THURS UPDATE: AAA PPV, Tough Enough, Jericho, Lots of Piper clips, UFC enemy tries to unionize fighters

By Dave Meltzer

We’re looking for reports on the WWE’s show tomorrow in Melbourne, Australia as well as tonight’s NXT show in Starke, FL at Dave Meltzerdave@wrestlingobserver.com”>

For this weekend, our polls will be on the AAA PPV show and the Saturday & Sunday G-1 Climax shows.

Smackdown tonight on Syfy:

Mark Henry & Prime Time Players vs. New Day

Charlotte vs. Naomi

Charlotte & Becky Lynch vs. Naomi & Sasha Banks

Zack Ryder vs. Stardust

Roman Reigns vs. Rusev

        It’s a weak show because much of the crew had to leave Monday night after Raw for today’s show in Brisbane, Australia. 

The life and times of Roddy Piper is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.  We also have coverage of WWE financials and why the stock is going through the roof, the rise of Ronda Rousey and UFC 190 numbers, the G-1 Climax tournament update and the full story behind the 2002 pitch made to WWE about a gay asskicking wrestler.  

The latest Wrestling Observer: August 10, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Roddy Piper passes away, WWE Q2 results & analysis

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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 is an extensive look at the career of Roddy Piper.  We start by looking at the cause of death, and Piper’s role in the national expansion of WWF and the first WrestleMania.  We look at how Piper differed from almost every wrestler in WWF when he came in, why Piper didn’t work certain shows, Piper working outside WWF while under contract, how he flopped in his first WWF run, his runs in California, Oregon, Georgia and the Carolinas before WWF, the feud with Jimmy Snuka, the Hogan-Piper program, The War to Settle the Score, the original WrestleMania and how it changed the history of wrestling, his period in WCW, his relationship with Mad Dog Vachon, his issues with Kevin Nash, how he got started in pro wrestling, the story behind his babyface turns and the loss at WrestleMania to Bret Hart.

We also look at WWE business, why stock is up, what aspect of business looked deceptively good, a look in depth at the network numbers, how many people dropped and picked up subscriptions this past quarter as well as how all the other aspects of WWE business are doing.

We look at UFC 190 and the storyline that led to Ronda Rousey setting her highest PPV mark.  We look at how things have changed for Rousey since February, the interest level of her fight,  Rousey vs. Cyborg, ratings in Brazil and the U.S. and match-by-match coverage.

We also go in-depth on the G-1 Climax tournament with the updated schedule, standings and match-by-match coverage.

We also have an update on John Cena, more on the injury and surgery, Cena actually going to a show this weekend but fans didn’t see him, Shawn Michaels return, will fans respect Cena more, update on the SummerSlam card and matches being built, Cena vs. Rollins future, WrestleMania note, note on Daniel Bryan’s book, Update on Ryback, Update on a 2002 angle proposed for a gay wrestler and funny story behind it, Bryan’s plan for the IC title, more on womens’ division, Eva Marie note, Tough Enough notes, Ultimate Warrior book, Cesaro section notes, WWE lawsuit notes, Pat Patterson book, sister of current WWE star gets a tryout and Owen Hart DVD news.  We also have coverage of the NXT and WWE shows over the weekend and business notes on the shows. 

