Daily Update: WWE MSG, AEW gate, weekend schedule

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Tony Khan buys Ring of Honor, Cain Velasquez charged with attempted murder

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Friday News Update

  • There will be no show tonight with Garrett and I. We will be doing a minimum of three and possibly four shows over the weekend. Garrett and I will be doing one show tomorrow likely with a major guest if not two, and Bryan and I will be doing shows tomorrow night after UFC 272 and Sunday night after AEW Revolution.
  • There are a number of activities regarding this web site for our Las Vegas convention over Memorial Day weekend. Bryan and I will be doing a Q&A show, a meet & greet, plus there will be a suite party as well as a readers dinner and more things to be added. Ticket information for all of these activities is here.
  • We are looking for reports from tonight’s WWE show in Miami and AEW show in Orlando for matches not on the live television shows to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • We are also doing polls on both UFC 272 and AEW Revolution, thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match from each show to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

WWE

  • Brock Lesnar in Newsday promoting tomorrow’s MSG show.
  • Lesnar also did an interview for the Michael Kay show earlier today.
  • Chad Gable & Otis vs. Randy Orton & Riddle was announced for tomorrow night’s Madison Square Garden show. It certainly appears that an angle is being shot involving Brock Lesnar at the show.
  • SmackDown tonight from Miami has Usos vs. Viking Raiders for the tag titles, Sami Zayn vs. Ricochet for the IC title and Ronda Rousey vs. Sonya Deville.
  • This is not a pro wrestling story yet because the WWE deal is not part of NBCU, but NBCU has terminated its agreement with Hulu, as has been expected and we’ve written about it. NBCU programming that had appeared on Hulu second day is being moved to Peacock.

AEW

  • AEW doing $1 million in ticket sales the first day they went on sale to the public for Double or Nothing in Las Vegas makes it not only the largest grossing show in company history, but as of right now it would be the second largest grossing show outside of WWE in the history of U.S. pro wrestling. The 2019 Madison Square Garden show with New Japan/Ring of Honor did $1.1 million. AEW is expected to top that figure as the T Mobile Arena show is not sold out. The WCW record was $930,000 on January 4, 1999, at the Georgia Dome. The Hulk Hogan vs. Bill Goldberg show did $906,000. WWE has topped $1 million many times and some of the Japanese promotions have done so as well. The first $1 million pro wrestling show was Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki in 1976. The first in North America was Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff in Toronto in 1986. The first in the U.S. was WrestleMania III with Hogan vs Andre the Giant at $1.599 million.
  • Rampage tonight is live from Orlando with Sammy Guevara vs. Andrade El Idolo vs. Darby Allin for the TNT title, Christian Cage vs. Ethan Page for the final spot in Sunday’s ladder match, plus matches with Keith Lee and Serena Deeb.

Other Wrestling

  • Relativity WorldWide LLC has announced a line of wrestling figures with 150 characters set to be released. Greg Gagne is a co-founder of this company. Gagne noted that among the characters they have the rights to would be Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, Stan Hansen and Magnum T.A.
  • AAA is doing TV tomorrow in Ciudad Madero with Pagano & Chessman & Psycho Clown vs. Sanson & Forastero & Cuatrero on top, plus Bandido & Jack Cartwheel vs. El Hijo del Vikingo & Laredo Kid vs. Abismo Negro Jr. & Gringo Loco, and a trios title match with Rey Escorpion & Taurus & Villano III Jr. defending against DMT Azul & Puma King & Sam Adonis.
  • Japanese wrestler Tsukushi Haruka, 24, has announced she will be retiring at the 5/4 Ice Ribbon show in Yokohama.
  • For as long as I can remember, Jim Duggan has been a regular celebrity guest on the Variety Club Iowa telethon. However, he is not on this year’s event as he is going to a legends event in Gonzalez, LA for Redstock Wrestling tomorrow and the telethon has been cut back to one hour. Names at the event besides Duggan are Lex Luger, Sgt. Slaughter, Jake Roberts, DDP, Ted DiBiase, Virgil, One Man Gang, Greg Valentine, Ron Simmons and Slick. (thanks to Brian Henke)
  • Booker T appears Sunday for Championship Wrestling from Memphis.
  • On Jeopardy on Monday there was a category called Sports By Their Honors and one of the clues was Slammy Award. The question was “What is a pro wrestler?” Anyway, WWE probably isn’t happy that 30 years of trying to tell people their talent are superstars and sports entertainers still hasn’t clicked in with the real world. (thanks to Kenneth Raftery)
  • MCW tomorrow night in Galena, MD at the Galena Volunteer Fire Department is headlined by Ken Dixon vs. Ryan McBride.
  • MCW announced a 5/15 show in Millersville, MD at the Benfield Sports Center with Matt & Jeff Hardy vs. Mike Bennett & Matt Taven, Mike Bailey vs. Chris Bey, Action Andretti vs. Ninja Mack and KiLynn King vs. AQA.
  • WAR runs on 3/19 in Lima, OH at the Empowered Sports Center.

