Daily Update: WWE WrestleMania 41 main events, Bill Mercer, Conor McGregor

WWE WrestleMania 41 Poster

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer:

  • The latest on WrestleMania and AEW Dynasty, card changes, injuries tickets sold, and ticket interest.
  • NCAA wrestling tournament rundown, the biggest upset in modern tournament history, Dan Gable talks Gable Steveson, Hodge Trophy, and records set
  • Firings at TNA and what is behind them
  • CMLL El Homenaje a Dos Leyendas
  • The life and times of George Foreman
  • The amazing life of Bill Mercer and the glory days of World Class Championship Wrestling
  • Cain Velasquez sentencing
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings from the past week, including competition, demographics and quarters
  • Universal champion of champions tournament
  • CMLL vs. MLW at Arena Mexico
  • The new La Parka
  • AAA Rey de Reyes notes
  • Chris Bey benefit show
  • Another wrestling TV special
  • Death of historian Dave Cameron
  • Death of Julio Estrada
  • Hall of Fame in North Carolina?
  • El Hijo del Santo sad retirement notes
  • New book coming out on 90s wrestling
  • More on Saraya leaving AEW
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • Conor McGregor wants to run for President of Ireland
  • TKO exects pocket $278 million in latest transaction
  • Former WWE name openly talks about a return
  • WWE value

