DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
WWE planning to have live crowd for both nights of WrestleMania 37
NJPW Road to The New Beginning results: The tour begins
Kenny Omega pins Rich Swann at Impact Hard to Kill
Impact Wrestling Rebellion PPV set for April
Former UFC fighter Paul ‘The Polar Bear’ Varelans passes away at 51
Matt Cardona makes Impact Wrestling debut at Hard to Kill
Knockouts Tag Team Champions crowned at Impact Hard to Kill
Madison Rayne announces retirement from Impact Wrestling
WWE WrestleMania 37 to be two-night event, future schedule revealed
Nyla Rose off Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite as COVID-19 precaution
Latest Audio:
WOR: Hard To Kill & UFC recaps, Jim Valley goes home, Paul Varelans memories
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WON NEWSLETTER: January 18, 2021 Observer Newsletter: The COVID-19 era continues
We have an update with more info on a number of COVID cases involving pro wrestling including more on Chris Jericho, Nick Jackson, Drew McIntyre, Mick Foley, Les Thatcher and more. We look at what Paul Levesque said about the COVID issue, Jericho talking about getting it in September, Nick Jackson, and more on others in the industry.
Also in this issue:
We also have our 2020 Business Year in Review issue talking about the biggest crowds, the biggest PPVs, how the year was totally different from any other, UFC business history and more.
Every major promotion, why this year is so hard to evaluate, what you can’t learn from the past year and can, how things look going into the new year, and issues going forward for every company.
Raw, Smackdown AEW and NXT and compare how they are doing now with one year ago, and where things will be in one year if the current direction doesn’t change.
How much money Linda McMahon donated to Trump’s re-election and funding of the recent attempt to take over the capitol.
Royal Rumble update, how much money top stars can earn from doing social media advertising, Update on WWE’s new A&E documentaries for this year, biggest Wednesday drawing card, more on the next TV special for India, new stars from India debuting including two giants, Dusty Rhodes tag tourney news, the next Takeover show, Injury updates, Lita talks about when she was threatened with being fired, Ricochet contract notes, U.S. sports ratings, U.K. and Canadian TV ratings, New NXT stars, movie star teases working with WWE, Upcoming WWE television shows WWE market value and the most-watched shows on the WWE Network.
Vince McMahon’s lawsuit against Oliver Luck and Luck’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon. We look at McMahon’s complaints as well as what others involved said including some day-by-day looks at aspects of the XFL and its death.
How COVID has changed Japanese wrestling along with new restrictions and what they mean and how they relate to wrestling and the New Japan big show lineup over the next several weeks.
List of the 20 biggest crowds for pro wrestling ever in the country of Canada and notes about business peaks.
Rundowns of the major television shows.
Television ratings of the past week, including segment-by-segment numbers for the past two weeks on Wednesday, who was watching in different age groups, how different segments did on Raw & Smackdown and more.
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SUNDAY NEWS UPDATE
Bryan and I have our weekend show covering UFC, Smackdown and the Impact PPVs as well as the death of Paul Varelans up on the site right now.
Yesterday’s Max Holloway fight with Calvin Kattar, which Holloway won via decision, was a fight of the year candidate. Holloway not only set the record for most strikes landed in a fight, but also broke the record by himself as it related to most strikes landed in a fight by bot fighters combined. It was one of the most amazing performances in UFC history and should earn him a third bout with current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Only two things during the week cracked the Google top 20 list, both yesterday. The Holloway vs. Kattar fight was No. 4 with 500,000, which is very high for a television fight as they usually do 100,000 and a big one may do 200,000. Also yesterday, UFC 257 was No. 11 with 50,000. ABC, given that Disney owns the PPV fights to UFC, played a one-hour special prior to the UFC on the Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier fight, to try and boost buys.
