Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive returns today to talk all the news in wrestling and MMA including the death of Hayabusa and his influence on wrestling, Conor McGregor heading into his fight with Nate Diaz, Dr. Lucha appears to talk Lucha Underground, plus more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
1954
Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
– Emil and Ernie Dusek defeated Al and Tiny Mills for the NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Titles
1958
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada:
– Frenchy Champagne and George Eakin defeated John DePaulo and Bobby Jones for the Madison Wrestling Club Tag Team Titles
1962
Denver, Colorado:
– Don Leo Jonathan defeated Killer Kowalski in a tournament final to become the first American Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight
Champion
1970
Honolulu, Hawaii:
– Bing Ki Lee and Pedro Morales defeated Johnny Barend and Ripper Collins for the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Titles
1971
Kokura, Japan:
– Bill Miller defeated Thunder Sugiyama to win the International Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Title
1972
Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
– AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens beat Mad Dog Vachon & Butcher Vachon
– Billy Robinson beat Ivan Koloff dq
– Dusty Rhodes beat Bull Bullinski
– Don Muraco beat Chris Markoff
– Ramon Torres beat Treach Phillips
1973
Green Bay, Wisconsin:
– Superstar Billy Graham beat AWA Champion Verne Gagne dq
– Wahoo McDaniel & Ken Patera beat Dusty Rhodes & Dick Murdoch 2 out of 3 falls
– Larry Hennig drew Reggie Parks
– Don Muraco beat Rene Goulet
St. Paul, Minnesota:
– The Crusher & Billy Robinson beat AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens on a 3rd fall dq w
– Ivan Koloff beat Bill Watts
– Ric Flair beat Big K
– Khosrow Vaziri beat Kenny Jay
– Jim Brunzell beat Bill Crouch
1974
Madison Square Garden:
– WWWF World Tag Team Champions Tony Garea and Dean Ho defeated Larry Hennig and Stan Staskiak
– WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino and Nikolai Volkoff fought to a draw due to the 11 pm curfew
1975
Mobile, Alabama:
– Ken Lucas defeated Duke Myers to win the NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title
1977
Dothan, Alabama:
– The Islanders (Afa and Sika) defeated Bobby and Ricky Fields for the NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Titles
1978
Indianapolis, Indiana:
– Dominic DeNucci and Wilbur Snyder defeated The Valiant Brothers (Jimmy and Johnny) for the World Wrestling Association World Tag Team
Titles
1979
Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
– Ricky Steamboat & Dino Bravo beat Ric Flair & Greg Valentine dq
– AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Billy Robinson
– AWA Tag Team Champions Pat Patterson & Ray Stevens beat Tony Atlas & Johnny Weaver
– Waldo Von Erich beat Johnny Yachetti
– Chris Tolos beat Joe Marcus i
– Sweet Daddy Siki beat Terry Yorkston
1984
Charlotte, North Carolina:
– Wahoo McDaniel and Mark Youngblood defeated Don Kernodle and Bob Orton, Jr. to win the NWA World Tag Team Titles
Chicago, Illinois:
– AWA Champion Jumbo Tsuruta beat Blackjack Lanza
– AWA Tag Team Champions Ken Patera & Jerry Blackwell beat Blackjack Mulligan & Jerry Lawler
– Stan Hansen & Nick Bockwinkel ddq Dick The Bruiser & The Crusher
– Mr. Saito & Jesse Ventura beat The Crusher (sub Mad Dog Vachon) & Baron Von Raschke dq
– Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell no contest Rick Martel & Dino Bravo
– Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu beat Buddy Roberts & Ronnie Garvin
– Billy Robinson & Brad Rheingans beat Steve Regal & Kevin Kelly
– Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes beat Steve Olsonoski & Buck Zumhofe
San Antonio, Texas:
– The Sheepherders (Butch Miller and Luke Williams) defeated The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane) for the Southwest Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Titles
1985
Dothan, Alabama:
– Austin Idol defeated Lord Humongous (Jeff Van Kemp) for the NWA Alabama Heavyweight Title
Memphis, Tennessee:
