The Bryan & Vinny & Craig Show is back tonight with tons to discuss! It’s our look back at the Retro Raw and Retro Nitro shows from 19 years ago this week! Bret forms his TEAM CANADA army for the first time, then wrestles THE ROCK in a dream match, and then Nitro falls off the rails with a disaster of a television show. A fun disaster, but a disaster nonetheless. A fun show as always so check it out~!
WWE has officially updated the plans for Sunday’s WrestleMania regarding where the different matches will air on the show.
As of right now, and this could change during the week, the Kalisto vs. Ryback U.S. title match will take place at about 4:30 p.m. Central time, 5:30 p.m. Eastern, and will be a WWE Network exclusive.
The USA Network and WWE Network one hour simulcast from 5-6 p.m. local time and 6-7 p.m. Eastern time, which will also air at WWE.com, the WWE app, and YouTube, will have the women’s ten person tag team match and the Usos vs. Dudleys match.
The 20 man Andre the Giant Battle Royal will now be on the WrestleMania PPV card.
The rest of the show has:
Triple H vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Title.
Shane McMahon vs. Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match where if Shane wins he gets control of Raw and Undertaker can never work another WrestleMania.
Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar in a no holds barred streetfight.
Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks for the WWE Divas Title.
New Day vs. League of Nations in a three-on-four match which is not for the WWE Tag Titles.
AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho.
Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Zack Ryder vs. Sin Cara vs. The Miz vs. Stardust in a ladder match for the Intercontinental Title.
Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez reviewed Raw on last night’s Wrestling Observer Radio, plus Bryan and Mike Sempervive discussed a number of possible big match finishes on today’s Wrestling Observer Live, both available now for subscribers.
The final Raw before WrestleMania did 3.77 million viewers, an 11 percent increase from near historical lows for non-football season posted for the show on 3/21 from Philadelphia.
A show that advertised every major character from WrestleMania appearing, including Vince McMahon, Undertaker, Brock Lesnar and Shane McMahon, from the Barclays Center, was down 10 percent from the WrestleMania go-home show last year which did a 3.03 rating and 4.19 million viewers. The 2014 go-home show did a 3.18 rating and 4.38 million viewers.
The ratings pattern was in line with the daylight savings time season, where the peak was in the second hour. There was a third hour drop, but it wasn’t as pronounced as many weeks, even though the only thing pushed for the end of the show was a segment involving HHH and Roman Reigns, who had already done two segments earlier in the show.
The three hours were:
8 p.m. 3.82 million viewers
9 p.m. 3.85 million viewers
10 p.m. 3.64 million viewers
Next week’s show is likely to be the highest rated Raw of the year, as that is the usual pattern for the day after WrestleMania. It is usually about two weeks after WrestleMania where the ratings settle into what ends up being the usual spring levels.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back today to talk all the news in wrestling and MMA including tons of thoughts on Raw, WrestleMania, match order on the biggest show of the year, the post-Mania Raw, JON JONES and so much more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Former UFC light heavyweight champion and No. 1 contender Jon Jones was arrested Tuesday for violation of his probation stemming from an altercation with a police officer last Thursday after he was pulled over and accused of drag racing.
Jones had claimed that he had just revved up his engine of his Corvette, and noted that he wasn’t speeding nor arrested for speeding. The entire confrontation was caught on tape, and has inspired a mixed reaction from fans and media.
Jones was taken into custody at 10 AM local time by the Probation & Parole department and taken to the detention center where he was being held at last word.
TMZ Sports first reported the story and posted Jones’ new mug shot. They also reported that EAG Sports, which represents Jones, issued a statement saying, “Jon and his team are taking this very seriously and we will let the legal process play out. We are confident he will be released once he has an opportunity to explain to the judge the facts in this case.”
