Daily Update: WWE Network, PAC vs. Pentagon, Stefan Struve

DAILY UPDATE

Latest News

Latest Audio

F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: WWE takes first steps toward WrestleMania 35 triple threat

It appears that WWE has officially taken the first steps towards Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair all being involved in the main event of WrestleMania 35.

An angle where Vince McMahon suspended Lynch for 60 days and announced that Charlotte would be taking her place at WrestleMania closed last Monday’s episode of Raw. Charlotte aligned with Vince and fully turned heel, with Vince calling her someone with charisma, someone with charm, and someone who knows their lane and stays in it.

WON NEWSLETTER: February 25, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Elimination Chamber review

The show didn’t sell out, even in one of WWE’s best markets. The show had more good than bad, with the highlight being the main event, the men’s Chamber match where Daniel Bryan retained and the crowd got so strong behind Kofi Kingston in the Mustafa Ali slot that Vince McMahon changed plans for Fast Lane to put Bryan vs. Kingston on top.

The show was the brainchild of Motoko Baba, to run a big Baba celebration show in 2019, 20 years after his early 1999 death. With her passing away last year, it was her nieces and nephews who put the show together.

All but one count of Mark Hunt’s lawsuit against the UFC, Dana White and Brock Lesnar on the grounds they conspired against him to allow a juiced up Lesnar to fight him at UFC 200 was thrown out of court.

The 2020 Royal Rumble will take place on 1/26 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Most likely that would also mean Takeover on 1/25 at the Toyota Center, Raw on 1/27 and Smackdown on 1/28.

FOX this weekend started advertising 10/4 as the debut of the new Friday Night Smackdown show.

“Fighting with My Family,” the Dwayne Johnson Seven Bucks Entertainment movie about Growing Up as Paige, which has its big national release on 2/22, has gotten great word-of-mouth so far.

Chris Jericho noted that while he and Gedo are on the same page, that New Japan management hasn’t talked with him about a new deal.

ORDERING INFO:  Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered  via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by  mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell,CA  95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • WWE is celebrating the WWE Network’s fifth birthday with a marathon that will begin tomorrow, with it including programming that aired when the Network first launched and standout programming from the past five years.
  • A special called “Arrival: Matt Riddle” is airing on the WWE Network after Raw on Monday. It appears to be all of the episodes of the “Arrival” video series on Riddle that were uploaded to the WWE Performance Center’s YouTube account.
  • The latest episode of “WWE Day Of” focuses on Kofi Kingston on the day of Elimination Chamber.
  • Ronda Rousey also uploaded an “on the road” video from Elimination Chamber.
  • Sasha Banks & Bayley defended their Women’s Tag Team titles for the first time at last night’s Raw-brand house show in Jonesboro, Arkansas. They defeated The Riott Squad to retain the titles. WWE posted a video of Banks & Bayley backstage with Raw Tag Team Champions The Revival at the show.
  • Steve Corino is now working on the WWE main roster as a producer.
  • “Fighting with My Family” is estimated to make $7.7 million at the box office this weekend. US Weekly spoke to Paige about the movie.
  • Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is appearing at a showing of “Fighting with My Family” in Atlanta tonight.
  • With Bruce Prichard returning to the WWE creative team, Conrad Thompson told Post Wrestling that “nothing is canceled” when asked about their upcoming live shows.
  • The Mirror has an interview with NXT UK’s Wolfgang.

Pro Wrestling

UFC/MMA

  • After defeating Marcos Rogerio de Lima at UFC on ESPN+ 3 this morning, Stefan Struve indicated that he may be retiring: “This is something I’ve thought over a whole lot. I think everybody’s aware my heart is not 100 percent. When I made my comeback I told myself I would have about five years and I’ve been fighting a little longer since then. My heart is good, but there’s a very good opportunity that this is my last fight, so thank you very much.” Struve added that he isn’t 100 percent sure about retiring and is going to continue thinking about it.
  • Dustin Poirier spoke to MMA Junkie about facing Max Holloway for the interim lightweight title: “Originally they wanted Max and Tony, and then they called me. They didn’t really have a whole lot of plans, then at the last minute they tried to put together Max vs. Tony. Then they called and said, ‘If for some reason Max falls out or doesn’t take it, you’re going to fight Tony for the interim. If for some reason Tony doesn’t make it, then you’re going to fight Max for the interim.’ Tony apparently didn’t think it was the right fight at the right time, or he had something going on. I don’t know his exact story. I’m trying to figure out why he couldn’t make the date, but honestly I don’t care. I hope everything is good for him and his family and hope he’s healthy, but this is my opportunity.”

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Ring of Honor’s first show

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~!

CONTACT INFORMATION