– Jerry Lawler dcor AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel
– Lanny Poffo & Randy Savage & Jimmy Valiant beat Adrian Street & Mr Wrestling & Eddie Gilbert
– Fabulous Ones no contest Rock & Roll Express
– Interns beat Steve Constant & Tim Ashley
– Phantom of the Opera beat Tracy Smothers
– Ron Starr beat David Haskins
– Plowboy Frazier & Nightmares beat Tojo Yamamoto & Battens
1986
Spartanburg, North Carolina:
– Tully Blanchard defeated Dusty Rhodes to win the NWA National Heavyweight Title
1987
Lubbock, Texas:
– The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) defeated Brian Adias and Al Madril to win the WCWA World Tag Team Titles
1989
Bayamon, Puerto Rico:
– The Batten Twins (Bart and Brad) defeated Dan Kroffat and Tama for the WWC World Tag Team Titles
– TNT (Savio Vega) won the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Title from Jason the Terrible
– Chris and Mark Youngblood won the WWC Caribbean Tag Team Titles from The Ninja Express (Kensuke Sasaki and Mr. Pogo)
San Antonio, Texas:
– Gary Young won the World Class Texas Heavyweight Title by forfeit from Brickhouse Brown
1990
Mayguez, Puerto Rico:
– Invader I defeated Harley Race for the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Title
1991
Hiroshima, Japan:
– Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Big Van Vader to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Title
1992
Tokyo, Japan:
– Akira Taue and Jumbo Tsuruta defeated Terry Gordy and Steve Williams for the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Titles
1995
Tokyo, Japan:
– Stan Hansen won the AJPW Triple Crown Title from Toshiaki Kawada
1996
Memphis, Tennessee:
– Jerry Lawler defeated Mabel in a tournament final for the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title
2000
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
– Mike Awesome and Raven defeated Tommy Dreamer and Masato Tanaka to win the ECW World Tag Team Titles
– The Sandman defeated Yoshihiro Tajiri
2005
Tokyo, Japan:
– Wataru Inoue and Koji Kanemoto defeated Gedo and Jado for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
2006
Doncaster, England:
– Abyss defeated A.J. Styles in a tournament final to become the first 1PW World Heavyweight Champion
– Christian Cage defeated Rhino
Mexico City, Mexico:
– Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli defeated Dos Caras, Jr. and Lizmark, Jr. to win the Yamaha tournament cup
2007
Mexico City, Mexico:
– Hirooki Goto defeated Shocker in a tournament final to win the NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title,
which was newly revived by CMLL
2012
ROH 12th Anniversary: New York City:
– The All Night Express defeated Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
– Michael Bennett defeated Homicide
– ROH TV champ Jay Lethal defeated Tommaso Ciampa (with The Embassy)
– ROH Tag Team champions The Briscoes defeated The Young Bucks to retain the titles
– Eddie Edwards & Adam Cole defeated ROH champ Davey Richards & Kyle O’Reilly
Images courtesy of Ian Mosley/AXS TV
In the world of sports announcing and play-by-play, Jim Ross is as venerated and decorated as they come. After a four decade span calling wrestling for Jim Crockett Promotions, WCW, and WWF/E, “good ol’ J.R.” is practically synonymous with the sport of the squared circle. Fans connect with Ross on commentary for one reason; he emotionally invests in every call he makes. Deep down, fans still want to believe wrestling is more “sport” than “entertainment” and Ross doesn’t call matches like he’s reading a script or knows the outcome in advance.
That’s part of what makes J.R.’s new gig for AXS TV so intriguing. Fans grew to love the emotional “from-the-gut” reactions of Ross during live events, but starting this Friday for New Japan on AXS TV, he’ll have to react to pre-taped matches, calling them in the studio alongside veteran pro wrestler and MMA fighter Josh Barnett. He’s also in the rare position of having to replace one of the few announcers who is as emotionally invested in pro wrestling as he is.
Mauro Ranallo sounded like he was going to have a heart attack during any big New Japan match, but his ebullient joy and apoplectic rage were so convincing that WWE recruited him to become the voice of SmackDown.
