Daily Update: WWE stock, Jeff Jarrett, Zack Sabre Jr.

THE ROUND-UP

The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS

AUDIO 

This is a quiet weekend with the holiday. Just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season.

Almost everything is down this weekend other than Arena Mexico running tonight. No New Japan on AXS tonight and WWE doesn’t run until Monday.

CMLL TONIGHT AT 9:30 P.M. FROM ARENA MEXICO

  • Fiero & Oro Jr. vs. Raziel & Templario
  • Drone & Rey Cometa & Guerrero Maya Jr vs. Puma & Tiger & Virus
  • Mistico & Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs. Cavernario & Cuatrero & Negro Casas
  • Leyenda de Azul Cibernetico all-heel match: Rush, Shocker, Mr. Niebla, Mascara Ano 2000, Rey Bucanero, Pierroth, Misterioso Jr., Hechicero, El Terrible, Ultimo Guerrero, Gran Guerrero, Euforia, Kraneo, Sanson, Forastero and Vangellys

Caristico vs Volador Jr.

Raw will be on Monday from Chicago’s All-State Arena. John Cena and Roman Reigns return to Raw on the show.

Arena Mexico also runs Monday night with a cage of death where the last man left in the cage has to unmask.

​F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly 12/4/2017: Looking at WWE’s match of the year candidates

After a show that went about as well as it reasonably could have gone, SmackDown came out of Sunday’s Clash of Champions pay-per-view with some renewed optimism heading into WWE’s few biggest months of the year. AJ Styles defeated Jinder Mahal in the PPV’s main event. And with Mahal tapping out clean in the middle to Styles’ Calf Crusher, WWE’s seven-month experiment with Mahal as a main eventer appears to at least momentarily be on hold.

WON NEWSLETTER: December 25, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Vince McMahon football mystery, women’s Royal Rumble, tons more

This is a huge week for news and business, which means a double issue looking at the ramifications of Vince McMahon getting into football, the women’s Royal Rumble, Japanese awards and a story on the life and career of Tom Zenk.

The lead story looks at all the questions regarding Vince McMahon and football including the total XFL losses, the difference in the business landscape, why this could work and why it could fail even worse, as well as business moves Vince McMahon has already made as far as ideas are concerned. Also look at what the trademarks applied for tell us about the approach and the key story as far as the effect on wrestling, and the future of WWE without Vince McMahon in charge.

Take a look at the announcement of the Women’s Royal rumble and the silliness involved, as well as an update on Ronda Rousey and why the key idea for her debut apparently changed.

The story on Tom Zenk runs down his life from his friendship in high school with Curt Hennig, his time as a bodybuilder, getting into wrestling, how he was hit hard by Hennig’s death, lots of discussion about his leaving WWE and Rick Martel, the WCW years, wrestling in Japan, testifying against Vince McMahon in court and life after wrestling. 

This issue updates the business numbers for Mayweather-McGregor and the ridiculousness of a one billion dollar number being thrown around for doing UFC events.

Enjoy a look at Clash of Champions, with notes on creative, star ratings and poll results.

Read about ROH Final Battle, with booking notes, plus notes on people leaving ROH and what it means for its future, a major plan for 2018, as well as match-by-match coverage, star ratings and poll results.

There is an update on Dean Ambrose’s injury and the first plans on how the booking will change and who takes his role, where the injury may have happened, next MSG show, value of WWE to the USA Network, Dwayne Johnson and the presidency, WWE 2018 PPV schedule and a few major notes on it including what cities tentatively host PPVs next year. 

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 Meltzer, or by using PayPal directing funds to Dave@WrestlingObserver.com. 

Rates in the United States are $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to moonsault@mediaplusint.com. For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52. If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.)

If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can choose one free classic issue, or two free classic issues with a 40-issue subscription.

WON BACK ISSUE: November 27, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Survivor Series review, Stan Hansen retires, more

The rapidly changing world of wrestling changed once again, as a Steve Austin vs. HHH main event at Survivor Series didn’t end with a pinfall in the ring, but with a forklift dropping a car, purported to be with HHH inside, theoretically to a Wile E. Coyote like catastrophe (where the victim should be dead, but will, of course live to see another day). The angle, largely to explain HHH taking some time off to rest his back and hip injuries, kept HHH’s unusual streak alive of having done no pinfall jobs in singles matches on PPV.

FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE

With Vince McMahon having sold 3.34 million shares of WWE stock yesterday, the stock price fell $2.32 per share to $29.55. I wouldn’t consider that anything alarming. There was a key stock analyst downgrade, as Citigroup downgraded from buy to neutral. However, the big picture is the same as it was and as long as the TV negotiations look positive, the company is in a good position to be more profitable. If it was WWE starting a new football league and not Vince McMahon on his own, that would be a very different story.

When McMahon sold his stock, he did so at slightly below actual market value so the actual money he got was $95,791,200 and not the $106 million if he had sold the stock at its going rate. He has been selling bits of stock over the years at lower than market value.  

Jeff Jarrett has returned home after completing rehab.

Kenou beat Eddie Edwards earlier today to win the GHC heavyweight title at Korakuen Hall on a show built around the retirement of the Great Kabuki.

The Kambi oddsmakers for the first time are putting out odds for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Right now they are only taking bets on two things, but I will just say one of those looks crazy.

