Joanie Laurer, who was one of the most recognizable stars during the period that pro wrestling has its most mainstream significance in the last 60 years, best known as Chyna, was found dead on 4/20 at her home in Redondo Beach, CA. She was 46.
Category: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
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March 22, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WCW Uncensored review, Hogan/Flair double turn, history of Flair’s title wins, tons more
It took all of 70 seconds for the Ric Flair-Hulk Hogan double turn to take place at the WCW Uncensored PPV show on 3/14 at Freedom Hall in Louisville, and by the end of the match, Hogan had been screwed so many times by bad officiating that the turn was complete, even with the stipulation of Flair having to retire should he lose.
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April 25, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Conor McGregor announces retirement, TNA sale imminent
In just three sentences, the entire world of MMA may have changed.
UFC was planning its biggest set of shows in history, built around a Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz fight, which was expected to be the biggest money event in company history.
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March 15, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF wins Monday night ratings war, UFC 19 results, plus tons of news
The Monday Night Wars can officially be declared over. The World Wrestling Federation lost a few battles over the nearly four years, but has now won the war.
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April 18, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Blackjack Mulligan and Balls Mahoney pass away, NJPW Invasion Attack
During the 70s and 80s, Blackjack Mulligan was one of the legendary characters in pro wrestling, a man whose life and career had major ups and just as legendary downs.
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March 8, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF faces backlash for being risque, WCW’s Renegade passes away, tons more
With the deluge of media publicity, including a cover story in USA Today, a two-part series on “Inside Edition” and even being the topic of conversation on the TV show “Politically Incorrect” and with an ESPN “Outside the Lines” segment scheduled for later this month, both WWF and WCW have taken separate directions that will no doubt determine the future of the wrestling industry in the United States.
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April 11, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: A look at a historic Wrestlemania weekend, NXT Takeover
There has never been anything in the history of pro wrestling quite like this past weekend.
Never have more fans attended more events, nor has more talent been in the same place then in Dallas.
The difference in one year was amazing. Last year, in the San Jose area, WrestleMania came to town, people came from all over the world, and events were held throughout the city in conjunction with the weekend. There was an awareness that WrestleMania was in town, but it was more a tourist event and in the city itself, the interest was nothing compared to a major sports event. There were only about 15,000 tickets sold within a 100 mile radius of Santa Clara for last year’s show, but it still broke the company’s gate and merchandise records and most of the events put on by other companies did well.
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March 1, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WCW ratings cause panic, Super Brawl
After the biggest gap in the history of the Monday night ratings on 2/15, WCW went into its own version of a panic attack with morale hitting rock bottom.
Everyone was pointing fingers everywhere, as when the ratings came in, nobody could any longer pretend the new concept of pro wrestling television started one week featuring bad mini-movies that the announcers live don’t see was a success.
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April 4, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Wrestlemania 32 preview, Jon Jones arrested
WrestleMania 32 on 4/3 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas is far from the strongest WrestleMania lineup in history, and is likely not to be remembered as the biggest, but it caps off what looks to be the biggest weekend of shows in one location in history.
At press time, WrestleMania had 85,000 tickets out for $13.5 million, both records. There have been virtually no primary outlet sales in the last week because almost no tickets are left. There may be some seats released at the last minute after production is moved in and seats are opened, but the real attendance figure won’t be much above this figure.
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February 22, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: ECW having financial problems, St. Valentine’s Day Massacre review, more
With the recent spate of bounced checks, questions are being asked about the future and current financial condition of Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Paul Heyman, the group’s owner, is somewhat responsible for many of the concepts that ushered in the current era of pro wrestling. For the most part Heyman and ECW have been unable to share in the financial rewards and media publicity garnered by WWF and WCW as they took his ideas to reverse their financially money losing enterprises into very profitable businesses.