As we prepare for the debut of “good ol’ J.R.” for New Japan on AXS TV, Ross took a little time out of his busy schedule podcasting, selling sauce, and preparing for his return to boxing commentating for CBS Sports on March 12th to chat with yours truly for Wrestling Observer about the latest chapter in his already historic career.
You’ve been inducted into both the WWE and Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. You’ve had opportunities to call boxing and MMA since leaving WWE. What led you to come back to announcing pro wrestling after having already done it all in the sport?
Well, I never stopped loving wrestling. I certainly didn’t stop loving being a broadcaster; it’s that I didn’t have a team to play for. After leaving WWE, there were some opportunities that came about but nothing really fit what I was looking for. I guess I’m an in-ring snob. If I want to invest my time at this stage of my life, I want to really enjoy the product.
After doing (New Japan’s) Wrestle Kingdom 9 in January of 2015, I knew that I was going to like the product. Going beyond watching the one hour edited show that I was watching every Friday night on AXS with Mauro and Josh, I got to see the product unedited, live in person at their biggest event of the year – and it hooked me.
You departed from WWE and will now call New Japan on AXS TV, while Mauro Ranallo left AXS TV and New Japan to be the lead announcer on SmackDown. What are your thoughts as your two career paths cross going in different directions?
It’s coincidental isn’t it? It’s very ironic that’s how its worked out, but I think we’ve both got wins. Mauro’s living a dream of finally working in WWE, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, and so that’s good for him. He’s allowed to continue to do his MMA and boxing, so he came out on the other side really well. I think that I did as well. I think I found my gig, I found my home that I hope is in place for years to come.
Josh Barnett and I are really hell-bent on helping build a brand. We want to do more with New Japan on AXS. I don’t know what shape that’s going to take right now, I don’t know how all of this is going to evolve, but I know that from the AXS upper management team, they are very interested in joining New Japan in as big of a way as New Japan will allow.
On this week’s debut, you call a tag team match that features AJ Styles and an Intercontinental title match for Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestling Dontaku 2015. Both men are highly touted WWE signings this year. What do you think of the talent exodus?
I’m always happy for guys that want to change their scenery, upgrade, just change – whatever their reason is – and live their dream. I got to live mine for 40 years in the business and I’m still living it, so I’m always happy when somebody gets to do the same thing. WWE made some really good hires, not just with those guys – Shinsuke, AJ, Gallows and Anderson – but hiring Mauro! That’s a great hire! So they’ve done a really good job, WWE being they, with those acquisitions.
I only hope that all four of those guys are allowed to remain essentially intact, and that their characters are not wholeheartedly changed for a whim just to be different.
How difficult do you find it to call matches that are pre-taped? Can you convey the same level of emotion in a pre-taped match where dedicated wrestling fans have already watched it and know the outcome in advance?
All those years working with Bill Watts, I called a lot of matches over in post-production at WCW in the Crockett era, and then afterward, I did tons of voiceovers in a studio. Sometimes you’d voiceover the same match three, four, five times in a week, because it went on different shows and to different markets. I became accustomed to it, so it was not an adjustment for me, it was part of what I had done for years.
Quite frankly when I came to WWE in the early going, I was kind of that third team guy — there was Vince and Gorilla and then me — and so I got a lot of the extra voiceover work. You voice over this for the UK, and voice over this for South Africa, and voice over this for Canada – and it’s the same show. That was no transition for me at all. I still like wrestling, and I still love broadcasting so letting it all come together in an audio booth was not that challenging at all. It was like riding a bike.
You’ve been part of many great announcing teams, including a legendary friendship and partnership with Jerry Lawler in WWE. How does working with Josh Barnett compare?
I don’t think I could find a more perfect partner than Josh Barnett. He’s the perfect broadcast partner for me on this project. He has been calling that brand since the start on AXS, he has competed in New Japan, his first pro match was in New Japan in the main event of the Tokyo Dome against Yuji Nagata. He’s had many many fights in Japan so he understands the culture. He has great hold recognition, he understands why holds are being utilized, why they’re effective if applied correctly.
