SUN UPDATE: Flair to Chicago, Nash movie, Miz close call, Rollins on Tough Enough
By dave@wrestlingobserver.com”>Dave Meltzer
We’re looking for your thoughts on today’s New Japan Dominion show and yesterday’s WWE Best from the East shot, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com”>dave@wrestlingobserver.com
We’re also looking for reports on today’s WWE show in Rockford, IL.
Raw will be Monday in Chicago. Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman, Randy Orton, HHH & Stephanie McMahon are all scheduled to return on Monday. Guess which two were pushed on USA network ads last night?
Smackdown and Main Event will be taped on Tuesday night in Milwaukee. No John Cena advertised, so the top stars advertised are Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Randy Orton.
The story behind UFC losing perhaps its biggest fight of the year with Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor, update on WrestleMania and the match that isn’t in the plans right now, the TNA-GFW situation and how it happened, and how many expect big changes in UFC very soon, multiple WWE related lawsuits, Tough Enough and the WWE & TNA monthly business rundowns are the lead stories in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The new issue is up on the site at July 6, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Jose Aldo injury fallout, TNA/GFW mystery
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The Wrestling Observer ranges weekly from 35,000 to 50,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA internationally. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sties and has the most complete look at the pro wrestling and MMA business anywhere, plus history pieces available nowhere else.
Our lead story looks at the injury to Conor McGregor, what UFC attempted to do to save the fight, why the fight didn’t happen, McGregor building up a later fight, how much does this change hurt, the positives of Mendes in the spot and the mentality of the PPV buyer. We look at the key issues involved in the fight not happening.
We also look at why the TNA/GFW alliance took place, why TNA made the call to Jeff Jarrett, plans or non-plans going on, why this is beneficial to both, departures from TNA, where that talent would go next and more.
We look at why Saturday’s UFC show in Hollywood, FL was the end of an era on several accounts, both from the uniform standpoint, as well as drug detection and weight cutting standpoints. We also make a suggestion of something that is already done in other sports that UFC should implement, although it will never happen, as well as an example of why weight-cutting is done the way it is.
We also look at a lawsuit against WWE for making allegedly misleading claims that led to the stock price going way up, and then falling. We look at a unique thing that came up regarding the key witness, stories changing, and if stories were legit to begin with.
We also look at the death of the bill to legalize MMA in New York, and how it went down.
We also have early notes on next year’s WrestleMania, an update on Sting, how the main event planned is unique because it’s out of WWE’s control if it happens, more on Reign vs. Wyatt, the Japanese tour, ideas for the network in 2016, Japanese pro wrestler tryouts, Dolph Ziggler on his contractual situation, The Rock at the house show in Boston, Rock movie news, update on Tyson Kidd, update on WWE network, update on lawsuits against WWE, and notes on the new season of Total Divas.
We also look at awards WWE is nominated for, Randy Orton, WWE announcing, and notes on the weekend NXT and WWE house shows and business notes and highlights from all of the shows.
We’ve got coverage of the UFC show in Hollywood, FL, how the card fell apart beforehand, business notes on the show, and what should happen next for Yoel Romero. We also look at TNA Slammiversary.
We’ve got a story on the new season of Tough Enough, what has and hasn’t worked so far, notes on the ratings, notes on the competitors, who are said to be the favorites, what on the show is misleading and more on what is involved.
We also have our monthly business review for WWE & TNA, looking at monthly business in a number of categories. We look at what categories are up, how far down are the ones down, and what one category with WWE that is significantly up and one that is collapsing.
The Observer is the world’s most detailed weekly pro wrestling publication, in its 32nd year of publication, and is read by the biggest names in the pro wrestling, industry, MMA industry, sports world and on Wall Street.
We also have our regular features such as the most complete look at ratings, plus results of the major house show events each week in pro wrestling and MMA, and complete inside rundowns of all the TV shows.
Also in this week’s issue:
–New promotion that has had success dumps its two biggest stars
–A look at the All Elite show in Mexico City with several American stars brought in and others scheduled who had to pull out
–CMLL announces its next major big show main event
–Updates on reaction to the Busca de un Idolo tournament
–Notes on the last shows at Arena Mexico
–Notes on this year’s TripleMania and why it is taking place so late in the year
–Some major injuries to Lucha Underground stars
–AAA signs a longtime CMLL star
–Rey Mysterio Jr. headlines for AAA’s last TV tapings
–Why the Great Muta U.S. tour fell through
–An international promotion having money problems and having to cut back and losing wrestles in the process
–Notes on Dragon Gate’s next major show including some U.S. tours appearing
–Notes on the NOAH upcoming junior heavyweight tournament
–Updates on New Japan business
–New Japan World G-1 notes
–Notes on New Japan’s biggest main event of the week
–Notes on the New Japan U.S. television show
–Update on the original tiger Mask
–Genichiro Tenryu’s final match
–Hiroshi Tanahashi appears on DDT major show
–Update on Bruno Sammartino
–Dave Bautista likely to land another major movie role
–Notes on this past week’s PWG show including celebrities and four-star matches
–Notes on the next two PWG shows
–Young Bucks face Mysterio for the first time and notes no the show
–More talent appearing for Jarrett on shows
–Lots of news regarding the new NWA streaming service and Houston wrestling tape collection
–Another major streaming service announced
–Former WWE star set for a new E! reality show
–Another former WWE performer gets into legal trouble
–Notes on pro wrestling books
–Update on former WWE star Nick “Eugene” Dinsmore
–Update on the WWC’s last major show
–Former pro wrestler competing in high level bodybuilding contest
–One of the most reviled men of the last 50 years in wrestling is coming out of retirement once again
–Latest on Lucha Underground
–Notes on the ROH stadium show in Brooklyn
–Complete lineup for ROH’s next iPPV show
–Notes on the next ROH show in Las Vegas
–Updates on TNA titles after this set of tapings
–Everything on TNA television through mid-August
–Update on problems with production people
–Update on health of Kurt Angle
–Update on Jeff hardy
–Former WWE star working for TNA behind the scenes
–Controversy over Anderson Silva drug test result
–Ronda Rousey ESPY award nominations
–Crazy UFC schedule over an eight day period
–Official UFC 187 numbers
–Update on C.M. Punk training
–UFC’s return to Ireland announced
–Update Daniel Cormier vs. Alexander Gustafsson
–Lots of new UFC fights
–Aftermath of Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice
–Ken Shamrock talks about a fight with Frank shamrock
–More on Alexander Shlemenko suspension
–Foamer Pride star sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison
–An August battle of MMA legends falls through.
