Daily Update: WWE notes, Sting set for Starrcast, Stipe/Cormier

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F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch win Royal Rumbles

For the second straight year, WWE went with two fan-pleasing choices as their Royal Rumble winners. WWE followed up on Shinsuke Nakamura and Asuka’s wins from last year by having Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch win their respective Rumble matches on Sunday night. The results were entirely predictable, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t the right choices. While there are other stories that WWE can tell, top babyfaces beginning their road to WrestleMania by winning the Royal Rumble will pretty much always work. 

WON NEWSLETTER: January 28, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Future of Ronda Rousey, Royal Rumble preview, more

A quick note that the format of this issue is different due to the fact I messed up my left hand in a bicycle crash on 1/24 making typing extremely difficult.

This issue has complete Royal Rumble and NXT results with eliminations, stats, and facts, plus Dave’s comments. It also includes star ratings, NXT awards, and notes on the post show angle.

Roman Reigns is going to be in the Rock’s new movie. There were some photos of Roman Reigns last week from where he’s been filming the new sequel of the Fast and the Furious franchise, which had been kept kind of quiet. Reigns is playing Rock’s character Hobbs’ brother…

AEW released a short video with Cody Rhodes talking about signing Jungle Boy and the announcement that on February 7th, there is a Ticket Announcement Party at the MGM from Las Vegas. Brandi teased announcing more women at that event. There is a lot of talent expected at that event. CIMA is likely going to be there…

NJPW is very confident that it will not be an issue by the time the MSG G1 Supercard show comes up, with it being several months away…

From reports of the Dallas, TX Road to G1 Supercard show, Shibata’s students, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks, and Alex Coughlin are all seemed as really good in the technical aspect, with all their basics down, as they’re being trained with the Japanese New Japan Dojo mentality. Shibata, who is the lead trainer in the US Dojo, has interpreters with him at all time during training…

Matt Sydal’s contract with Impact Wrestling ended January 1st. He should be ready in a couple of months from a minor knee surgery he got last week…

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TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE

by Joseph Currier and Bryan Rose

WWE

  • SmackDown tonight takes place at the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington. Matches set for tonight include Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy, Mustafa Ali vs. Randy Orton and the new team of Rusev & Nakamura vs. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows.
  • The Revival defeated The B-Team, Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik, and Heavy Machinery in a fatal four-way match on last night’s Raw to get a future Tag Team title shot. When they’ll be challenging for Bobby Roode & Chad Gable’s titles wasn’t announced.
  • Heavy Machinery’s names have been tweaked to Otis and Tucker on WWE.com. Their full names were still used on last night’s Raw.
  • Big E tweeted about Otis and Tucker’s apparent name change: “Welcome to the club, boys. Silver lining: autograph sessions are much quicker.”
  • A match between Natalya and Dana Brooke has been teased for next week’s Raw.
  • WWE writer Kazeem Famuyide ‏wrote about finishing up with the company: “I want to thank the wonderful folks at the @wwe for letting a kid get to live his dream for the past year. Never would have thought I would’ve got to write and create for something i grew up watching, and moreso, making some lifelong friends along the way. The journey was incredible, the experience was immeasurable, and the respect that I’ll have for every single man and woman that helps put this show together every week will never ever dissipate. Thank you to the incredible creative writing team for making me feel welcomed and everyone else at WWE for the hell of a ride. It’s on to the next one”
  • The SmackDown roster had to deal with a snowstorm to get to last night’s house show in Yakima, Washington.
  • Kairi Sane tweeted about wrestling at this past weekend’s SmackDown house shows: “Last weekend, I participated in the #SmackDown Live house shows for the first time. Everyone was really kind and it was such a moving experience. Thank you so much for giving me this great opportunity Ahoy‼︎”
  • Dustin Rhodes spoke to Sports Illustrated about the evolution of his Goldust character and his brother Cody being involved with All Elite Wrestling. “Me and Cody talk a lot, and I was on a movie set for a horror film that I’m doing, and we were texting about that AEW rally in Jacksonville. The pyro alone was spectacular. They’re doing it really professionally, from the heads of the company to their big talent to the newer stars. I’m very curious to see what Cody and the Young Bucks can do with All Elite Wrestling,” Rhodes said. “I hope this really takes storm and becomes something formidable. You need places to go and work, competition is great and it is the best thing that can happen for WWE.”
  • Rusev and Lana appeared on this week’s episode of Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia.
  • Brandon Howard Thurston has an article analyzing the popularity of WWE.
  • Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard responded to Road Dogg wearing his jersey on last night’s Raw.