Ethan Page was not happy with the Ethan Page vs. Karate Man gimmick that was on the Hard to Kill PPV show. Page is no longer with the company and said he had no idea how the thing would be edited until he saw it:
I’m going to take a full blown break from social media. I’ll be staying active on my personal Patreon as much as I can & probably in this group too cuz I love the fig life & u guys. Xoxox. But man …. last night sucked. I’m so embarrassed with how IMPACT! lazily edited that segment last night & forced it to be a joke. I felt the thought of the same guys fighting each other was comedy enough & the more serious we took it the better the reaction would be. But cuz I left the company, they lied to my face & just did what they wanted the whole time. I’m sorry if any of my fans paid for that PPV & felt cheated. I honestly feel the free version I gave away was made with more love, care & attention to detail. Sadly I had no control over the creative or the final product & the editor refused to send it to me beforehand …. so I saw it live with you guys & was surrounded by family. All scratching their heads at that high school project level delivery on a PPV. I pray ppl know I didn’t edit that hot garbage. I actually begged IMPACT! Not to even have Karate man on tv. I only wanted it for my YouTube channel. But … we don’t write the shows. We just get the scripts & do our best. Idk what else to say. Breaks my heart this company refuses to respect its talent or it’s fan base on a regular basis. I tried. Oh well! Life goes on. That door is closed. Now let’s focus on what’s next. Hope you’re all well. I love all of you for supporting me & helping promote my projects. Because without you guys, karate man wouldn’t have been anything haha. I’m gonna just focus on the good that came of him for my social media & my personal channels. He’s gone now & May he live on in GOOD videos edited by the person who created him. Not stolen by a greedy company trying to capitalize on someone else’s hard work & creativity. Sorry if this comes off so negative. I know I’m usually a positive light for my fans … but today, I need to just be honest. I was lied to. I was hurt. I was disrespected. And I need a break from it all.”
Love Julian
Guy Hauray, who would be the legendary pro wrestling announcer in France for WWE, doing shows in the 80s and 90s, passed away back in August at the age of 77 but it was just reported by his family this week.
New Japan has another live show with English commentary at 4 a.m. Eastern on New Japan World from Korakuen Hall:
Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan vs. Satoshi Kojima & Yuya Uemura
Minoru Suzuki & Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Douki vs. Gedo & Jado & El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori
Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs. Evil & Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo
Kota Ibushi & Sho & Tomoaki Honma vs. Tetsuya Naito & Sanda & Hiromu Takahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & Bushi
WWE
The only stuff announced for Raw at this point is Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka and a confrontation between Bliss and Randy Orton. Drew McIntyre wouldn’t be available for Monday’s show but is expected to return a week from Monday.
The WWE is planning to add episodes of Wrestling Challenge from September 5, 1986 to November 29, 1986 later this week.
UFC
Dana White spoke with the media in Abu Dhabi last night regarding Khabib Nurmagomedov and said more than he said on television. He said that the two talked and that Nurmagomedov would be coming to Las Vegas and they would talk again. He said Nurmagomedov never asked about GSP and said he’s not interested in that fight, but is considering Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Dan Hooker, Michael Chandler or Charles Oliveira. White said he also could not fight again.
OTHER NEWS
People have been talking about the Dragon Lee vs. Rey Horus ROH TV title match of late and ROH has released the first five minutes.
Dave Bautista has offered a $20,000 reward to Manatee defacers. (thanks to Barry Werner)
Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling results from last night in Tokyo: Maki Itoh b Arisu Endo, Hyper Misao & Shin Ultra-Shoko (Shoko Nakajima) b Miyu Yamashita & Moka Miyamoto, Yuki Kamifuku & Pom Harajku b Mirai Maiui & Sena Shiori, Yuki Aino & Nodoka Tenma & Haruna Neko b Marika Kobashi & Suzume & Nao Kakuta, Rika Tatsumi & Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki b Miu Watanabe & Hikari Noa & Raku. They will return with shows 1/30 and 1/31.
Stardom from today at Korakuen Hall for the 10th anniversary show: Saya Iida b Sayaka Unagi to keep the Future of Stardom title, Natsupoi b Konami-DQ, AZM b Kaori Yoneyama to keep the High Speed title, (Yoneyama had been wrestling as Gokigen Death), Tam Nakano b Starlight Kid, Momo Watanabe & Saya Kamitani won four-way tag team elimination over Syuri & Himeka, Mayu Iwatani & Ruaka and Saki Kashima & Bea Priestley, Giulia b Natsuoko Tora to retain the Wonder of Stardom title, Utami Hayashishita b Maika to retain the World of Stardom title. Hayashishita will defend her title against Kamitani on 3/3 at Budokan Hall in what is scheduled as the biggest event in company history (thanks to Shannon Walsh and wrestlingwithdemons.net)
SWE Fury on 2/27 in Carthage, TX at the Civic Center is advertising an East Texas Wrestlefest with Terry Funk, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Salina de la Renta, Tim Storm, Christi Jayne, Mark Henry, Teddy Long, Shaul Guerrero, Jazz, Rodney Mack, Mil Muertes, Lacey Von Erich, Melina and Boogeyman.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: Vader wins IWGP Heavyweight title
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