Shinsuke Nakamura will not be dropping the IC title to Kenny Omega after all.
New Japan announced tonight that they are stripping Nakamura of the championship, and that Omega will face a mystery man in the main event of the New Beginnings in Niigata on February 14th to fill the vacancy.
Nakamura will continue to appear on New Japan shows for the rest of the month, with his final match on the January 30th show at Korakuen Hall. That show will have an All-Star main event with Hiroshi Tanahashi & Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Nakamura & Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii. New Japan starts back on Sunday with the Fantastica Mania tour.
Nakamura becomes the second major champion of a foreign promotion who has headed to WWE without dropping the title on the way out, following Alberto Del Rio, the AAA champion, not doing so in October.
New Japan also officially announced the Okada vs. Goto IWGP title match will take place on February 11th in Osaka, as had been expected. Other matches announced for that show are Young Bucks defending the IWGP jr. tag titles in a three-way against Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly and Matt Sydal & Ricochet, Shibata vs. Ishii for the Never Open weight title and Mark & Jay Briscoe & Toru Yano defending the Never trios titles against Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi.
The IC title was one of two major championships in Japan announced as vacant today. Due to Suwama, the Triple Crown champion from All Japan, suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon yesterday, that championship has also been vacated with a Kento Miyahara vs. Zeus announced to fill the vacancy.
Forget about Conor McGregor, Rafael dos Anjos, Holly Holm, and Miesha Tate: Tom Lawlor is coming to March’s UFC 197.
First announced on his weekly Monday podcast with Bryan Alvarez, the UFC light heavyweight revealed that verbal agreements have been made for a fight against past TUF winner and light heavyweight prospect Corey Anderson on Saturday, March 5th in Las Vegas.
The 32-year-old (10-5-0-1) returned to action last July after a two-year absence due to various injuries, knocking out Gian Villante in the second round for his second straight victory. The 26-year-old Anderson (7-1) will also be looking to extend a two-fight win streak and improve his Octagon mark to 5-1 in the process. Coincidentally, Anderson was a November injury replacement for Lawlor against Fabio Maldonado when Lawlor had to pull out due to a concussion suffered in training.
While not yet officially announced, UFC 197 has been rumored to feature featherweight champion McGregor gunning for his second title against lightweight champion dos Anjos with women’s bantamweight champion Holm vs. Tate in the co-main event.
We’re looking for your thoughts on Friday night’s TNA PPV 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 live reports from Raw tonight in New Orleans. Nothing has been announced for the show past the return of Brock Lesnar.
We’re also looking for reports from the Lucha Underground tapings this past weekend to Dave Meltzer
Smackdown and Main Event tapings will be Tuesday in Lafayette, LA.
If you’ve ever wanted to WATCH our radio shows here on the site, check out our new Youtube page! No full video shows, but lots of video clips, full free audio shows that you can tell your friends about, and much more to come! Make sure you subscribe today! We have have clips of the post Summer Slam / Super China Buffet show featuring a lengthy Brent Kremen discussion, as well as clips from the X-Mas show. This is a soft launch but we will be releasing much more shortly.
In the biggest news week in a long time, we’ve got a double issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter this week, covering John Cena’s injury, New Japan stars headed to WWE, a major feature looking at the year that past in pro wrestling and MMA and the year coming up, WWE direction for WrestleMania season, Tokyo Dome coverage, Rizin debut coverage, TNA changes and UFC 195.
Our lead story talks about John Cena’s injury and the injury issues in WWE with more notes on the training program being used. All the news regarding wrestlers leaving New Japan, who’s been contacted, different roles, the various schedules for different guys, other negotiations, what led to these moves, what New Japan needs to learn from this, affects on ROH, and other ideas for New Japan to break out of its standard mentality.
UFC in 2016, the success of the women’s division, UFC business review, big fights on the horizon, the state of WWE in 2015 and 2016, different fan bases, rise of NXT, where New Japan has failed on the international scene, plus AAA, CMLL, Bellator, TNA and ROH prospects in 2016.
Full coverage of New Japan’s Tokyo Dome show, match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results, the big angles, Okada’s prospects as the top star, the next big programs on the horizon, big show plans for 2016, the Fanstastica Mania tour lineup and thoughts, New Year’s Dash coverage.
