WED. UPDATE: Tough Enough rating, New UFC main event, and more
by David Bixenspan | davidbix@wrestlingobserver.com | Follow @davidbix
Show notes for tonight:
NXT at 8:00 p.m. ET on WWE Network is the 90 minute special of the preliminary matches from Barclays Center that took place Saturday night before the live broadcast NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. The show features Enzo Amore, Colin Cassady, Zack Ryder, & Mojo Rawley. vs. The Mechanics, Jason Jordan, & Chad Gable, Eva Marie vs. Carmella, Bull Dempsey vs. Elias Sampson, and Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Dana Brooke vs. Emma in a Fatal Four-Way.
UFC Tonight airs at 8:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Impact Wrestling at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on Destination America is built around if Dixie Carter will make Jeff Harrett the permanent authority figure now that his predessor is on WWE’s main roster.
UFC Ultimate Answers has a new episode at 9:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
UFC Main Event at 10:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 has a new episode of UFC Main Event about the first Demetrious Johnson vs. John Dodson flywight title fight from 2013.
ROH at 11:00 p.m. ET on Destination America has a main event of The Addiction (c) vs. Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly for the ROH World Tag Tag Titles.
We still have polls on both NXT Takeover and SummerSlam, so you can send a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to Dave Meltzer
Looking for reports on the following, which you can send to newstips@wrestlingobserver.com:
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Figure Four Weekly:
The new issue of Figure Four Weekly is now up for subscribers (subscribe to the site here and get access to Figure Four, the Observer, tons of audio, and more) featuring a hands-on look at WWE 2K16 from the 2K/WWE media event last week. There are also notes on WWE’s lawsuit against their Thai TV partner, including how this type of litigation is familiar territory for WWE and one past suit is exceptionally bizaree. On top of that, we have all the usual stuff like Vinny’s reviews and international news from Dr. Lucha Steve Sims and and Alan”4L” Counihan.
Last week’s FREE Figure Four Weekly is still up with a look at the crazy story of why Gawker thinks the FBI may have helped Hulk Hogan cover up his racist and homophobic comments. A judge has ordered the FBI to turn over the records of their investigation, and what Gawker is saying in court about what has and hasn’t been turned over paints a very interesting picture.
Also, now available for the first time on Kindle (meaning Kindle devices and anything with the Kindle app) is Fall Guys, the seminal 1937 book that has been described as being like the 1930s version of the Wrestling Observer. It was surprisingly not on Kindle already, so we put together a nice version with a full table of contents w/ chapter marks, proper formatting on everything, etc. Right now it’s available from the American, Canadian, and Australian Amazon/Kindle stores OR you can also buy it from anywhere in the world on PayHip, who will provide you with both Kindle and ePub (every other e-reader) format files, and you can either sideload them to your device or have them email it to your Kindle.
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Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
We’ve got a new double issue of the Observer up on the site which, on the 55th anniversary of the birth of the AWA, features a look at the history of the AWA and the career of Verne Gagne. The issue also covers the buildup to SummerSlam, the most detailed look at this year’s G-1 Climax tournament, the History of G-1, Anderson Silva’s hearing and suspension, UFC’s stadium event in Australia, the death of Roller Games heel Mizz Georgia Hase, as well as the monthly WWE & TNA business rundown.
The latest WON: August 24, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Summerslam preview, G1 Tournament and finals review, Silva trial details
Web site subscriptions, which include access to both current and older newsletters as well as every audio show in the history of the site are at Sign up here for as low as $9.99 per month!
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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 big feature looks back at the career of Verne Gagne and the history of the most famous version of the AWA.
We look at the beginnings of the Gagne legend in wrestling and the start of his pro career. We look back at his football offers, his world junior heavyweight title win, the period that Gagne was one of the highest paid athletes in the country and how politics changed the course of his career.
We look at the war in Chicago in the 50s, the most controversial NWA title match of its era, and both the real reason and storyline reason for the formation of the AWA. We look at the first-ever AWA show, the first-ever AWA title match, the first feuds that put the AWA on the map as a significant organization and its first attempt at doing a stadium show.