You notice the New Japan guys apply a hold, they don’t just grab a hold. You hear that slang in wrestling a lot ‘Grab a hold,’ and literally that’s what guys do — they just grab a hold. They don’t apply a hold, they just grab an arm or a leg or whatever. If you use any logic, you can see right through it oftentimes. Guys in New Japan seem to be more fundamentally sound than a lot their peers on a lot of other TV broadcasts around the world, so Josh is perfect to identify these holds in these scenarios.
We would like to have a more realistic sports like presentation, so at least for that one hour, maybe you can let your guard down and let the story take over.
Can the sport of professional wrestling still thrive in an era where the curtain may have been pulled back too far on the machinations going on behind it?
I think it can if the in-ring product is focused on, and if the in-ring product is fundamentally sound and logically booked. Guys with the sensationalistic knee jerk in-ring content has a propensity of forcing people to tune out because what they’re seeing is not believable. You see guys crash and burn and not sell. All of a sudden, you eliminate the most crucial emotional element in a wrestling match, the selling, because it exudes all kinds of emotion. Selling becomes the heartbeat of a match and unfortunately a lot of guys are working so rapidly, no matter if they got a four minute match they’re gonna do eight minutes of material, that they rush things.
When you rush things in a pro wrestling match, you’re bound to leave some fundamental aspects of it out. When that happens the perception of the match begins to erode.
*****
In addition to J.R.’s debut Friday night for New Japan on AXS TV at 9 PM EST, check out a special edition of “The Voice Versus” before that debut where Michael Schiavello interviews him. Here’s a preview.
The UFC is gearing up for a big spring in 2016 and they will be presenting their UFC: Unstoppable campaign today with a press conference at the MGM Grand Garden Arena before the UFC 196 weigh-ins. Beginning at 5 PM eastern time, the event will highlight the big UFC events and fights taking place from April thru June, with many announced and unofficially announced bouts being built up.
Fighters currently scheduled to appear include UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier, UFC Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum, UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold, UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson, Junior Dos Santos, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Henry Cejudo, Ben Rothwell, Tony Ferguson, Stipe Miocic, former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.
Enjoy the build-up to a big spring inside the Octagon by watching the event below beginning at 5 PM EST.
Quick opener. Solid for however long it lasted. Both guys looked fine in what they did, and had some cool back and forth with one another. Just didn’t last all that long. We’re in for a couple of years of these kind of matches, since they only started last year. Finlay took the loss this time, submitting to Jay White’s boston crab.
Solid match. For whatever reason, they’ve taken Moose’s chant and have given it to Juice Robinson as they tried to get that over a lot during the match. It ended up working, but that’s kinda blatant just stealing it from Moose, who was here only a week or so ago doing the same thing. Both Hall and Robinson are improving as workers as they both did some good stuff here and there. Tanahashi got the win over Hall with a Texas Cloverleaf, which is his go to submission finish. I think Tanahashi’s gotten more wins with the cloverleaf than Okada has with the Red Ink.
Your good, typical New Japan ten man tag. Tiger Mask worked on Taguchi’s butt. And by that I mean he kicked it, literally to ward off future offense. Nakanishi worked a lot of the match for whatever reason. Everyone got a great flurry of offense near the end of the match. He got the torture rack on Shibata but he countered into a sleeper. Nakanishi escaped but Honma gave him a kokeshi when sent him right back into Shibata’s sleeper. Shibata followed that with the penalty kick for the win.
They teased some potential matches after this match between Shibata/Nagata, GBH/Tencozy and even Liger/Kushida, though Kushida is already taken for next month’s PPV. Those all feel like pretty fresh bouts. Shibata/Nagata had an excellent G1 match a few years ago.
Crowd wasn’t into this match a whole lot for whatever reason despite Okada being in here. Nothing was bad, but it just lacked heat and felt like something was missing. Both heels worked over Okada a lot as Yoshi-Hashi tried to make the save, but was eliminated to the floor. Yoshi-Hashi clobbered Evil with a lariat and got rid of him as Okada did his comeback then pinned Bushi with the rainmaker.
