Daily Update: WWE weekend notes, TakeOver, NJPW teaser

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We’re looking for your thoughts on both today and tomorrow’s Dontaku shows from New Japan so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match from each show to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

We’re looking for reports today from the Impact tapings in Philadelphia tonight, the Progress show in London and NXT show in West Palm Beach to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.

NEW JAPAN WORLD PRO WRESTLING AT 8 P.M. EASTERN TONIGHT ON AXS TV

  • Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa vs. Togi Makabe & Toru Yano for IWGP tag titles
  • Hirooki Goto vs. Jay White

CMLL FROM ARENA MEXICO TONIGHT ON THE CMLL FACEBOOK PAGE LIVE AND ON YOUTUBE AFTER THE SHOW AT 9:30 P.M. EASTERN

  • Magnus & Oro Jr. vs. Akuma & Grako
  • Avispa Dorada & Kaho Kobayashi & Jarochita vs. Amapola & Dallys & Reins Isis
  • Soberano Jr. vs. Mephisto
  • Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs. Adam Brooks & Mecha Wolf 450
  • Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero & Euforia vs. Cuatrero & Sanson & Mascara Ano 2000 in a non-title match
  • Volador Jr. & Valiente & Caristico vs. Rush & El Terrible & Bestia del Ring

NEW JAPAN WRESTLING DONTAKU FROM FUKUOKA AT 2 A.M. EASTERN (11 P.M. PACIFIC) TONIGHT ON NEW JAPAN WORLD

  • Shota Umino & Ren Narita vs. Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura
  • Jeff Cobb & Yoshi-Hashi & Toa Henare & Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Minoru Suzuki & Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Desperado & Taka Michinoku
  • Togi Makabe & Toru Yano & Jushin Liger vs. Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa & Gedo
  • Hirooki Goto & Juice Robinson & Mikey Nicholls & Tomoaki Honma vs. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens & Hikuleo
  • Dragon Lee & Will Ospreay vs. Taiji Ishimori & X
  • Rocky Romero & Sho & Yoh vs. Tetsuya Naito & Bushi & Shingo Takagi
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs. Evil
  • Kazuchika Okada vs. Sanada for IWGP heavyweight title

On Saturday we’re looking for reports on the Impact tapings in Philadelphia, Progress show in London and NXT in Fort Pierce, FL to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.

UFC ON ESPN+ ON SATURDAY FROM OTTAWA, ONTARIO

  • Mitch Gagnon (136) vs. Cole Smith (136)
  • Juan Adams (266) vs. Arjan Bhullar Singh (244)
  • Kyle Nelson (146) vs. Matt Sayles (145.75)
  • Kyle Prepolec (170.25) vs. Nordine Taleb (170.5)
  • Vince Morales (136) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (135)
  • Macy Chiasson (136) vs. Sarah Moras (136)
  • Marc-Andre Barriault (185) vs. Andrew Sanchez (184.5)
  • Walt Harris (258) vs. Sergey Spivak (254.5)
  • Merab Dvalishvili (136) vs. Brad Katona (135.5)
  • Shane Burgos (146) vs. Cub Swanson (145.75)
  • Derek Brunson (185.75) vs. Elias Theodorou (184.5)
  • Al Iaquinta (155) vs. Donald Cerrone (155.5)

MLW TV ON BEINSPORT AT 9 P.M.ON SATURDAY ON BEIN SPORTS

  • L.A. Park vs. Pentagon Jr.
  • Hart Foundation vs. Dynasty in a tables match
  • Rey Hours vs. Ace Austin
  • El Hijo de L.A. Park vs. Gringo Loco
  • Rey Hours vs. Ace Austin

The Progress Strong Style tournament concludes on Sunday in London. WWE also has a Raw brand house show featuring A.J. Styles on Sunday in Evansville, IN.