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Friday Update

  • Garrett Gonzales and I just did our week in review podcast, talking about a different AEW talent strategy, Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin, Undertaker vs. Mick Foley, George Foreman, the WBD experiment with AEW, the WrestleMania build, Bill Mercer, Mistico and TNA firings.
  • It is official that the Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins match will be the night one main event at WrestleMania.  The night two main event is John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes.
  • A note from the new Observer in the Bill Mercer story.  Kokichi Endo passed away in June 2016 but it had been kept secret  by his family.  Endo was one of the top judokas in the world in the late 40s and got into pro wrestling where he held the NWA world tag team title with Rikidozan in the 50s.  After retiring, he was an executive with JWA and negotiated the promotion’s second TV deal with TV-Asahi in the 60s that created Antonio Inoki as a superstar, and went with Inoki to New Japan as a TV announcer and referees the Inoki vs. Willem Ruska match in 1976, which was one of the biggest matches in Japanese pro wrestling history.  The oldest living Japanese wrestler is Matti Suzuki who lives in Portland, and is 87.  Motoyuki Kitazawa and Seiji Sakguchi are 83. (thanks to Koji Miyamoto)
  • Rey Fenix debuts with WWE this coming Friday in Chicago.
  • Conor McGregor spoke last night to the press after the BKFC show saying he has two fights left in his UFC deal.  He claimed he was offered a fight in June but turned it down because he is running for President of Ireland.
  • Mistico was diagnosed with a partial tear of the right triceps, an ankle ligament injury and lower back pain.  He doesn’t need surgery right now but needs time off.  The doctor estimated two to three weeks off.  (thanks the Cubs Fan)
  • Today’s ONE show in Bangkok, Thailand was canceled due to the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar.
  • Regarding the announcement of Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin in the UFC Hall of Fame, credit this one to Ant Evans at UFC.  When Evans took over the UFC Hall of Fame years ago, in an attempt to make it credible after Stephan Bonnar, an otherwise far from Hall of Fame caliber fighter who had been inducted, he came up with the idea to induct legendary matches.  Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffin was a legendary fight that deserved induction so to create logic for Bonnar, the idea of inducting fights came.  And because the UFC had success with inducting fights, WWE has followed suit.
  • Smackdown was taped earlier today in London at the O2 Arena
  • 1) Segment with Cody Rhodes,Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre
  • 2) Street Profits vs. Pretty Deadly for tag titles
  • 3) Kayden Carter & Katana Chance vs. Alba Fyre & Piper Niven
  • 4) LA Knight vs. Braun Strowman for U.S. title
  • 5) Michin vs. Charlotte Flair
  • 6) Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre
  • 7) Jimmy Uso vs. The Miz
  • 8) Punk, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns contract signing
  • Collision tomorrow from Milwaukee has Big Bill & Bryan Keith vs. Top Flight, Jay White vs. KevinKnight, Wheeler Yuta vs. Dax Harwood, Jamie Hayter vs. Queen Aminata and Mercedes Mone in a singles match.
  • We’re looking for reports from these weekend shows:
  • WWE Smackdown tonight in London (anything not on the live show)
  • TNA tonight in St. Joseph, MO
  • WWE Saturday night in Vienna, Austria
  • AEW Saturday night in Milwaukee (anything not on the live show)
  • TNA Saturday in St. Joseph, MO
  • WWE Sunday in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • We’re looking for results, finishes and highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • Court Bauer said that the attendance capacity for their 4/5 show in Long Beach at  Thunder Studios is more than 2,000.  Wikipedia had a smaller capacity and the New Japan show at Sountage 2 drew a sellout under 1,000.  Added to the 4/5 show’s Battle Riot is Star Jr., fresh off losing his mask last Friday.
  • UFC will be on ESPN 2 and ESPN+ tomorrow at 4 p.m. Eastern from Arena Ciudad in Mexico City
    MarQuel Mederos (156) vs. Austin Hubbard (156)
    Jamall Emmers (145) vs. Gabriel Miranda (145)
    Rafa Garcia (155) vs. Vinc Pichel (156)
    Loopy Godinez (116) vs. Julia Polastri (116)
    Christian Rodriguez (146) vs. Meiquizael Costa (145)
    Jose Daniel Medina (186) vs. Ateba Gautier (186)
    Edgar Chairez (126) vs. CJ Vergara (126)
    Ronaldo Rodriguez (127) vs. Kevin Borjas (125) – Rodriguez missed weight and had to forfeit 20 percent of his purse
    David Martinez (135) vs.  Saimon Oliveira (135)
    Raul Rosas Jr. (135) vs. Vince Morales (136)
    Kelvin Gastelum (186) vs. Joe Pyfer (185)
    Manuel Torres (156) vs. Drew Dober (155)
    Brandon Moreno (125) vs. Steve Erceg (125)
  • Arena Mexico tonight has Mascara Dorada & Neon & Star Jr. vs. Barboza & Difunto & Zandokan Jr., plus Star Black defends the Mexican heavyweight title against Akuma.
  • AAA is doing TV tonight in Ensenada with Cibernetico & El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Mesias & Alberto El Patron as the main event.
  • The Mariusz Pudzianowski vs. Eddie Hall MMA battle of two of the strongest men who have ever lived that we’d written about a few weeks ago is now announced for 4/26 at the PreZero Arena in Gliwice, Poland for the KSW promotion.  KSW in the past has put together some of the greatest video packages and commercials ever.  Pudzianowski won the World’s Strongest Man contest five times and Hall won it once.
  • James Ellsworth will be appearing on tomorrow’s Memphis Wrestling TV show.
  • Kirk White’s Big Time Wrestling on 4/4 in Newark, CA at the Pavilion is headlined by MVP vs. Vinnie Massaro, plus Juicy Fatu, Kevin Blackwood,  Alan Angels Aaron Solo, the Crush Boys (Titus Alexander & Starboy Charlie) and more.
  • Progress announced Nina Samuels vs. Rhio for the 4/17 show at the Silver Nugget in Las Vegas has been changed to a three-wan for the Progress title with Vert Vixen as the person  added.  The full card has Luke Jacobs defending the Progress world title against Michael Oku and Man Like DeReiss & Leon Slater vs.  Lykos Gym.
  • The Capital City Museum in Frankfort, KY, is opening an exhibit based on Frankfort native Elizabeth Hulette (Miss Elizabeth).
  • There is a minor theatrical release this weekend of the documentary “Thank You Very Much” on the life of the late Andy Kaufman.
  • Crusherfest in Milwaukee will be held on 5/31 and 6/1 and have matches the fight night at 6 p.m. and second day at 1 p.m.  There will be a number of Crusher style competitions including keg holding, throwing drunks out of a saloon, a Mr. Saloon bodybuilding contest, beer drinking and sausage eating.  No polka dancing?  No racing while holding kegs?  Among those appearing are Tito Santana, Jimmy Hart, Steve Keirn, Tommy Dreamer and Ken Resnick.