We look at some of the AWA’s biggest money feuds in history, and the role the AWA played in getting two of the biggest promotions in the country at the time to join the NWA. We also look at the ironies about Gagne with his own actions and with his complaints about the actions of Vince McMahon.
We look at the era when the AWA title was one of the big three belts. We also look at the first big heyday of the AWA in the late 60s and early 70s, including a look back at a number of stadium shows in Chicago.
We look at the Hulk Hogan-fueled second AWA heyday, how the heel Hulk Hogan from the WWF became the babyface Hulk Hogan in the AWA. We look at Gagne’s role in creating Hulkamania, the first Verne Gagne retirement show, and many coming out of retirement shows. We look at the Gagne-Hogan relationship including the time Gagne tried to shoot on Hogan and what happened.
We looked at why the stories about Gagne being stupid in not putting the AWA title on Hogan show a lack of understanding of the time, and why it would have been the worst thing long-term for him. We look at the business reason why it wasn’t done.
We look at Hogan’s departure for the WWF, and why it had to happen.
We look at the AWA after Hogan, including Jesse Ventura’s departure, Gagne’s business practices that started killing his company, how competition exposed the AWA, and the hard fall at the end. We also look at the deal that kept the AWA alive a little longer, new stars who got early breaks at the end, and the end of the company.
We’ve also got a look at all the news leading into WWE’s second biggest week of the year. We look at the ESPN coverage and why, Lesnar talking Vince McMahon vs. Dana White, the irony of Lesnar calling wrestling fake and the lack of reaction from within wrestling, Jon Stewart, Learn vs. Undertaker reaction, weekend schedule, talk about next year’s SummerSlam and much more.
We also have a look at the finals of this year’s G-1 Climax tournament.
We look at how G-1 started, whose idea it was and what was its original goal. We look at the first G-1 tournament and how it related to the 25th tournament this past week.
We look at the big matches on the last three days, what appears to be the Tokyo Dome plans and the storyline behind it. We look at what will probably be New Japan’s biggest matches of the fall before the Dome, including who Kazuchika Okada will likely headline PPVs against as well as who Hiroshi Tanahashi is also likely to face in big matches this fall.
We compare the New Japan top stars to the All Japan stars of the 90s, as well as look at the G-1 business. We look at how four different shows in Tokyo did going against each other.
We also update the business of New Japan World and talk about next year’s G-1 tournament including who can go, who has to stay and who can be brought in to make the tournament even more interesting.
We update the injuries and the final standings, character changes, the ROH relationship, the real story behind Jushin Liger working for WWE this weekend, and the build for Tenryu’s retirement match.
We also have complete rundowns of all three nights at Sumo Hall, including match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.
We also have the complete history of the New Japan annual heavyweight tournament dating back to 1974.
We also look at Minneapolis and WrestleMania and the last stadium show in that market 29 years ago, we look at the future of NXT, Roman Reigns talks about when he found out he wasn’t winning the title ad his reaction, when Seth Rollins found out he was winning, as well as Reigns talks about the briefcase hitting him in the head in Victoria.
We’ve got notes on two Dwayne Johnson movies, WWE filing suit against its television partner, the tenure of The Authority storyline, NXT star says he doesn’t want to move up to the main roster, and notes about pay so far for the major NXT shows.
We also have more on what happened between Paul Levesque and Chyna at Roddy Piper’s first funeral, as well as notes no who attended Piper’s second funeral. We debunk a claim made by Chyna about her WWE tenure.
We look at how a WWE PPV is going against one of the biggest television events of the year.
We update on who has worked the most matches this year, have more on the Owen Hart DVD project, an update on Tough Enough leading to the final show of the season, notes on the Nikki Bella vs. Sasha Banks champion vs. champion match, and WWE and Evolve.
We also look at all the NXT and WWE events over this past week, business notes on the show and highlights from every event.