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THURSDAY’S NEWS UPDATE

  • Paramount is working with AAA on TripleMania.  There will be major cross-promotion and elements of Mission Impossible Rouge Nation during Sunday’s PPV show.
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. A.J. Styles will be the main event of tomorrow night’s New Japan show on AXS.  It will be their match from the Seibu Dome one year ago.
  • The USA Network was No. 4 this past week averaging 1,557,000 viewers in prime time, so Tough Enough is barely doing half the station average.  Syfy was No. 13, Spike was No. 18, and ESPN was No. 20.  The three hours of Raw were No. 6, 7 and 8 for the week. 
  • The Tough Enough cast yesterday had to demonstrate storytelling and selling in a match in front of the entire NXT roster.
  • Fozzy is playing Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in Hamilton, ONT at the free Festival of Friends music festival just outside Hamilton, ONT at the Ancaster Fairgrounds.  So Chris Jericho won’t be on tour with WWE this weekend.
  • The Billy Jack Haynes lawsuit has been consolidated into all the other lawsuits  in Connecticut regarding pro wrestlers and concussions.
  • TMZ picked up on the Submission Sorority being a porn series.  So expect a name change.  That caught WWE with its pants down.
  • WWE will be airing a taped episode of its new Table for 3 series with Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff and Gene Okerlund at 10 p.m. tonight.  They are also airing shows all day that featured Piper.
  • The Teamsters Local 986 and Culinary Workers Union Local 228 have announced they are looking to unionize UFC fighters.  While unionization would be good for fighters, getting in bed with the Culinary Workers Union of Las Vegas that has been the key group keeping them out of New York is quite the irony.
  • Blame & Murphy vs. The Vaudevillains for the tag titles has been added to the 8/22 NXT show in Brooklyn, which is very close to sold out and will have in excess of 12,000 fans.  Also on the show will be the television debut of Apollo Crews, the former Uhaa Nation.  
  • Not sure the situation but Sheamus was replaced by King Barrett in his scheduled match with Randy Orton on today’s WWE show in Brisbane.
  • Adam Cole vs. Christopher Daniels was announced for the ROH show on 8/22 in Brooklyn at MCU Field.  Hirooki Goto is also on that show.
  • TNA announced new live dates on 9/18 in Elmira, NY and 9/19 in Belle Garden, PA at the Rostraver Ice Arena.  Jeff Hardy, Ethan Carter III, Gail Kim and Rockstar Spud are advertised on those shows.
  • WWE stock declined to $21.92 per share from its $23.01 closing yesterday. The new issue talks about the rise in stock price. 
  • Grand Slam Wrestling on 8/8 in Moosic, PA at the Moosic Youth Center.
  • Legacy Wrestling on 8/22 in Palmyra, PA at In The Net Sports with Matt Cross and AR Fox.
  • Evolve on 8/15 in Queens, NY
  • Timothy Thatcher vs. Zack Sabre Jr. for the Evolve title
  • Johnny Gargano vs. Ethan Page anything goes
  • Rich Swann vs. Drew Gulak
  • Chris Hero vs. Speedball Mike Bailey
  • Trent Baretta vs. Rey Hours
  • Biff Busick vs. Tracy Williams
  • Anthony Nese & Caleb Konley issue an open challenge
  • Evolve on 8/16 in  Deer Park, NY
  • Timothy Thatcher vs. Biff Busick no holds barred
  • Chris Hero vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
  • Johnny Garagno vs. mystery opponent
  • Ethan Page vs. Rich Swann
  • Drew Gulak & Tracy Williams vs. Mike Bailey & Rey Hours
  • CZW has an iPPV on Saturday night from Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, NJ headlined by Jake Crist vs. Danny Havoc and Dave Crist vs. Conor Claxton.
  • Pro Wrestling Phoenix from Friday night in Council Bluffs, IA:  Abu Colossus & Branden Juarez b Arik Cannon & Darren Russell, Purple b Pat Powers, Killer City Kings b American bulldogs, Zac James b L-Ray-DQ, Mark Sterling b Dalton Lee Roth, Tony Cortez b Joey Daniels, Hype Gotti b Jeremy Wyatt.   Next show is 8/29 at the National Guard Armory in Council Bluffs.