Didn’t last long, but was a fun match while it lasted. It was more Yano antics. Kojima went for the lairat but Yano tried to do the ref spot. Kojima grabbed the ref, knowing what he was about to do, but Yano ended up low blowing him. Kojima blasted him in the back of the head, but Yano came back and cradled him for the surprise win, so he makes it to the semifinals next week.
This wasn’t that interesting for a while, but it started to pick up as the match went on. Tonga’s clearly doing some of Karl Anderson’s spots as a tribute to him. Goto and Tonga had some great back and forth counters before Tonga laid him out with a gun sun. He went for the waistlock DDT but couldn’t get him. He shoved the ref into Goto then tried for a headbutt, but Goto responded with one of his own followed by a penalty kick for the win.
Okada came to the ring after the match to extend his hand. Goto blew him off, so they’re still playing off that storyline of Okada wanting Goto to join Chaos.
Solid match. It had a few cool bumps and Elgin worked well with Fale. He was also one of the more over guys on the card, so match reactions were better here. They worked a big guy match and did a lot of power spots. Elgin was able to get Fale up, unlike a lot of people, because I guess his gimmick is that he’s a strong guy. Elgin gave him a suplex and tried for a buckle bomb but Fale came back with a spear. He hit the grenade, but Elgin kicked out. Fale went to the top rope, but Elgin cut him off and managed to hit a powerbomb and pin him.
Great match. The last five or ten minutes of this was fantastic. Crowd really liked Ishii but absolutely love Naito so they were into this match from start to finish. They traded a lot of back and forth offense. Naito spit at one point, which is really gross. I don’t know what’s worse, that or all the headbutts these guys like to do. Naito’s confidence as a heel is staggering; it really is amazing to witness. He hasn’t had too many big profile matches like this, but it really shows when he’s put in a position like this.
Naito slapped Ishii hard, but Ishii retaliated with a bit time lariat and a press powerbomb for a near fall. He went for a sliding D, but Naito came back with an enziguri. People were 100 percent behind Naito. It’s so funny in pro wrestling when you try and be a babyface you get booed, but as a heel you get cheered. Naito hit a koppo kick and Gloria but Ishii kicked out. Ishii came back with a sliding D but Naito still kicked out. Ishii picked him up for a brainbuster but Naito transitioned into Destino and nailed it to win the match.
Evil and Bushi came to the ring after the match. Evil beat up Ishii and laid him out with an STO. Maybe he’s a challenger for the TV title down the line. Naito cut a promo, saying when he wins he won’t challenge for whatever title he chooses in April.
The last New Japan Cup show, featuring the finals and semifinals, will be on March 12. Hirooki Goto will face Michael Elgin and Toru Yano will square off against Tetsuya Naito in semifinal bouts, with the winners facing off in the finals
The Bryan & Vinny Show is back with our usual Thursday night fare — almost. Vinny is gone but we’ve got the filthiest replacement ever, TOM LAWLOR, to talk the usual! NXT from Not Full Sail University, Lucha Underground, and, as would only be fitting on this program, a train wreck of a Granny segment. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Eiji Ezaki, best known as Hayabusa, passed away on Thursday from bleeding on the brain. He was just 47.
Ezaki started as the masked Hayabusa in Mexico in 1993 and came back to Japan in 1994 as the FMW representative in the Super J Cup. Hayabusa was the best flying wrestler in the promotion, an innovator in his era, and grew to be the top star in the promotion after the retirement of Atsushi Onita. He also used the name H.
He had remained the top star in FMW until he suffered a career ending broken neck when he slipped on the ropes doing a quebrada (the same move Chris Jericho uses as the lionsault) in a 2001 match with Mammoth Sasaki at Korakuen Hall. The injury left him paralyzed. After wrestling he attempted to make it as a singer while working in a wheelchair.
He was eventually able to walk and last year in a public appearance in front of many of the biggest stars in wrestling like Genichiro Tenryu, Kenta Kobashi and Keiji Muto, he got out of his wheelchair and was able to, with the aid of a cane, walk to the ring.
Image: JJ Williams
I’m here at the Arnold Classic for the NXT show in Columbus, Ohio tonight in front of a sold-out house.
