We’re looking for your thoughts on Saturday’s New Japan Power Struggle show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to Dave Meltzer
We’re also looking for reports on Saturday night’s NXT show in Largo, FL at Dave Meltzer
Raw is tonight in Manchester, England. They will be starting the tournament for the title on tonight’s show.
Smackdown is Tuesday in Manchester, England. Undertaker is being advertised for this show.
Figure Four Weekly:
Figure Four Weekly (10/2/15): WWE 2K16 Review
2K Sports and Yuke’s turnaround WWE video game series with a reinvigorated title boasting huge roster.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Here is the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer: November 9, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: 2015 Hall of Fame Issue
Our most talked about issue of the year, the 2015 Hall of Fame issue is up on the site right now. This is a double-issue featuring notes on the seven new inductees, the complete balloting results for the year along with last year, plus how the top candidates did with reporters, historians, and those who are currently and formerly in the business. You’ll see how the different groups voted, as well as notes on everyone who went in, what kept those who came close from getting in, thoughts on next year’s ballot, and a look at the careers of the inductees. There is also a super history of Montreal wrestling in the new issue, as well as a story on the modern Mexican scene.
The issue features a ton of old Southern history, coverage of one of the top heels of the 70s, the biggest matches ever held in Puerto Rico, a complete WWE business rundown with reactions from Vince McMahon and George Barrios, what the numbers say, profits in every category, the Wall Street reaction to the numbers, lots of network information broken down including who watches what, the current WWE profitability level vs. historical levels, as well as where the money comes from, and the last three years of PPV business being charted and the surprising staying power of PPV. We also look at every other aspect of WWE business.
We also have an in-depth update on the situation with Alberto Del Rio, WWE, AAA, TNA, Lucha Underground, Rizin and everyone else that had interest in him. We look at how things changed in the last week, have comments from WWE regarding what he can and can’t do, both sides of contradictory stories, the big move AAA made this past week due to his leaving, what the situation is with the AAA Mega heavyweight title, the good and bad of working with WWE vs. indies from a short and long-term financial situation, what Mexican star did WWE show interest in, and how this affects AAA and Lucha Underground.
CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW
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Rates are:
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CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW
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. 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.
Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.
TODAY’S NEWS UPDATE
Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer radio, talking Raw, and the rest of the latest news. You can send e-mail questions for the show to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com
Raw is going on at this writing. The show will have early tournament matches in the WWE title tournament that will be finalized at Survivor Series.
Dorian Roldan of AAA stated today that while Alberto Del Rio would have liked to have dropped the title, he will not be coming back to AAA and his contract wouldn’t allow it. So for those keeping score, WWE, TNA & AAA’s heavyweight title are all in tournaments, although the TNA tournament is actually over, even though on television it’ll last forever. Roldan said their tournament would be at Guerra de Titanes.
Today is the 18th anniversary of the Montreal screw job. Hopefully no angle on Raw commemorating it tonight.
Rizin announced today a battle of third generation members of famous families as the grandson of Ikuei Yamamoto (former Japanese wrestling Olympian whose two daughters were world champions and whose son is Kid Yamamoto), Asen Yamamoto, faces Kron Gracie, the grandson of Helio Gracie.
Undertaker is already in the U.K. He’s advertised for tomorrow night’s show but it would make sense for him to appear on tonight’s show as well. Finn Balor and Bayley are both there but that’s because they are on tour.
Matches announced officially for the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show:
Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for IWGP title
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. A.J. Styles for IC title
Kushida vs. Kenny Omega for jr. title
Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly vs. Ricochet & Matt Sydal vs. Rocky Romero & Baretta vs. Young Bucks for IWGP jr. tag title
The retirement show of Genichiro Tenryu, one of the biggest stars in Japanese wrestling history and an easy Hall of Famer, will air live on New Japan World starting at 1 a.m. Eastern time Saturday, or right after the conclusion of the UFC show.
WWE
John Cena was on The Today Show earlier today. He hosted a segment. This is the third time he’s done that so NBC really seems to have plans for him to try and mainstream him to the non-wrestling audience.
Roman Reigns segment on the NBC affiliate in the Bay Area talking about the 49ers and pro wrestling including clips of Leo Nomellini.
Jim Ross has articles at Fox Sports first on the Seth Rollins injury (his surgery is tomorrow in Birmingham) and on the anniversary of Survivor Series in Montreal
Breaking Ground airs tonight after Raw on the WWE Network.
After the Columbus Crew beat the Montreal Impact 3-1 last night to advance to the semifinals of the Major League Soccer playoffs, Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark started doing the Daniel Bryan pointing to the sky “Yes” chant leading the crowd. (thanks to Jonathan Weber)
Paige talks in the Mirror in the U.K. on her background and wrestling Madusa
Paige also did an interview for TalkSport
UFC
Former TUF fighter Angela Hill was cut after losses to Rose Namajunas and Tecia Torres in her last two fights.
MISCELLANEOUS
Troy Westwood, a former star on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers CFL team, will make his pro wrestling debut on 12/4 in Winnipeg for the CWE promotion, teaming with Danny Duggan against Outlaw Adam Knight and Shane Madison.
Tito Ortiz appears on Spike’s Sweat Inc. tomorrow night at 11 p.m., which is the Spike show with Jillian Michaels as they look at fight workouts.