The changes to this year’s Royal Rumble and scout the possibilities and big matches on the horizon for Mania, and the return of Chris Jericho.
WWE Network, John Cena on Peyton Manning and HGH, football coach trying to recruit WWE for Mania, portrayal of Joseph Maroon in the “Concussion”, lots of details on new Dwayne Johnson projects, Lesnar’s schedule, a look at 50/50 booking, Reaction to HHH circumventing his own angle, February NXT, WrestleMania plans, Jericho talks current interview style, WWE looking for new stars around the world, Dusty Rhodes tag team tournament, WWE injury updates, Austin TV show.
A complete look at the debut of the Rizin promotion, details on the ratings and how it compares to WWE & UFC, the Masato vs. Kid Yamamoto show in competition, boxing in competition, Spike TV numbers, Fedor’s return, the freak show fights and what did and didn’t work on the first two shows.
UFC 195, with match-by-match coverage, poll results and business regarding the show, a look at all the close decisions and why they went the way they did.
TNA’s debut on Pop TV, the ratings, the title tournament, who was watching, the PPV show this week, the Mike Bennett debut, the James Storm return, the departure of Taryn Terrell and the good and bad of the latest relaunch.
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
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.
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Bloody Elbow has a storyabout Royce Gracie being investigated by the IRS for having over $3 million wired from foreign banks to U.S. banks for various purposes including purchases of real estate. The investigation also stated Royce Gracie filed tax returns from 2008 to 2011 showing minimal taxable income. His family filed an earned income credit, which goes to low income working families, which was suspicious since he is a celebrity in MMA and his wife is a doctor. The government is seeking $1.1 million in back taxes.
Tonight’s college football game is expected to be considerably down in the ratings from last year. Still, given the game will outdraw every NFL game this season, Raw could be near record lows. There is only one Raw after tonight before the Royal Rumble, so we should have all the key matches announced. Really, we should have had most of them last week.
The Sports Business Daily had a report that the NFL is looking at splitting up its Thursday night package and selling it to two or three different networks next season and that the league may expand to 17 Thursday night games, which would greatly affect fall Smackdown ratings.
Tammy Sytch plea bargained to a guilty plea on three DUI charges stemming from a June 1 arrest and is scheduled for a 1/29 sentencing.
WWE
Jason Jordan & Chad Gable are backstage at Raw, although I’d expect if they were to wrestle it would be for a dark match.
The Stone Cold Podcast with Ric Flair (which was taped some time back) airs after Raw tonight.
Daddy’s Home, with John Cena in a cameo, was No. 3 at the U.S. box office this past week with $15,015,465 in its third week out, and has topped $116 million domestic. Sisters, where he had a bigger role, was No. 5, at $7,189,455 and has done just under $75 million in four weeks out. In Australia, Sisters was No. 3 this weekend, Daddy’s Home was No. 4 and Spectre (Bautista) was No. 11) (thanks to James Stanios)
Dwayne Johnson was a presenter last night for the Best Supporting Actress award at last night’s Golden Globes.
Local promoters Evenko announced a 3/11 house show in Montreal, with tickets going on sale at Noon on Saturday, which will feature Brock Lesnar in his first match in Montreal since 2003. What’s notable is that is the day before the WWE Network special in Toronto. Lesnar has not been announced for Toronto but it wouldn’t make sense for Lesnar to work a Montreal house show but not a Toronto network special. The names listed, the rest of which should almost surely be on the Toronto special, are Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Alberto Del Rio and Kevin Owens. (thanks to Pat Laprade)
WWE stock was up 13 cents per share today to $16.43.
Gabe Sapolsky reported that William Regal would be coming to the Evolve show on 1/23 in Orlando “with a purpose.”
The Wall Street Journal today had a small ad in the weekend edition looking for people who have archival items related to Gorgeous George, particularly photos or home movies for a documentary. The e-mail address to contact is gorgeousgeo32415@gmail.com (thanks to Robert Steinberg)
UFC/MMA
UFC had wanted to announce the Conor McGregor vs. Rafael dos Anjos and Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate during halftime of the Packers-Redskins game, which drew 38.8 million (the most watched television show of any kind since last year’s Super Bowl). But apparently the deal wasn’t closed in time, although all indications is the story that it was McGregor’s side that held it up are incorrect and McGregor’s deal is set.
