Daily Update: WWE Network, Jon Moxley, LAX

DAILY UPDATE

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F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Sasha Banks returns to WWE Joseph Currier looks at the return of Sasha Banks and what it means for the women’s division. Plus, Bryan Rose’s Japan notes, and Vinny’s TV reviews.

The return of Banks gives Lynch the opponent she’s needed since WrestleMania. After winning the biggest women’s match in company history, Lynch was put in an impossible position by WWE. She had to maintain her momentum without having any credible opponents to face. Lacey Evans was a poor choice for her first challenger.

One of WWE’s most important goals should have been elevating Lynch and the women’s division further. It was always known that Rousey wouldn’t be with WWE forever. It’s great that Rousey was able to have main event-level matches with the company. It’s great that the Rousey/Lynch/Charlotte Flair rivalry was so deserving of its top spot going into WrestleMania.

But a year of progress doesn’t mean that much if you don’t continue to build upon it. Instead of Lynch facing someone who was near her level, her opponent was a wrestler who wasn’t even in a star in NXT.

WON NEWSLETTER: August 26, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Birth of the Wednesday Night WarDetails on NXT and AEW competing on Wednesday nights, plus tons of news.

The birth of the Wednesday Night War is the top story in the new edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 

We discuss how the NXT to USA deal came about, when NXT wrestlers were told, how this impacts the WWE/Fox relationship, and what this means for the NXT brand, going forward. 

We have details on the finances of the NXT to USA deal, and we break down the head-to-head aspect of NXT vs. AEW. We also have comments from a major television executive who gives his perspective on the deal, as well as the potential for audience burnout. 

A story on the latest AEW TV taping sellouts is also featured in the new issue. We also have notes on the secondary ticket market demand for all of the AEW shows. 

An obituary for Eddie Marlin is also in the new issue, with a ton of details on his life. 

Also in this issue, Ryan Frederick covers this past weekend’s UFC show, and we have detailed TV ratings and business notes on the show. 

We also wrap up our G1 coverage with a detailed breakdown of each individual’s star ratings for the tournament. 

We have full coverage of all the WWE television shows from the past week.

As always, we have in-depth looks at the ratings of all the major shows,the key demos for the WWE shows and what can be learned from them.

We also have the results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.

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SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • Today is Vince McMahon’s 74th birthday.
  • WWE Network News reported that a new episode of Ride Along will premiere on the WWE Network after Raw on Monday. It will feature Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins in one car and The Viking Raiders & Sarah Logan in the other.
  • WWE Network News also noted that “20 Matches That Define the Intercontinental Championship” will air on the WWE Network on September 1. It will be hosted by Zack Ryder and will be at least six hours long. The broadcast celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Intercontinental title.
  • Rollins posted a better picture of Lynch’s engagement ring. He wrote: “I’m the luckiest man alive.”
  • Sami Zayn tweeted about wrestling in Bogota, Colombia at Friday’s house show: “It’s been a while since I’ve had goosebumps or gotten that emotional in a ring. #WWEColombia was electric. South American fans enjoy shows with an enthusiasm that is unlike anywhere else in the world.” Kevin Owens defeated Zayn at the show.
  • Ronda Rousey’s website has an interview with Nikki Cross.

Pro Wrestling

  • Jon Moxley tweeted about his match with Josh Barnett that was scheduled for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport II on September 14: “@JoshLBarnett We’re gonna get this one back. I didn’t set myself on fire for nothing.” Barnett then responded to Moxley: “Get healthy and heal up well…I want you at your best.” Moxley is expected to be out of action for four weeks due to his elbow infection.
  • Starrcast wrote that — if Moxley is unable to travel to Starrcast — they’ll issue refunds for his meet-and-greet and attempt to replace his panel: “Like you, today we learned that Jon Moxley is unable to wrestle due to injury, but that’s all at this point. If he is unable to travel for #Starrcast, we will issue refunds for his Meet & Greet and attempt to replace his panel on stage. Updates forthcoming when available.”
  • AEW posted a video where Kenny Omega was told about Moxley not being able to wrestle in their match at All Out. The video of Omega’s reaction to the news will continue on Monday’s Being the Elite.
  • In an interview with the Shining Wizards, LAX teased which company they’re signing with: “Ortiz: I will say this: people won’t be disappointed with our decision. Santana: Not only that, just know that if you know anything about our careers and what we’ve done to this point, and what we did to get to this point, we’re about making history.”
  • Jushin Thunder Liger and Brian Pillman Jr. faced off for the first time last night, with Liger, Alex Coughlin & Karl Fredericks defeating Pillman Jr., Ethan HD & Mike Santiago in a six-man tag match at Defy Wrestling’s Defyance Forever show in Tacoma, Washington. Liger and Pillman Jr. embraced each other after the match.

UFC/MMA

  • Daniel Cormier wrote an emotional tribute after the passing of his stepfather: “Today I lost my hero to cancer, my father was the bravest, strongest , hardest working and most caring person I’ve ever known. Always the life of the party and made everyone he ever came in contact with feel good. I never could have imagined we would be going through this right now. All the lessons I wanna try and pass along I learned from my dad. You know its about the legacy we leave behind and my dads legacy will be one of just a great person, loving husband and father and friend to everyone. If you’ve ever met Percy Benoit you’re better for it. We were able to see some amazing things pops and I hope you enjoyed the ride, I only wanted to make you proud. I love you pop, you were the strenght of this family , now you get to rest. No more pain. Love you Dad #rip #cancersucks”
  • Justin Gaethje hyped up his September 14 fight against Donald Cerrone: “This is pure violence. This does not need to be talked up. Cowboy has had the most fights, the most performance bonuses, this will make it the most fights ever, the most wins I think, something like that. He has all the records. So I mean, yeah. What do we need to pump up? If you’ve seen me fight, you know that I come to, I’m 100 percent right now, I’ll be 100 percent when I’m done in the fact that either I go to sleep or they go to sleep, so, that’s what I do.”
  • Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson will be the main event of Bellator 231 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut on October 25, while Rory MacDonald vs. Douglas Lima in the finals of the Welterweight Gran Prix will headline Bellator 232 at the same arena the next night.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: WWE SummerSlam 2003

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