AAW from Friday night in Merrionette Park, IL: Matt Cage b Shynron, Kongo Kong b Machete & Conor Braxton, Tommaso Ciampa b Michael Elgin, Matt Cross & Shane Hollister & Markus Crane b ACH & Davey Vega & Paco, Allysin Kay b Heidi Lovelace, Devin & Mason Cutter b Dan Berry & Bill Carr (Team Tremendous), Abyss b Christian Faith, Trevor Lee & Eddie Kingston lasted 30:00 to a draw in a four-way with Silas Young and Louis Lyndon. This sets up a show on 11/28 where Ethan Page defends the AAW title against both Lee and Kingston, plus Devin & Mason Cutter defend the tag titles against Dave & Jake Crist, Chris Hero vs. Pentagon Jr., Christian Faith vs. Gregory Iron, plus Louis Lyndon, Tommaso Ciampa, Alex Shelley, Fenix, ACH, Tyson Dux and more.
Premier Wrestling on 11/28 in Gilroy, CA at the IFDES Lodge-Portuguese Hall will have a round-robin tournament using European round rules featuring Jeff Cobb (6-3-1) vs. Timothy Thatcher (4-2-1) vs. Joe Graves (2-1-1). All three will wrestle the other two. JR Kratos (9-2) defends the Premier title against Marcus Lewis (5-4), and there will be a woman’s title tournament with Nicole Savoy (3-1), Kahmora (1-1), Raze (0-2) and Kikyo Nakamura (0-1) and catch wrestler Vito Rea makes his debut against Buddy Royal. Tickets are available atwww.premierwrestle.com and are $5 off in advance.
Shayna Baszler appeared on Nick Dinsmore’s Midwest All Pro Wrestling show on Saturday night in Sioux City, IA. She’s originally from the area. She actually only did a musical chairs match, taken from the Raw segment from years ago, which she cheated to win. She posed for photos with the money going to the local VFW.
In Your Face Wrestling from Saturday night in Delanson, NY: Roman Dominguez & Salvatore Morocco b Sebastian Kelly & Kameron Yates, Jamar Justice & Gabriel Soul & Axel Lennox & Mattick b Zane Maverick & Vince Valor & Maximo Suave & Rickety Rocket, Damon Ravage b Dewey Murray, Zack Clayton DCOR Garrett Holiday, C.J. Scott b Fronz Roddy in a loser leaves wrestling street fight, Eric Emanon & Thomas Brewington d Vigo & Sgt. Fury, Elite Terrel & Ron & Jordan Falco & Rex Atkins & Lenn Oddity b Ricky Williams & Trip & Benjamin Blackwell & Jimmy Jact Cash & Surma in an elimination match, Chip Stetson & Hellcat b Jet Rebel & Anthony Gaines to win tag titles, Drake Evans b Cassius Cutcher to keep IWFW title.
Southern Pro Wrestling New Zealand from Saturday night in Queenstown, NZ: Johnny Idol b Travis Banks, James Shaw b King Wilbur, Vinny Dunn & Kingi b Slade Mercer & Jade Diamond, Shane Sinclair b Idol, Charlie Roberts b Hustla, Marcus Kool b T-Rex (thanks to Steve Ogilvie)
Travis Banks from that group is leaving New Zealand to go to the U.K. to get more experience.
Ad Hutchinson, who trained at Santino Marella’s Battlarts Academy and has wrestled there as The British Brawler, has moved to Japan and is going to be working with Zero-One (thanks to Dave Musgrave)
NWA Mid South Wrestling on 12/4 in Robinsonville, MS at the Resorts Casino with Matt Sydal vs. Kincaid, NWA North American champion Tim Storm vs. Moose, plus appearing include Jim Cornette, Matt Riviera, Rob Conway and referee James Beard.
NSW One Night Only on 1/31 at 2 p.m. in Hamilton, ONT at the Knights of Columbus. It’s a one-night revival of the promotion.
Renegade Promotions from yesterday in Burlington, ONT: Sebastian Suave b Brent Banks, Beautiful Beaa b Kaitlin Diemond, Brandon Thurston b Rex Atkins, Ryan Swift b Rip Impact, Jimmy King & Derek Platinum b Reggie Marley & Juan Ortiz to win tag titles, Xandra Bale b Leah Von Dutch, Scotty O’Shea b Ethan Page (thanks to Steven Ashe)
Lucha Toronto from yesterday: Trent Gibson & Channing Decker b Gabriel Fuerza & Vaughn Vertigo, Kid Canuck b Pepper Jack, Carter Mason won four-way over Alexia Nicole, Will White and Sebastian Suave, Craneo b Grimbo, America (Pantera, longtime Lucha star) b Sombracito, Vampiro & Louis Lyndon & Mark Andrews b Jack Evans & Angelico & Maybach Beta. L.A. Park will be on the next show in January.
ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY INTERNATIONAL (thanks to Graeme Cameron)
1968 – Tex McKenzie beat Toru Tanaka in Melbourne to win the IWA heavyweight title
1968 – Kintaro Oki beat Buddy Austin in Seoul, South Korea to win the All Asia title
1973 – Wahoo McDaniel beat Shozo Kobayashi in Wakayama to win the IWE heavyweight title
1981 – Yumi Ogura & Mimi Hagirawa (a famous singer and actress) beat Nancy Kumi & Ayori Hori in Yokohama to win the WWWA tag titles
1982 – Marty Jones beat Bobby Graham in Croydon to win the world mid-heavyweight title
1982 – Fit Finlay & Skull Murphy (the U.K. version, not the famous U.S.version) beat Johnny & Peter Wilson to win the World of Sports tag team tournament
1996 – Lance Storm & Yuji Yasuraoka beat Jushin Liger & El Samurai in Aomori to win the Int. jr. tag titles
Click Here: State of Origin Jerseys
2013 – In a three-way match with Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Lance Archer vs. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Rob Conway & Jax Dane, Conway & Dane won the first fall for the NWA tag titles and Smith & Archer won the second fall or the IWGP tag titles, and then Smith & Archer won both titles in the third fall.