IMPACT CODE RED AT 8 P.M EASTERN SUNDAY FROM THE NYC ARENA IN QUEENS, NY ON IMPACT+

  • Johnny Impact & Taya Valkyrie vs. Eddie & Alisha Edwards
  • Michael Elgin vs. Willie Mack
  • LAX vs. Dave & Jake Crist vs. Smoothe Blackmon & Chris Seaton
  • Rich Swann vs. Ace Austin vs. Trey Miguel vs. Smiley vs. Evander James vs. Mantequilla
  • Tommy Dreamer vs. Sami Callihan
  • Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz vs. Ethan Page & Josh Alexander
  • Tessa Blanchard & Violotte vs. Scarlett Bordeaux & Sonya Strong
  • Moose vs. Ken Broadway

Raw will be Monday in Cincinnati.

Smackdown and 205 Live are being taped on Tuesday in Louisville.

The WWE European tour opens on Wednesday in Belfast, Ireland.

F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Looking at AEW’s build to Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes

A brother vs. brother match will be one of the key pieces of All Elite Wrestling’s Double or Nothing card.

After weeks of teases, Dustin Rhodes was confirmed as his brother Cody’s opponent for Double or Nothing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 25. Dustin issued a statement about his status with WWE after the announcement was made, revealing that he had requested his release from WWE and was granted it. Dustin also posted a video where he said goodbye to his Goldust character.

WON NEWSLETTER: May 6, 2019 Observer Newsletter: WWE earnings report, Brock Lesnar, more

One of the biggest news issues of the year, a double issue, leads off with a basic state of the industry right now. Read about how WWE business fell in the first quarter, what is and isn’t the long-term prognostication, usage of fake stats in business that history shows are meaningless to growth, WWE injuries, WWE getting behind new talent, changes in October, and more.

Read a lot more on Brock Lesnar staying with WWE and not returning to WWE, such as how the ESPN deal has changed things for top stars in UFC, when Lesnar can command so much money, what has happened over the last year with Lesnar, UFC and WWE and more.

Read the update on Money in the Bank and Double or Nothing and the ticket demand for both.

Look at the front runner for 2021 WrestleMania, notes on 2020 WrestleMania plans including what match is off the books, Dean Ambrose becomes Jon Moxley and what that means, update on situation with Luke Harper, The Revival, Gallows & Anderson and others.

Read rundowns on the UFC and Bellator shows this past week, with business notes, how much the fighters got paid and match-by-match rundowns of both events.

Read more on the Japanese legacy of The Destroyer, listing all of his championship matches in Japan, as well as his biggest wins and his infrequent losses in All Japan in the 70s and 80s.

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.

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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.

FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE

For this weekend, WWE is only running the Raw crew on Sunday and Monday and the Smackdown crew is only doing television. Originally this weekend was blocked off because today was originally the Saudi Arabia date. But their government moved it back five weeks and WWE had no arenas booked for that reason. After Monday’s Raw, the crew will fly to Belfast and start the European tour. The Smackdown crew flies to Europe after television for the tour.

It’s been confirmed that on the 6/1 Takeover that the main event will be Johnny Gargano defending the NXT title against Adam Cole. Matt Riddle will have a singles match with Roderick Strong.

The Viceland documentary this coming Wednesday is on Gino Hernandez. The Dark Side of the Ring six week series will debut on Crave SVOD in Canada on 5/17 and on regular television on 8/3. It will debut on 6/5 in the U.K., 8/22 in France, 6/3 in Australia, 7/10 in New Zealand and 7/4 in the Netherlands.

The annual Beat the Streets amateur wrestling show will be on Monday at the Hulu Theater in New York. There are both men women’s bouts on the 13 match show. The top bouts are:

  • David Taylor vs. Drew Foster at 189 pounds
  • J’den Cox vs. Patrick Bruicki at 202 pounds
  • Yianni Diakomihalis vs. Bajrang Punia of India at 143 pounds
  • Kyle Snyder vs. Nisban Randhawa of Canada at 213 pounds
  • Jordan Burroughs vs. Ben Askren at 162 pounds 

New Japan teased a newcomer in a video today, with the idea he’ll be a future opponent of Juice Robinson for the U.S. title. The guy had a Union Jack on his outfit if that’s supposed to be a part of it.

Brian Cage won’t be working at tonight’s Impact tapings in Philadelphia and doubtful tomorrow due to his back injury suffered on Sunday.

