuana shot in 4K is here.
  • Irv Muchnick has a story on the death of J Michael Kenyon.
  • CWE on 5/19 in Winnipeg at Rookie’ Sports Bar. Results from Saturday night in Thunder Bay, ONT: Phil Atlas b Tasty Travis, Jacob Creed & Bobby Collins b K-Dos & Omar Amir, Ray Gordon won four-corners over Alex Anthony, Ethan Price and Canadian Cougar, Anderson Tyson Moore b Kute Kody, Tony Kozina b Garrison Creed, Danny Duggan b Chase Owens in a no DQ match. Paul Orndorff managed Duggan.
  • AAW from Saturday night in Chicago: Aeroboy over Connor Braxton, Paco Gonzalez, Myron Reed, Jason Cade and Space Monkey, Sami Callihan b ACH to keep AAW title, Trevor Lee b Bobby Fish, Colt Cabana b Ethan Page, Michael Elgin b Zack Sabre Jr. (people are raving about this one) David Starr b Eddie Kingston, Stephen Wolf & Trey Miguel & Chuck Taylor b Mat Fitchett & Davey Vega & Alex Daniels, Penta 0M b Keith Lee to keep AAW Heritage title, Rey Fenix & AR Fox b Jake Crist & Sami Callihan in tag title match. Next show is 5/25 in Berwyn, IL at the Eagles Club with Michael Elgin vs. FKA Jack Swagger, Keith Lee vs. Donovan Dijak, Lio rush vs. Shane Strickland plus Sami Callihan, Rey Fenix, AR Fox, Trevor Lee Colt Cabana, Jake Crist, Laredo Kid and Team Tremendous.
  • Glory Pro Wrestling from last night in Alton, IL: Everett Connors b David Starr, Sami Callihan b Curt Stallion, Alex Daniels won gauntlet rumble, Paco Gonzalez b Jason Cade, Danny Adams b Louis Lyndon, Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett won four-way over T-Money & Russ Myers, Brett Gakiya & CJ Esparza and Matt Kenway & Aaron Dzinic, Penta 0M b Michael Elgin, Myron Reed b Jason Kincaid to win Crown of Glory title (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)
  • Ron Garvin and the Batten Twins were the first inductees into the AMW Eastern Kentucky Hall of Fame on Saturday night. Garvin was also presented a lifetime achievement awares by Perry County, KY. Saturday was proclaimed Ronnie Garvin day in the country. Lots of local media did lengthy stories on Garvin as well as a statewide sports magazine. Bart Batten made an emotional speech about starting with his brother for the old ICW promotion in Eastern Kentucky after training under Randy Savage. His twin brother, Brad, had passed way three years ago.
  • Defy Wrestling put its VIP tickets on sale this morning for the 6/29 show in Tacoma at the Temple Theater and 6/30 in Seattle at the Washington Hall, as well as for a convention on 6/29. They were told out within ten minutes. Regular tickets go on sale at 7 p.m. Pacific time tonight. Cody Rhodes, Penta 0M, Rey Fenix, Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly are scheduled.
  • ECWA on 5/20 in Woodbury Heights, NJ at the Community Center for Spring Scramble. 
  • This week’s pro wrestling quiz theme is Sean Waltman and is here.
  • WOW co-owner Jeanie Buss talks the company’s new deal with MGM.
  • Here is a video package that was played during the final show of the JWP women’s promotion in Japan about their history.
  • MCW on 6/9 at the MCW Arena in Joppa, MD has FKA Jack Swagger and Jeff Cobb appearing. with Lio Rush vs. Cobb, Bestia 666 vs. Steve Anthony and James Storm, Gail Kim, Kevin Matthews and Stevie Richards.
  • Grand Slam Wrestling on 5/13 in Old Forge, PA at the GSW Arena.

Today in Professional Wrestling History (5/8): Edge wins WWE World title

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