Jones was sentenced to probation from his hit and run conviction last year, which resulted in his being stripped of his UFC light heavyweight championship. He has not fought since his January 2015 win over Daniel Cormier who subsequently defeated Anthony “Rumble” Johnson later in the year to win the vacant title. The Cormier vs. Jones rematch was scheduled to headline UFC’s next big show on 4/23 in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. At this time, no
statement has been made regarding if the arrest will affect this match.
Jones’ 18-month probation was not revoked when he got a recent traffic citation because of the feeling that was a minor charge, and Jones proved he had a license and registration, something he didn’t have in his possession when pulled over.
It was a day after his court case when it was agreed all charges would be dropped, pending him not getting in trouble over the next 90 days, when he was pulled over on the claim he was drag racing.
Jones was charged with drag racing, a noise disturbance violation, an illegible license plate, exhibition driving and an inability to maintain being in a traffic lane, which was considered a probation violation.
The UFC released a statement saying, “UFC is aware that Jon Jones turned himself into the Albuquerque Police Department this morning for a potential probation violation stemming from a traffic stop last week. UFC has been in touch with Jones’ legal team and will have no further comment until the organization has had appropriate time to gather necessary information.”
1922
St. Louis, Missouri:
– World Heavyweight champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis beat Jim Londos in 2 out of 3 falls
– Ivan Linow and Wladek Zbyszko drew
– Al Wasem beat Chester McCormack
1933
Los Angeles, California:
– Ray Steele won the California Heavyweight Title by defeating Jim McMillen
1939
Boston, Massachusetts:
– Steve Casey won the American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title (not the Verne Gagne promotion) by defeating Gus Sonnenberg
1947
St. Joseph, Missouri:
– Roy Graham beat Vic Christy to capture the MWA World Heavyweight Title in 2 out of 3 falls
– Dan O’Connor beat Jack Kennedy 2 out of 3 falls
– Marshall Esteppe beat Michele Leone by dq
– Albert Alexinis and Abe Yourist drew
1955
Portland, Oregon:
– Bulldog Curtis and Tommy Martinez defeated Kurt Von Poppenheim and Leo Wallick to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Titles
1956
Toronto, Ontario:
– Pat O’Connor defeated Lord Athol Layton for the vacant Toronto NWA British Empire Heavyweight Title
1960
Nashville, Tennessee:
– Karl and Kurt Von Brauner defeated Tex Riley and Len Rossi for the Mid-America NWA World Tag Team Titles
1961
Columbus, Georgia:
– Guy Mitchell defeated Skull Murphy for the Georgia NWA Southern Heavyweight Title
1962
Jacksonville, Florida:
– Don Curtis and Joe Scarpa (Chief Jay Strongbow) defeated Karl and Kurt Von Brauner to win the Florida NWA World Tag Team Titles
1969
Boston, Massachusetts:
– WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino defeated The Sheik in a steel cage match
1972
– Jim Barnett’s Mid-South Sports changed its name to Georgia Championship Wrestling
1973
Chattanooga, Tennessee:
– Ben Justice and Tojo Yamamoto won the Mid-America NWA World Tag Team Titles from The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Don Kent)
Kansas City, Kansas:
– Omar Atlas & Abe Jacobs defeated Mickey Doyle & Jim Dalton in two straight falls
– Bob Brown defeated Mike George
– Roger Kirby defeated Bob Geigel via DQ in three falls
– Handicap Match: Rufus R. Jones defeated Togo the Great & Percival A. Friend
– Harley Race defeated Dory Funk, Sr.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:
– The Brute (Bugsy McGraw) defeated Gene Kiniski to win the Vancouver NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title
1974
Houston, Texas:
– NWA Champion Jack Brisco beat Wahoo McDaniel
– AWA Tag Team Champions Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel beat Ernie Ladd & Ron Pritchard
– Bob Roop beat Bull Ramos
– Jose Lothario beat Roger Kirby
– Blackjack Lanza beat Doug Somers
– Blackjack Mulligan beat Jerry Oates
1976
Tulsa, Oklahoma:
– Buck Robley and Bob Slaughter (Sgt. Slaughter) defeated The Hollywood Blonds (Jerry Brown and Buddy Roberts) for the Tri-State NWA United States Tag Team Titles
1977
Macon, Georgia:
– Mr. Wrestling II defeated James Dillon for the NWA Macon Heavyweight Title
1978
Miami, Florida:
– NWA Florida Television Champion Pedro Morales defeated Carl Cook to retain the title
– NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion Dick Slater defeated Rocky Johnson to retain the title
– NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco defeated Bob Roop to retain the title
– NWA Florida United States Tag Team Champions Mike Graham and Steve Keirn defeated NWA Florida Tag Team Champions Mr. Saito and Mr. Sato (The Great Kabuki) by countout to retain the title
– Dusty Rhodes defeated Killer Karl Kox in a steel cage match
1979
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:
– Salvatore Martino (Bellomo) defeated Gene Kiniski to win the Vancouver NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title
1980
Charlotte, North Carolina:
– Ray Stevens and Greg Valentine defeated Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood for the NWA World Tag Team Titles
Atlanta, Georgia:
– Austin Idol defeated Mr. Wrestling II to win the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship
1981
Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
– Angelo (King Kong) Mosca defeated Jimmy (Superfly) Snuka counted out to retain the Canadian title
– Andre the Giant pinned Hulk Hogan
– Sweet Ebony Diamond won over Bad Bob Duncum
– The Great Hossien and Swede Hanson won their tag team match over George Wells and Johnny Weaver
– Tony Parisi won by default over Mr Fugi
– The Destroyer and Frankie Laine battled to a 15 minute draw
1982
Fort Worth, Texas:
– Bugsy McGraw defeated José Lothario to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
West Palm Beach, Florida:
– Terry Allen and Jerry Brisco defeated Derek Draper and Hiro Matsuda
– Brian Blair and Avalanche Tyler fought to a 15-minute time-limit draw
– Mike Graham defeated NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion David Von Erich by disqualification
– Kendo Nagasaki pinned Sweet Brown Sugar
– Gran Apolo pinned Ciclon Negro in a brass knuckles match
– Hacksaw Reed defeated NWA International Heavyweight Champion Dory Funk, Jr. by reverse dq
1984
Lakeland, Florida:
– Billy Jack (Haynes) defeated Kendo Nagasaki (Kazuo Sakurada) for the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
Kansas City, Kansas:
– The Grapplers defeated Jerry and Ted Oates to win the vacant NWA Central States Tag Team Titles
1987
Wrestlemania III: Detroit, Michigan:
– Ricky Steamboat (with George Steele) pinned WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) to win the title
– The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) defeated The Magnificent Muraco and Bob Orton (with Mr. Fuji)
– Billy Jack Haynes fought Hercules to a double-countout
– Hillbilly Jim, The Haiti Kid and Little Beaver defeated King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook by disqualification in a Mixed Tag Team match
– King Harley Race (with Bobby Heenan and WWF Women’s Champion The Fabulous Moolah) pinned The Junkyard Dog in a Loser Must Bow match,
– The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine (with Dino Bravo and Johnny V) defeated The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond)
– Roddy Piper defeated Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) in a Hair vs. Hair match
– The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) and Danny Davis (with Jimmy Hart) defeated The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) and Tito Santana
– Butch Reed (with Slick) pinned Koko B. Ware
– The Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart) pinned Jake Roberts (with Alice Cooper)
– The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (with Slick) defeated The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell) by disqualification
– WWF Champion Hulk Hogan pinned André the Giant (with Bobby Heenan) to retain the title
1993
Memphis, Tennessee:
– Lauren Davenport defeated USWA Women’s Champion Miss Texas to win the title
– The Moondogs (Splat and Spot) defeated USWA Tag Team Champions Brian Christopher and Scotty Flamingo to win the USWA Tag Team Titles
– The Harlem Knights (Bobby and Nelson Knight) defeated USWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett and USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler by disqualification
– WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels defeated USWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett
1994
London, England:
– Men on a Mission (Mabel and Mo) defeated The Quebecers (Jacques and Pierre) to win the WWF Tag Team Titles
1997
Memphis, Tennessee:
– Brian Christopher defeated Elijah to win the USWA Heavyweight Title
– Flash Flanagan and Billy Travis won the USWA Tag Team Titles from The Truth Commission (The Interrogator and Recon)
1998
Wrestlemania XIV: Boston, Massachusetts:
– WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Taka Michinoku pinned Águila to retain the title
– WWF European Champion Triple H pinned Owen Hart to retain the title
– Marc Mero and Sable defeated The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust and Luna in a Mixed Tag Team match
– WWF Intercontinental Champion The Rock defeated Ken Shamrock by reverse disqualification to retain the title
– Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie (Terry Funk) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg) in a Dumpster match to win the title
– Steve Austin pinned WWF Champion Shawn Michaels to win the title
– The Undertaker pinned Kane (with Paul Bearer)
2003
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
– Balls Mahoney defeated NOSAWA in a Falls Count Anywhere match
– Homicide defeated Xavier
– 3PW Heavyweight Champion Gary Wolfe defeated Joey Matthews to retain the title
– Jasmin St. Claire defeated Missy Hyatt in a Panties and Pasties match
– Terry Funk defeated Abdullah the Butcher and Dusty Rhodes in a three-way Last Man Standing match
2015
Wrestlemania 31: Santa Clara, California:
– Daniel Bryan won the Intercontinental Title in a Ladder Match
– Randy Orton defeated Seth Rollins
– Triple H defeated Sting
– John Cena defeated Rusev (with Lana) to retain the United States Title
– The Undertaker defeated Bray Wyatt
– WWE World Heavyweight Title Match: Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to win the title after pinning Roman Reigns in a match with Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman)
Notes from Leon Peters and Peter Troiano from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY
Superstars:
– Jack Swagger defeated Tyler Breeze. This was a fun 10-12 minute match. Swagger won clean pin via Swagger Bomb
Main Event:
– Ryback defeated Fandango after the Shellshock.
Smackdown (airing Wednesday in Canada and Thursday in the U.S.):
– AJ Styles defeated Heath Slater (with Axel, Dallas & Rose in his corner). Even with the building still not full, there was a big reaction and chants for AJ. Clean pin for Styles with the springboard forearm.
– D-Von Dudley (with Bubba Ray) defeated Jey Uso (with Jimmy Uso) after hitting a spinebuster.
– Dean Ambrose defeated Erick Rowan (with Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman) after hitting Dirty Deeds. Bray and Strowman went backstage after their entrance.
There was no post-show dark match. It was a long night of wrestling and people were drained by the end.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back today with tons to talk about including full results from the go-home edition of Raw, the post-Raw Daniel Bryan special on the WWE Network, tons of news on WWE, Lucha Underground, Jon Jones, GSP and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Just a few hours after Hulk Hogan was awarded another $25.1 million in punitive damages by a Pinellas County, Florida jury, the concussion-themed lawsuits against WWE took a major hit last week after a 71 page ruling by Connecticut Federal District Court Judge Vanessa L. Bryant. The wrestlers/plaintiffs did have a minor win in there: Vito Lograsso and Evan Singleton didn’t have their cases thrown out, in part thanks to Bryant buying the argument that WWE’s outreach to former talent tolls (extends) the statute of repose (more strict than a statute of limitations). But by and large, this was a victory for WWE. Right before the judge agreed with WWE’s argument that they should be protected “under the contact sports exception they could only be held liable for reckless and intentional conduct, and not ordinary negligence,” she wrote this:
Filthy Four Daily with Bryan Alvarez and Tom Lawlor is back today with tons to talk about! We’ve got a WrestleMania weekend preview, Tom’s weekly TNA Impact TV report, tons of notes on UFC in New York and Jon Jones’ latest incident, and so much more! A fun show as always so check it out~!