Big reaction for Asuka and also a good one for the hometown girl Bliss. This was all Asuka, nailing the Yes Kicks and finally applying the Asuka Lock for the submission.
The Vaudevillains were obviously the heels tonight. There was a lot of ‘Johnny Wrestling’ chants and the match built to a hot tag. The big finish saw Johnny as the legal man get the pin after double low angle superkicks on Gotch.
Dillinger’s first match back from injury got a great reaction then he did some heel mic work pre match to give Apollo a big entrance. Very good match including NXT chants from the crowd. Big Apollo Slam for the win.
Major heat on Eva. Nia hit a big Samoan Drop and allowed Eva to get the pin.
Great reactions for both in their own ways as Baron soaks in the booos and Sami is beloved. Slow start to the match with Baron winning a test of strength, then hitting some great looking punches with Sami just making the count of ten. Big fired up comeback by Zayn including a dive off the entrance way a blue thunder bomb and after nearly connecting once before, hits the Helluva Kick for the win.
GM William Regal welcomes us back from intermission and speaks highly of the roster. An NXT chant leads to him giving us what we want, more NXT action.
Excellent match. The heels used the ring and worked the ref to keep Gable isolated until the big hot tag to Jordan. As per usual, Jason Jordan has the best hot tag in wrestling. The straps came down, then went back up, then back down. That’s how wild he ran. Suplexes, dropkicks, backdrops. Alpha had Revival set up for the German yet Dash held Jordan’s feet, then pulled Jordan out of the ring and held Gable’s feet during a sit out pin by Dawson to steal the win. Post match, we had “Yay – Booo” spots when the champs and challengers lifted their arms.
Superstar reaction for Bayley. Emma got a lot of punishment in early and the crowd just chanted and sang for Bayley. Good action here with Bayley firing up after refusing to feel the pain of being rammed in to the turn buckle padding. Belly To Bayley for the win.
Huge reactions for both men, dueling chants at times. Finn took a lot of punishment from the big man. These two always work great together. Finn hit the running dropkick and the Bloody Sunday ddt for the win. No top rope stomp tonight. Post match, Finn celebrated with the crowd and put up the gun sign.
SUBSCRIBERS READ IT HERE: March 7, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: TNA seeking investors, UFC 196 preview, plus tons of news
A look at TNA’s financial situation, a preview of UFC 196, a review of Ring of Honor’s 14th Anniversary PPV, plus tons of news.
The status of TNA as they are looking for more funding is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer. The strange situation with no announcements of future shows, the next planned TV tapings, what talent has been told, ratings, previous sales talks, what happened to the TNA fanbase and where they made the wrong moves, how badly the business fell the last U.K. tour.
The build and business of UFC 196, why so many tickets are suddenly available, what is unique about the promotion of this show, Nate Diaz vs. Rafael dos Anjos as a PPV opponent, the value of the title, previous biggest PPV headlined by a non-title match, breaking down the McGregor vs. Diaz fight and where both men would go next as well as looking at the card.
The build to WWE’s Roadblock show, with the top matches and the original main event ad planned direction as well as a look at the attempts to build Dean Ambrose, and the state of WWE main events after WrestleMania.
The salaries of the leading corporate officers in WWE, how much Vince McMahon really makes in ways that aren’t directly listed, as well as who owns what percentage of the company and where Shane McMahon stands corporately.
A NXT wrestler who is booked for WrestleMania, update on Roman Reigns, what TV’s different people are and aren’t advertised for, Shane McMahon’s attempts to buy sports franchises during the last 20 years, his training for the Undertaker match, how many people canceled WWE Network in the fourth quarter, update on Chris Jericho’s tenure in WWE, The New Day teasing back with The Elite, WWE booking shows on top of ROH shows, former UFC fighter talking with HHH about coming in this year, Daniel Bryan Appreciation Nights planned, Chris Jericho’s eye injury, A.J. Styles talks why he left New Japan, new WWE movie, Tammy Sytch mad at Edge & Christian, Dan Gable talks Chad Gable, daughter of WWE coach starts wrestling as well as notes from all the WWE & NXT arena events over the past week and business notes from the week.