  • Naito -300
  • Okada +200
  • Omega -225
  • Jericho +150

So the crazy is that they have set as the middle ground odds for Okada vs. Naito as ****** and Omega vs. Jericho as *****. Those would be the two highest predicted star ratings for gambling purposes in history.

For the women’s Rumble, they’ve also established these unique odds as far as a winner goes:

  • Ronda Rousey -111
  • Asuka +200
  • Nia Jax +500
  • Becky Lynch +750
  • Paige +750
  • Nikki Bella +1000
  • Bayley +1200
  • Charlotte Flair +1200
  • Ruby Riott +1200
  • Sasha Banks +1200
  • Alexa Bliss +1500
  • Carmella +1500
  • Shayna Baszler +2000
  • Stephanie McMahon +2000
  • Other off the wall picks are Marina Shafir at +5000, AJ Lee at +6600 and James Ellsworth at +10000. 

Zack Sabre Jr. contracted contagious bronchitis and had to pull out of the wXw 17th anniversary show tomorrow night in Oberhausen, Germany. The promotion announced that today, noting Sabre isn’t allowed to travel. They were building it around Sabre’s first match with the promotion in 16 months. Pete Dunne is being brought in as a replacement to face Marius Al-Ani. However, the match won’t be allowed to air on wXw’s streaming service. Al-Ani is said to be the most athletic guy on the German scene and a potential breakout star. Bad Bones defends the wXw title against Ilja Dragunov in the main event, while tag champs Walter & Timothy Thatcher face The Young Lions.

WWE

  • If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth going out of your way to see Dunne vs. Tyler Bate from Wednesday night’s NXT show.
  • Monday’s Raw is expected to sell out in Chicago. 
  • Abigail Rodriguez, who is the wife of Kalisto, posted that he had to get stitches and get an MRI done after being hit by a water bottle thrown by a fan on Tuesday’s show in Newark.
  • Filming of “The Marine” has been completed meaning The Miz and Becky Lynch should be back on television shortly.
  • The URL xfl.com used to take you to wwe.com but it no longer does. (thanks to James Ryder)  

UFC

  • ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported today that UFC and Reebok are increasing compensation to fighters who have less experience as far as Reebok sponsorship money. Fighters in their first three fights will make $3,500 in Reebok money. Fighters in their fourth or fifth fight will receive $5,000. Previously those fighters would have received $2,500. The fighters with more fights will be making the same as under the original policy.
  • Demetrious Johnson has challenged Floyd Mayweather, as if that has a chance of happening. He said he’d give up 20 pounds (on fight day that wouldn’t be as much since Mayweather doesn’t cut much and usually walks around in the low 150s) and do a match where no grappling is allowed, basically kickboxing with clinch work.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Scott Hall and Tenille “Emma” Dashwood have been added to the Wrestlecon autograph session in Las Vegas.
  • An update on the lineup for the MLW show on 1/11 in Orlando, FL at Gilt Nigh Club. So far announced is Shane Strickland vs. Jimmy Havoc in a death match, MVP vs. Low Ki, Matt Riddle & Jeff Cobb vs. Tom Lawlor & Seth Petruzelli, Penta 0M vs. Rey Fenix, Darby Allin vs Sammy Guevera, Brody King vs. MJF plus Santana Garrett, Jimmy Yuta Jason Cade, Barrington Hughes, Rhett Giddins, The Dirty Blondes, Saieva Al Sabah and Vandal Ortagun.
  • Sabotage Wrestling on 1/19 in Austin, TX has Sammy Guevera vs Thunder Rosa on the show built around man vs. woman matches. Other bouts include champion Heather Monroe vs Fuego del Sol, B-Boy vs. Leva B, Joey Ryan vs. Barbi Hayden and more. Porn star Mia Khalifa will be there. Interesting because she was knocking pro wrestling on her radio show and got into a twitter spat with Shane Helms. 
  • Pro Wrestling Revolution on 2/24 in San Jose at Mount Pleasant High School with Ultimo Dragon vs. El Hijo de Trump (Eli Drake) for the PWF title plus Dragon Lee and Titan from CMLL appear. 
  • Michigan independent wrestler Mike McMahon was stabbed last night in Southgate, MI. He’s an African American guy who does a gimmick that he’s the illegitimate son of Vince McMahon. He works at Front Row Bar as a bouncer. A customer was urinating outside on the patio and they went to kick him out. The guy started a fight and stabbed him in the calf. This came just days after the death of Michael Shepich, known in the area as Mike the Video Guy, who used to tape indie shows in the area. Shepich passed away due to cancer. (thanks to Jake Koch)
  • Wrestle Pro runs 2/3 in Rahway, NJ at the Rec Center and will be taping content for Impact using Eli Drake, Matt Sydal, Bobby Lashley, Moose, Alberto el Patron, Sonjay Dutt, Allie, KM, Braxton Sutter, Eddie Edwards and Mario Bokara.
  • Bruce Prichard’s “Something to Wrestle With” podcast will be taped on 1/19 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn right after the completion of the Brooklyn Nets vs. Miami Heat NBA game.
  • Ed Leslie has released an autobiography called “Brutus Beefcake: Struttin & Cuttin”.

Today in Professional Wrestling History: Triple H wins WWF European title

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