Ticketmaster has just put up the page for UFC 197 listing it as 3/5 in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The belief is that the hold-up, coming to terms with Rafael dos Anjos, has been worked out. Tickets are listed as going on sale on 1/20.
There are two changes in Sunday’s card in Boston. Jimy Hettes is out of his featherweight fight with Charles Rosa, and taking the fight with no camp at all is Augusto Mendes (5-0), making his UFC debut. Also out of Sunday’s show is Abdul-Kerim Edlov, a light heavyweight, who was to face Francimar Barroso. He’s being replaced by Elvis Mutapcic (15-3), also making his UFC debut. Mutapcic has been fighting for World Series of Fighting.
A note on Sunday’s show is that it will start at the usual 8 p.m. with prelims, but it’s only scheduled for four plus hours of television instead of five plus, so the main event should start around 11:40 p.m. instead of the usual 12:40 a.m. main event start on FS 1 shows. To make up the difference, the show itself starts one hour earlier and there will be five Fight Pass bouts.
Here’s a story on Conor McGregor pay. While he will get an enormous payday, I think the predictions of 1.5 million buys on 3/5 sound high.
World Series of Fighting announced Justin Gaethje, the company’s top star, will defend his lightweight title against tournament winner Brian Foster on 3/12 in Loveland, CO. The show airs live on NBC Sports Network.
MISCELLANEOUS
Paragon Pro Wrestling announced it would air on 1/16 on the MSG Network in a Saturday at 5 a.m. Eastern time slot. PPW was formerly on Pop TV until Pop made its deal with TNA..
John Rocker of the Atlanta Braves, who has done some indie work in Georgia, was at the WrestleMerica TV tapings on Friday night in Barnesville, GA that A.J. Styles and Doc Gallows headlined. Their next show is 2/20 called Night of Legends, headlined by the Rock & Roll Express.
Michael “Venom” Page, one of the guys Scott Coker has been trying to build in Bellator, who has a 9-0 record, will be in he semifinal on a 3/4 show in Thackerville, OK, where he faces Fernando Gonzalez (24-13). The show is headlined by wrestling standouts Joe Warren vs. Darion Caldwell.
In a note regarding the update yesterday on Lucha Extreme not airing because KAIL TV moved its base. It is true that KAIL did move its base but nobody knows why that would affect a taped wrestling show unless tapes were lost in the move.
Maryland Championship Wrestling on 1/23 in Joppa, MD with the Hardys, with King McBride vs. Matt Hardy, who will have Jeff in his corner. Not sure how that works out with Matt’s heel turn on TNA and feud with Jeff and when it airs.
Rock Solids Wrestling Brawl in the Falls on 2/13 in Dowling, ONT with Cody Deaner as the headliner at the Dowling Leisure Centre.
AAW on 1/15 in Merrionette Park, IL at 115 Bourbon Street with Eddie Kingston vs Trevor Lee for the AAW title, Davey Vega vs. AR Fox for the AAW Heritage title, Sami Callihan vs. Chris Hero, Abyss vs. Rya Boz, Devin & Mason Cutter vs. Zero Gravity, Louis Lyndon vs. Drew Gulak plus Kongo Kong, Shane Hollister, Heidi Lovelace, Allysin Kay and more.
Smash vs. CZW takes place on Saturday night in Toronto at the Franklin Horner Community Centre with Sami Callihan (CZW) vs. Johnny Gargano (Smash), BLK Jeez & Pepper Parks & Mike Rollins (CZW) vs. Super Smash Brothers & Brent Banks (Smash), D.J. Hyde (CZW) vs. Scotty O’Shea (Smash), Jonathan Gresham (CZW) vs. Tyson Dux (Smash), Drew Gulak (CZW) vs. Tarik (Smash) and more.
CZW’s 17th anniversary show is 2/13 in Voorhees, NJ at Flyers Skate Zone with Matt Tremont vs. Devon Moore in a ladder match for the CZW title and Pepper Parks & BLK Jeez defending the tag team titles against Dan Barry & Bill Carr, Lio Rush vs. Joey Janela and Speedball Mike Bailey vs. Sami Callihan.