Results for the first night of the 16 Carat Gold tournament from Oberhausen, Germany today:

  • Hektor Invictus won five-way over Oskar, Ninja Mack, Norman Harras and The Rotation
  • Robert Dreissker b Fuminori Abe
  • Cara Noir b Vincent Heisenberg
  • Peter Tihanyl b Aigle Blanc
  • LuFisto (first woman ever in the tournament) b Denis Dullnig
  • Marius Al-Ai b Michael Knight
  • Maggot b Ace Romero
  • Shigehiro Irie b Senza Volto
  • Jonathan Gresham b Bobby Gunns
  • Absolute Andy was taken ill and is out this weekend. His Shotgun title has been vacated and they will crown a new champion tomorrow.

UFC

UFC 272 is tomorrow starting at 6 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+ only:

  • Dustin Jacoby (205.5) vs,. Michael Oleksiejczuk (206)
  • Ludovit Klein (156) vs, Devonte Smith (156)
  • Tim Elliott (126) vs. Tagir Ulanbekov (125.5)
  • Brian Kelleher (145) vs,. Umar Nurmagomedov (146)
  • ESPN and ESPN + at 8 p.m.
  • Maryna Moroz (125.5) vs. Mariya Agapova (126)
  • Nicolae Negumereanu (205.5) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (206)
  • Marina Rodriguez (116) vs. Ya Xionan (116)
  • Jalin Turner (156) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (155.5)
  • PPV at 10 p.m.
  • Greg Hardy (266) vs. Sergey Spivak (243.5)
  • Kevin Holland (170) vs. Alex Oliveira (170)]
  • Edson Barboza (145.5) vs. Bryce Mitchell (145.5)’
  • Rafael dos Anjos (160) vs. Renato Moicano (160)
  • Colby Covington (170.5) vs,. Jorge Masvidal (170.5)
  • Jorge Masvidal has signed his new UFC deal. Manager Malki Kawa said the deal ensures Masvidal will finish his career in UFC and be one of the five highest paid fighters on the roster.
  • Claudio Silva pulled out of his 3/19 fight in London with a knee injury. Silva was to face the returning Gunnar Nelson on that show at the O2 Arena.
  • Terrance McKinney will make a quick turnaround to face Drew Dober on the 3/12 show in Las Vegas. McKinney replaces Ricky Glenn, who suffered a torn groin injury. McKinney just fought this past Saturday. McKinney has five straight first round wins, two in 17 seconds or less.
  • Gerald Meerschaert vs. Krzysztof Jotko is being planned for the 4/30 show.

Other MMA

PFL tonight at 9 p.m.Eastern on the Fubo Sports Network with women lightweights:

  • Martin Jindrova (155.2) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (155)
  • Jackie Cataline (153.6) vs. Camee Adams (154.4)
  • Julia Dorny (153.8) vs. Jesie Mishelle (155.4)
  • Michelle Montague (153.4) vs. Olivia Parker (155.2)