Pro Wrestling

  • Sting will be appearing at Starrcast II, which is taking place (along with AEW Double or Nothing) in Las Vegas during Memorial Day weekend.
  • This week’s Being the Elite includes footage of The Young Bucks’ “handshake agreement” with Pentagon Jr. and Fenix during their appearance for McAloon Productions in Atlanta.
  • ROH tweeted that they’re coming to the Pacific Northwest this June.
  • Brian Milonas has signed a contract with ROH. Milonas & Beer City Bruiser team together as The Bouncers in the promotion.
  • Katsuya Kitamura posted the following after news broke he had left NJPW (via translation): ”Lastly, thank you for your continued support and encouragement over the past three years. Your support meant everything to me. I am thankful and hope you continue to support Katsuya Kitamura when he goes to a new stage.”
  • Austin Theory will defend his EVOLVE Championship against Darby Allin at EVOLVE 121 in Atlanta, Georgia on February 15. Here’s the updated card for the show:
    EVOLVE Champion Austin Theory defending against Darby Allin
    Adam Cole vs. Shane Strickland
    EVOLVE Tag Team Champions The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) defending against AR Fox & DJZ
    Anthony Henry vs. Eddie Kingston
    A Skulk scramble match featuring Leon Ruff, Adrian Alanis, Liam Grey, and other members of the WWA4 School
    Josh Briggs vs. Curt Stallion
    WWN Champion JD Drake vs. Harlem Bravado in a non-title match
  • Here’s the card for EVOLVE 122 in Concord, North Carolina on February 16:
    WWN Champion JD Drake defending against Montez Ford
    EVOLVE Champion Austin Theory defending against Anthony Henry
    Adam Cole vs. Darby Allin
    Angelo Dawkins vs. Eddie Kingston
    AR Fox vs. Shane Strickland
    DJZ vs. Josh Briggs
    Harlem Bravado vs. Curt Stallion
  • MLW announced that Daga will be appearing for them on a regular basis starting with their show in Cicero, Illinois on March 2.
  • MLW is doing an angle where Tom Lawlor was attacked by an unknown assailant during his first press conference as World Heavyweight Champion.
  • Manny Fernandez will team with Tank to take on Sadkampf at Black Label Pro’s Adventures in Wrestling on April 5.
  • Chardonnay defeated Viper to win the WOS Women’s title last night in London.
  • Fight Club: PRO launched an on-demand service.
  • Happy birthday to Pentagon Jr.

UFC/MMA

  • Stipe Miocic posted a video on YouTube explaining why he feels he deserves another shot at the heavyweight title. Cormier responded on Twitter saying: “Do you guys wanna know why I’m not fighting @stipemiocic again? Reason 1: he’s being entitled, why have I fought since and he hasn’t. He lost the fight is he still the champ? Reason 2: I’m hurt  Reason 3: how do I do it better? I beat him in a round last time ?”
  • ESPN+ has surpassed two million paid subscribers.
  • Junior Dos Santos says he hopes to earn a title shot before Cormier retires.
  • With his win this past weekend, Demian Maia has now passed Kenny Florian for having the most rear-naked choke victories in UFC history.
  • A welterweight title match pitting champion Zebaztian Kadestam against Georgiy Kichgan is set for ONE Championship 91 on March 9.
  • The main card for for the UFC event in Philadelphia on 3/30 will have a start time of 7 p.m. ET.
  • Here is the second episode of UFC 234 Embedded.
  • Martin Day will fight Chris Gutierrez at a UFC Fight Night event in Nashville on 3/23.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan on The Main Event

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