XICW on Saturday night in Clinton Township, MI: Kyle Maverick b Jacob Mercury, Zach Gowen won over Gavin Quinn, Idris Abraham and Willie Watts, Joe Coleman b Jay Maynard, Joe Coleman won over Palmer Cruise and Xavier Walker, Little Guido & The Scarbonis b Jaimy Coxxx & Jeff Brooks & Dickie Bronson, Haki Zane b Kongo Kong-COR, Rhino b Bob Holly, DBA & Malcolm Monroe III b Dave Crist & Zachary Wents, Jake Something b Orlando Christopher (thanks to Leonard Brand)
Nova Pro Wrestling on 1/31 in Springfield, VA at the Annandale Sports Center featuring Sonjay Dutt and the Bravado Brothers.
Premier Championship Wrestling from the weekend in Winnipeg: Shao Ming b Jacob Creed, Jay Walker b Adrian Barton, Chad Tatum b Michael Clark, Scott Justice b Alix Vanna, Mentallo b Antonio Scorpio, Jackie Lee b Alexander Prime. Next show is 2/27 (thanks to Andrew Shallcross)
After a successful TV taping the other Sunday – at which they bizarrely announced they would be producing action figures! – Revolution Pro-Wrestling is gear up for their first big show of the year, next Saturday’s High Stakes at the York Hall in Bethnal Green. Main eventing the show is what will likely to turn out to be the final non-WWE appearance in the UK by AJ Styles, who is defending his Undisputed British Heavyweight title against Zack Sabre Jr, who seems to be upping the amount of dates he’s doing in the UK of late.
RevPro run the York Hall three times a year, and last year’s final show – Uprising – featured eleven New Japan stars as part of a formal agreement between the two promotions which should hopefully see some of the UK’s top wrestlers get a chance to go over to New Japan. Also on the High Stakes card is a rematch from the TV taping’s Undisputed British Cruiserweight tournament final, as champion Pete Dunne takes on “Flash” Morgan Webster, a Will Ospreay versus Marty Scurll warm-up before their PROGRESS title match a week later, and the UK debut of “Speedball” Mike Bailey. As one of the UK’s “big three”, RevPro’s shows are always worth looking out for, and the results of this one will be eagerly awaited.
2) If you liked “one fall!”, how about “one show”?
Yes, for some odd reason, in the middle of blockbuster January – the last weekend in the month alone has over 25 shows scheduled – there was only one show this week – another of Insane Championship Wrestling’s Friday Night Fight Club TV tapings at the Garage nightclub in Glasgow, Scotland. The exclusive content taped for their ICW On Demand service – which, I’m reliably informed is actually unexclusively free to non-subscribers for the first 24 hours – has been a shining light in the winter gloom these past few weeks, and this week’s show was no different.
The latest taping was dominated by heel stable The 55 (who, for the uninitiated, play on the percentage of Scots who rejected independence in 2014’s referendum), with tag-team champions Sha Samuels & Kid Fite retaining their titles against Mikey Whiplash & Tommy End, and the whole group attacking not only babyface hero Joe Coffey after the main event, but also ICW owner Mark Dallas. With Grado & Galloway over in Pennsylvania, the rest of the roster got the chance to step up and shine, and by the sounds of the slobberknocker between Jimmy Havoc and Big Damo, they did just that.
3) The Brits returned on TNA.
Although we’re very much focussed on what goes on over here in the UK, we also like to keep an eye out for what our talent is up to overseas. This past week’s TNA tapings heavily featured Drew Galloway, who formed an alliance with the soon-to-depart Kurt Angle, as well as the usual antics from Bram, Rockstar Spud, Mark Andrews (who did a must-see spot with a skateboard that will make you forget the Dynamic Dudes ever existed), and Grado in a Monster’s Ball match with Abyss, which included barbed-wire and thumb tacks (or “drawing pins” as we call them in the UK).