  • Rey Hours vs. Mortiz vs. Dinamic Black headlines a Saturday night show at Centro de la Raza in San Diego.
  • Rush & La Sombra vs. L.A. Park & El Hijo del L.A. Park headlines a Saturday night show in Tijuana at Auditorio Municipal (thanks to Kris Zellner)
  • Empire Wrestling Federation on Friday night in Covina, CA at the Father Maguire Council.
  • StocktonCon runs this weekend starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Stockton Arena.  Among those appearing are Jerry Lawler, Jim Duggan, Honky Tonk Man, Koko B Ware, Lisa Marie Varon and Ken Shamrock.  There will also be Pro Wrestling Bushido shows at 2 p.m. both days.  Two day passes are only $15.
  • Superkick’d Bad for Business on 8/22 at the Great Hall in Toronto.
  • Steel City Pro Wrestling on 8/23 at 2 p.m. in Hamilton ONT at 242 James St.
  • Johnny Devine headlines for CWE on an Alberta tour with shows on 8/26 in Camrose, 8/27 in Sherwood Park, 8/28 in Red Deer and 8/29 in Calgary.
  • Paul O’Brien has signed a deal with Skyhorse Publishing in New York for his “Blood Red Turns Dollar Green” trilogy.  They are looking at March for the Volume 1 release and August for Volume 2.  Volume 1 will have more content added from the initial release.
  • Gangrel headlines for All Star Wrestling on 9/25 in Cloverdale, BC at the Fairgrounds.
  • ESPN radio yesterday had a poll on who would you rather watch on PPV, Ronda Rousey’s next fight or Floyd Mayweather’s next fight.  Rousey won 75% to 25%.  Cris Carter said that UFC 190 was the first time he had spent money to watch a Rousey fight and it was well worth it, saying the undercard was amazing.  Jemele Hill said that Mayweather is a great boxer, but his fights are boring. (thanks to Jeff Bradley)
  • Fringe Pro Wrestling on 8/8 in Hamilton, ONT at the City Music Hall Pier 4 Park.
  • Smash Wrestling on 8/23 at 4 p.m. in Toronto at the Franklin Horner Community Centre with Matt Cross.
  • AAW on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Merrionette Park, IL at 115 Bourbon Street headlined by Eddie Kingston & Shane Hollister vs. Matt Cage & Tyson Dux, plus Louis Lyndon, Matt Sydal, Johnny Gargano, Silas Young, Tommaso Ciampa, ACH, DJZ, Zero Gravity, Candice LaRae and more.
  • There is Roller Derby on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose.  It will be an 80th anniversary celebration of the 1935 birth of Roller Derby and there is likely to be a George Hase tribute. 
  • Anthony Hamilton vs. Derrick Lewis has been added to the 10/3 UFC show in Houston at the Toyota Center.
  • Crime fighter Phoenix Jones is back in action on the 9/18 World Series of Fighting show in Phoenix, facing Roberto Yong at 160 pounds.
  • Gilbert Burns vs. Rashid Magomedov will be on the UFC’s 11/7 show in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
  • CNN article on Roddy Piper
  • Video story on C.M. Punk talking his wife April and his move to Milwaukee
  • An episode of World of Hurt Wrestling with Roddy Piper
  • Sinclair Broadcasting’s earning call
  • Brian Fritz talks to Chelsea Green about being eliminated from Tough Enough
  • Brian Fritz also talks to Rey Mysterio about Sunday’s AAA PPV
  • More on Roddy Piper from the Huffington Post

ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY INTERNATIONAL (thanks to Graeme Cameron)

1963 – Ali Bey beat Gori Guerrero in El Paso to win the NWA light heavyweight title

1964 – Steve Rickard beat John DaSilva in Wellington, New Zealand to win the New Zealand heavyweight title

1965 – Spyros Arion beat Killer Kowalski in Sydney to win the IWA title

1966 – Brute Bernard & Skull Murphy beat Mark Lewin & Bearcat Wright in Melbourne to win the IWA tag title

1995 – La Parka beat Jerry Estrada in Monterrey to win the Mexican national light heavyweight title

1996 – Riki Choshu beat Masahiro Chono in Tokyo to win the G-1 Climax tournament