We also look at the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s hearing on Anderson Silva’s drug test failures. We look at the comedy provided from Silva, why he was so lucky this didn’t happen after July, his excuses, evidence, penalties and commission reaction.
We also look at the UFC’s attempt at its biggest live event ever at Etihad Stadium, in Melbourne, Australia. We look at the decision the company had been considering all year and why it went the way it did.
We look at the death of Georgia Hase, the 80s Roller Games heel manager from the ESPN ear and before that. We look at her unique role during that period when Roller Games tried to build itself around pretty girls.
We’ve got our monthly business rundown of WWE and TNA, looking at house shows, ratings DVDs and merchandise. We also look at the cord cutting and how that affects cable TV, as well as the number of homes the cable networks that have wrestling, boxing and MMA are currently in.
We also look at Dragon Gate’s last major show and the upcoming tag team tournament. We look at All Japan’s latest Triple Crown title match. We at talks of New Japan putting the G-1 finals on PPV as well as notes on the next New Japan tour. We also note that both of New Japan’s tag team champions are entering a European tournament.
We update on Global Force Wrestling, the debut of the Minnesota pro wrestling Hall of Fame, update on where Lucha Underground stare are working, and update wrestling in Puerto Rico.
We also look at a major pro wrestling star who has never competed who is talking about entering the over-40 world Jiu Jitsu championships. We also look at an indie promoter issues with Davey Richards, and a third generation wrestler starting out.
We also update TNA including talks of an overseas television show, Jeff Jarrett reconnecting with his father, Mike Tenay’s new podcast, TNA shows and direction.
We also look at what could be UFC’s biggest show of the year, Chris Weidman wants Jon Jones, Fabricio Werdum’s next title defense against Cain Velasquez and a look at the heavyweight division, this week’s show, return of Anthony Pettis, next year’s attempt to run in Madison Square Garden, update on all the championships, a look at UFC fighter pay, a UFC fighter gets in a bar fight and tons of new UFC fights.
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.
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Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.
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Wednesday Daily Update
— Charles Oliveira has been released from the hospital and cleared of major injuries stemming from his odd fight with Max Holloway at Sunday night’s UFC card.
— All UFC 190 drug tests came back clean.
— Per ShowBuzzDaily.com, Tough Enough’s finale last night had 981,000 viewers (down 1.7%) while Total Divas had 920,000 viewers (down 11%). Tough Enough getting renewed looks less likely than ever.
— Jim Ross is going to have a weekly segment on “The Taz Show”, Taz’s new live internet radio show that will air weekdays on CBS’s Play.it network.
— Frankie Edgar vs. Chad Mendes official as TUF 22 Finale main event. This means Max Holloway isn’t getting the Edgar fight he wanted just yet.
— News from Kris Zellner’s Lucha Report (fully illustrated version here):
Konnan got into some hot water recently where he touched Nahima Choura who is a presenter on “Mas Deporte” on Televisa on her back and she wasn’t too pleased with it letting him know immediately. Konnan then laughed and said that you’re not that good looking and she got even more upset. This is making all the rounds in the Mexican gossip sections.
Mistico II yet again injured his shoulder on Sunday at Arena Mexico during the 1st fall of his match and will be out of action this week.
Sexy Star tweeted out that she fractured her clavicle while working a match at Arena Coliseo de Reynosa on Sunday and she is out of action indefinitely.
— Sydnie Joes has an extensive article on Anthony Johnson’s issues with women and the law at Bleacher Report.
— Former UFC head Campbell McLaren is debuting a new Hispanic themed MMA company as his Combate Americas reality show is becoming a new promotion on NBC Universo, the network formerly known as mun2. He also has an article about Sunday’s disappointing UFC ratings.
— WWE Smackdown August 27 spoilers: Dudleys return to action, Dean Ambrose vs. Sheamus.
— We’re starting to get more publicity materials for Bob Backlund’s book, which is out on September 15th after several delays.
— Brian Fritz talks to various WWE stars about WWE 2K16.
— Dave Doyle profiles Marloes Coenen at MMAFighting.