Daily Update: WWE Confidential, MLW, Jack Swagger

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F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Kenny Omega signs with AEW

While it had become expected leading into the announcement, that doesn’t make Kenny Omega joining All Elite Wrestling any less of a vital move for the start-up company.

Omega signing with AEW was confirmed at last week’s Double or Nothing ticket announcement party in Las Vegas. Omega signed a four-year deal that allows him to still wrestle for New Japan Pro Wrestling if he wants to (and if NJPW will have him). And in addition to his in-ring role, Omega will serve alongside Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks as an executive vice president of the promotion.

WON NEWSLETTER: February 18, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Death of Pedro Morales

I don’t expect more than a few more weeks of this format of Observers.

WWE grossed $930,160,000 and turned a $98,719,000 profit in 2018, both company records. Last year the company set a revenue record of $800,959,000 and turned a $32,116,000 profit.

Pedro Morales, best known for his three-year run as WWWF champion from 1971-73, passed away on 2/12 at Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, NJ, where he had been hospitalized for two weeks. He was 78 and had been battling Parkinson’s Disease for several years.

NJPW New Beginnings: As a legit shoot, while NJPW almost always sells out Edion Arena for big shows, they comped less and opened up more seats so this number was the highest since the 2015 show headlined by Hiroshi Tanhashi vs. A.J. Styles.

UFC 234 – Chaos erupted the day of UFC 234, the first UFC pay-per-view offering of 2019, at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, causing dramatic change unheard of when it comes to UFC pay-per-view events.

It is now official that Kenny has signed with AEW.

Mustafa Ali’s eyeball got busted open and really messed up after a Garvin stomp by Randy Orton on SD Tuesday night.

Dwayne Johnson said he was the first choice to host the Oscars this year. But he said he couldn’t make it work due to the timing of shooting the Jumanji sequel.

Roman Reigns (Joe Anoa’i) will be making an appearance on a Nickelodeon series next month.

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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

Pro Wrestling

UFC/MMA

  • Ariel Helwani reported that Jake Hager’s (Jack Swagger) next fight is slated for Bellator 221 in Rosemont, Illinois on May 11. Helwani noted that Hager’s opponent has yet to be finalized. Hager made his MMA debut last month by submitting J.W. Kiser in the first round at Bellator 214.
  • Michael Chandler will also defend his lightweight title against Patricio “Pitbull” Freire at Bellator 221.
  • Robert Whittaker did a live stream and addressed Kelvin Gastelum carrying a title belt at UFC 234 and calling himself the middleweight champion: “I thought it was cute. You know when your kid finds your work belt at home and then he starts wearing it around the house? That’s kind of how I saw the whole thing. It was adorable. I feel bad for him that he trained and made the trip out here and then I couldn’t give it to him. I apologize for that but obviously my health comes first. It is what it is…His health was looking a bit shocking as well. It’s just one of those things. Maybe it was better for both of us.”
  • Israel Adesanya thinks Whittaker should be stripped of the middleweight title: “This is not the first time that Robert has had to pull out or been on the sideline due to injury. They won’t do it, I don’t think so, but legitimately, just take the title off him, and me and Kelvin fight for the belt.”

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Austin vs. McMahon at Valentine’s Day Massacre

Ed in San Antonio presents the WRESTLEMANIAWeekend Events (more to be added):

  • Sunday, April 6th, at 12:00 pm: Lunch (all you can eat) at Churrascaria Plataforma ($90 per person), located at 316 W. 49th street in Manhattan. Purchase tickets here~!
  • Luxury Bus to MetLife Stadium for Wrestlemania: We will depart from the Hilton Midtown (site of Wrestlecon) located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas. Departure time is 4:00 pm and will return from MetLife approximately 30 mins after the event. Times are subject to change, and cost $67.00 per person for the round trip. Purchase tickets here~!

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