AAA tickets for Madison Square Garden are now on sale in a pre-sale for the 9/15 show. Names announced are Aero Star, Averno, Blue Demon Jr., Daga, Dinastia, Drago, Fenix, Golden Magic, El Hijo del Tirantes, El Hijo del Vikingo, Konnan, Hiedra, La Parkita, Lady Maravilla, Lady Shani, Mamba, Maximo, Myzteziz Jr., Nino Hamburguesa, Pagano, Pentagon Jr., Pierro, Puma King, and Pimpinela Escaralata, Tessa Blanchard, Taya, and Villano III Jr.

WWE

  • Paige will be appearing on the talk show “The Real” on Monday. (thanks to Jeff Beecher)
  • As noted would happen in last week’s Observer, it was officially announced that WWE has pulled Kurt Angle from his booked appearance at WrestleCade from 11/29 to 12/1.
  • Notes on David Otunga’s custody battle with Jennifer Hudson.
  • Dixie Carter was in Stamford being taped for future network or DVD documentaries.

UFC

  • A suspension for Amanda Ribas for Ostarine was thrown out by USADA because the concentration was so low that they felt it was accidental ingestion.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Millie McKenzie vs. Avary is booked for Melbourne City Wrestling on 5/12. Avary vs. Mercedes Martinez is looked for the IndyGirz Australia championship for NHPW on 5/24 in Western Australia. (thanks to Kevin Chiat)
  • Beyond Wrestling from Wednesday night in Worcester, MA before 200 fans: LAX b Trent Baretta & Chuck Taylor, Thomas Santell b Mantis, Solo Darling won four-way over Penelope Ford, Ashley Vox and Veda Scott, Bear Bronson & Bear Beefcake b Randy Summer & Brandon Watts, Kris tatlander b Whisper, Chris Dickinson & Joey Janela b Alex Reynolds & John Silver.
  • Thunder Rosa showed up at Today’s Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling show to challenge new champion Shoko Nakajima. The match will take place on Monday night in Sapporo. Yuki Sakazaki and Aja Kong, who will both be with AEW, were on the show. The original Tiger Mask was there for the debut of Mirai Maiumi. (thanks to Shannon Walsh and wrestlingwithdemons.net)
  • I Believe in Wrestling runs tonight in Orlando, FL at the Team Vision Dojo.
  • Impact announced an expanded alliance with the NFL Alumni Association. The alliance will include Impact wrestlers appearing in NFL Alumni events, Impact will have drive fund raising initiatives for charities supported by the NFL Alumni Association and host those charities at Impact live events.
  • Stardom from today in Tokyo: Natsu Sumire b Rina, Hanan b Ruaka, Kagetsu & Hazuki & Natsuko Tora & Andras Miyagi b Hana Kimura & Jungle Kyona & Konami & Rebel Kel, Toni Storm b Tam Nakano, Starlight Kid & Arisa Hoshiki & Saki Kashima & Saya Iida b Bea Priestley & Momo Watanabe & AZM & Leo Onozaki in an elimination match, Mayu Iwatani, dressed up as Starlight Kid, won the costume Battle Royal. Pro Wrestling Eve owners Emily and Dann Read were at the show. (thanks to Shannon Walsh and Tomi Yamada)
  • Smash Wrestling on 5/26 in London at the Music Hall has Blade vs Speedball Mike Bailey, and Brent Banks vs. John Greed. Ultimo Dragon makes his debut for the group on 6/1 in Toronto at the Franklin Horner Community Centre.
  • UWC on 5/18 in Wrightstown, NJ at Kelly’s Banquet Hall. Kids under five are free.  

Daily Pro Wrestling History: AJ Styles wins his first IWGP Heavyweight title

F4W Empire Convention Info:

  • Ed in San Antonio presents PODER~! at the FSW arena on Friday 5/24 – Showtime is at noon – Main event: Bryan Alvarez vs. Logan Stunt
  • Empire dinner on Friday 5/24 at 8:30 p.m. at Texas de Brazil – Price is $82 – All you can eat meat and salad, sodas, tea, and coffee, plus dessert included
  • Empire suite party on Friday 5/24 for those who were not able to get the Q&A package – Price is $25

Purchase tickets here. 

CONTACT INFORMATION