The most recent UFC show with Anderson Silva vs. Michael Bisping, and how the middleweight division was hurt financially by the Bisping win, the judging of the fight, Bisping’s record plus business notes on the show and match-by-match coverage.
Coverage of the ROH 14th anniversary show, including notes on the booking of the show, New Japan’s plans for the U.S. market, as well as match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.
A lengthy feature on the The Fabulous Freebirds, the latest inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame, looking back at their heyday and the careers of Terry Gordy, Buddy Roberts, Michael Hayes, Jimmy Garvin and all the other Freebirds over the course of the years. We look at how Hayes & Gordy got started, the debut of ring entrance music, We look at how Buddy Roberts got in the group, how they got into Mid South, the feud with Junkyard Dog that put everyone on the map, plus the famous runs in Georgia and Texas. We also look at why The Freebirds didn’t make it in WWF, and what broke the original group up and led to all the various later incarnations that are mostly forgotten.
We also look at AAA’s next major event, as well as the PPV numbers for the Royal Rumble.
READ IT HERE: March 7, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: TNA seeking investors, UFC 196 preview, plus tons of news
A look at TNA’s financial situation, a preview of UFC 196, a review of Ring of Honor’s 14th Anniversary PPV, plus tons of news.
You can also order the print Observer right now and get it delivered to your door via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer
You can also order print issues at www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
Rates are:
For the United States, it is $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to moonsault@mediaplusint.com For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.
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.
Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.
Check out the latest Online Wrestling Observer BACK ISSUE: February 15, 1988 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: A Tale of Two Hebners
All the details on Hulk Hogan losing the WWF title to Andre the Giant in a historic angle, plus tons of news and notes.
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.
We’ve also got the weekly coverage of all the ratings of the major shows, results from the major league events held around the world, and the major TV show rundowns.
Also in this issue:
–Top matches on CMLL’s next major show
–One of the hottest singles programs in wrestling has its next chapter this week
–A look at the last Arena Mexico show including an angle too build for a big hair match
–The Elite group runs one of its first major stipulation matches
–Update on AAA tapings
–Champions Gate week notes for Dragon Gate
–NOAH making plans for a major show
–A look at NOAH’s Korakuen Hall show this past week and next show in the building
–Kenny Omega talks New Japan and The Elite
–Omega talks about when he first heard the guys were leaving New Japan for WWE
–A promotion threatens to fold if they don’t sellout their show and what happened
–Hall of Fame female star challenges Hall of Fame male star in Japan
–The durability of the late Giant Baba
–More on Stardom starting a streaming service
–Two longtime Japanese legends facing off for the first time in a match announced at a press conference this week
–DDT’s biggest show of 2016
–Notes on the debut of Akebono’s promotion
–Notes on the Hogan-Gawker lawsuit
–AXS pushing the arrival of Jim Ross
–Will PWG start streaming its shows?
–Jeff Jarrett announces a new business partner
–Will Ospreay teases his next move
–Notes on Eddie Einhorn, the co-owner of the Chicago White Sox and his role in pro wrestling in the 70s and 80s
–Notes on a 104 minute match
–Notes on all the names coming to Wrestlecon
–WXW 16 carat gold tournament notes for this year
–Former WWE performer gets married and what TV show it was taped for
–Big crowds for Carolinas nostalgia shows this past week
–Rey Mysterio works WWC in Puerto Rico leading to title match angle
–Famous wrestling building sold
–Statue being considered for one of the biggest stars of all-time
–Top drawing indie has major how this week
–Great Khali promotes shows that get major pub in India
–Lucha Underground with new deal
–Notes on the next ROH show
–Notes on the ROH television through mid-April
–Kurt Angle talks his last matches in TNA
–TNA lawsuit gets thrown out
–Sports Illustrated with unprecedented UFC coverage
–Lots of new UFC fights
–Former UFC fighter shot in attempted robbery
–Interesting Spike TV strategy to counter UFC
–How many people watched all the matches on the big Bellator show on Spike
–New Bellator bouts and coverage of the last show
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.
Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.
Rates are:
For the United States, it is $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to moonsault@mediaplusint.com For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.