If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today. With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today.
New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major stories of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we’ll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We’ve got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue.
SUNDAY’S NEWS UPDATE
- Mike Sempervive and I just did a new Wrestling Observer Sin Limite show with more than an hour of questions answered, plus a review of the New Japan Dominion show and more on McGregor vs. Mendes.
- Countdown to McGregor vs. Mendes is on FS 1 tonight at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time.
- Nothing today among top 50 searches on Google. Well, there are 50 things, just nothing related to wrestling, boxing or MMA.
- On Twitter, the biggest stuff as of this writing was:
New Japan Dominion 25,800
Beast in the East 10,100
UFC Embedded 685
- I watched the last 20 minutes of Ultimate Fighter. It was amazing on many different levels. If I say more it’ll spoil it for those who haven’t seen it. But I’ll talk about it with Bryan tomorrow night.
- WWE Network and New Japan World were amazing values for your dollar this week. Especially with the yen so weak.
- A week from Wednesday there’s not only the usual assortment of pro wrestling, but five hours of UFC from San Diego.
- Ric Flair is coming to Raw tomorrow, although that could be just appearing on the live Dusty Rhodes special that takes place on the network after the show.
- Seth Rollins will be a special guest on Tough Enough on Tuesday.
- How about that TNA Alumni main event last night.
- C.M. Punk will be running the 5K this week in Las Vegas in conjunction with International Fight Week. Dana White and a lot of other UFC people are as well.
- The Miz wrote that at 3:30 a.m. last night, he and his wife (Maryse) were driving to the airport and a car almost clipped them going 100 miles per hour, and then swerved all over the road and hit another car.
- M-1 results from Astana, Kazakhstan:
Sergey Morozov b Andy Young with a spinning back fist 3:50 second round
Shavkat Rakhonov b Mchal Wieneck via guillotine in :49
Luigi Fiorvanti b Sergey Kovalev via choke 1:56 second round
Zaur Hajibabayev b David Trallero via punches at 4:30 of the second round
Sergei Kharitonopv b Kenny Garner 4:11 via punches
- The Crash Promotions from Friday night in Tijuana: Star Dragon won Torneo Cibernetico over Black Boy, Destroyer, Enigma, Mirage and Mosco Negro, Daga & Flamita b Australian Suicide & Rey Hours, Aero Star & Fenix b B-Boy & Famous B, Proximo won tournament of death over Zarco (who lost his hair), Tony Casanova, Bufalo Ayala, Mr. Maldito, Genio del Aire, Angel Metalico and Jonathan, Pentagon Jr. won over Bestia 666, ACH and Extreme Tiger (TNA’s Tiger Uno) in a four-way, La Parka & Psycho Clown b Parka Negra & Zorro (thanks to Kris Zellner)
- Magic Mike XXL with Kevin Nash grossed an estimated $11.6 million this weekend , putting it in fourth place in its opening weekend. San Andreas grossed $3.03 million in week six, putting it in eighth place.
- GOUGE from yesterday in Raleigh: Waylon Maze b Chance LeBeaux, Roni Nicole b Jennifer Blaze, Chief Crazy Horse b Johnny Fulls, Otto Schwanz b Priest, No Direection b Krazy Killer Klowns, Juan Jeremi b Micky Gambino, Seymour Snott b Alex Kai, Timmy Lou Retton b Jimmy Jack funk Jr. Next show is 7/;11 at The Maywood in Raleigh.
- Lucha Xtreme from TV last night in Fresno: Kevin el Devino b Mike Dalite, Mike Rayne b Aki Sol, JR Kratos b Clutch. Next TV taping is 7/18 in Hanford, CA at the Hanford Longfield Center. (thanks to Jon Southerland)
- Ron Simmons talks Dusty Rhodes, winning the WCW World title, the roots of the Damn phrase and his days in the CFL.
- Simmons, Road Warrior Animal and 2 Cold Scorpio were at the Montreal Comic Con this weekend. Scorpio now lives in Montreal with his girlfriend.
- Ronda Rousey on TSN’s Off the Record
- A look at the movie The Princess Bride
- An article on Natalya
TODAY’S PRO WRESTLING VIDEOS (thanks to Thomas Rude)
INDY TV SHOWS
Powerbomb Championship Wrestling TV (Episode 32)
6/12/15 Future Stars Of Wrestling “High Octane” TV
6/19/15 Future Stars Of Wrestling “High Octane” TV
7/4/15 Southern States Wrestling TV
MISC. STUFF
America’s Most Like Wrestling “Insider” With Chris Lea (Episode 5)
West Virginia Championship Wrestling “Spotlight” (Episode 122)
WWE
7/2/15 Top 10 Smackdown Moments
TNA
Introducing Your Chance To #AskRobbie-Check It Out!