While all but Galloway (and, to a lesser extent, Bram) are used in a way that disappoints most British fans of their work, the exposure they receive benefits both them and the promotions they work for in the UK, and so we swallow it down like bad medicine (cue Dr Wagner Jr earworm). In the case of Andrews, and after a year in which he based himself in Nashville and did few UK shots, he’s upping his UK dates this year, appearing regularly for the ATTACK!-Pro promotion he helped to create and getting a shot at the PROGRESS tag-team titles at the upcoming Chapter 25: Chat Sh*t, Get Banged.
4) I get things wrong.
I told you last week about the ultra-ambitious (in a good way!) upcoming show from Pro-Wrestling Chaos, running a 3000-seater hall in Bristol for an exclusive English date by The Young Bucks. Well, in amongst all that, I got the date wrong. The show is on April 9th, not April 8th as I wrote last week. Apologies for that, Chaos lads. They have another show coming up next month, with Grado, Trevor Lee, and UK legend Johnny Kidd joining all the usual regulars, and you should check their website for details.
Chris Jericho’s podcasts are an acquired taste for some, but when he gets a good guest with lots to say, they’re essential listening. This week he had British wrestling legend and NXT trainer Robbie Brookside on the show, and gave his guest the room to speak at length about his career. It must have been an eye-opener for US fans of the show to hear tales of Terry Rudge and Scrubber Daly, as well as a spot-on impression of All-Star promoter Brian Dixon, but long-time UK fans will have emerged from it basking in the warm glow of nostalgia. One day someone will write a proper book on all this, and I hope they go to Brookside for first-hand material.
Cleveland, Ohio: – Tom Jenkins defeated Dan McLeod to win the American Heavyweight Title
1954
Hollywood, California: – Wilbur Snyder defeated Mr. Moto for the NWA Beat the Champ International Television Title
Augusta, Georgia: – Don McIntyre defeated Ray Villmer to win the Georgia NWA Southern Heavyweight Title
Portland, Oregon: – Ivan and Soldat Gorky defeated Carl Engstrom and David Jonnes for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Titles
1957
Akron, Ohio: – Buddy Rogers defeated Johnny Barend to win the NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Title
Atlanta, Georgia: – Jerry Graham defeated Chief Big Heart to win the Georgia NWA Southern Heavyweight Title
1962
– Bob Ellis and Johnny Valentine defeated The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan) to win the Northeast NWA United States Tag Team Titles
1963
Houston, Texas: – Rip Hawk defeated El Medico II to win the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title
Dothan, Alabama: – Jack Curtis, Jr. and Jan Madrid defeated Bad Boy and Billy Hines to win the Gulf Coast NWA Southern Tag Team Titles
1965
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: – Don Leo Jonathan and Gene Kiniski defeated The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan) for the Vancouver NWA Canadian Tag Team Titles
1966
Nashville, Tennessee: – Mario Milano and Len Rossi won the Mid-America NWA Southern Tag Team Title, defeating the Mysterious Medics and Kanji (Antonio) Inoki & Hiro Matsuda in a tournament
Sioux City, Iowa: – Verne Gagne beat AWA Champion Mad Dog Vachon – Mr Wrestling Tim Woods beat Haru Sasaki dq – Billy Red Cloud beat Bob Brown – Mitsu Arakawa drew Reggie Parks
1968
Kansas City, Kansas: – Sonny Myers defeated Jack Pesek – Steve Bolus defeated Stan the Moose via DQ – Klondike Bill & Ronnie Etchison defeated Bob Geigel & Bob Brown in three falls to win the North American Tag Team Title
1974
Atlanta, Georgia: – Mr. Wrestling II defeated Ron Fuller to win the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title
1975
Caguas, Puerto Rico: – Dick Steinborn won the WWC World Junior Heavyweight Title by defeating Carlos Colon
1978
Honolulu, Hawaii: – Indian Death Match: Tor Kamata beat Billy Whitewolf – AWA Tag Team Champions Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell beat Blackjack Lanza & Bobby Duncum – Hawaiian Champion Steve Strong beat Missing Link Pampero Firpo – Rick Martel beat Rocky Tomayo – John Tolos & Bill Francis beat Bruce Brown & Chris Markoff
1979
San Antonio, Texas: – Dale Valentine defeated Tully Blanchard to win the Southwest Championship Wrestling Southwest Television Title
Little Rock, Arkansas: – Ron Bass defeated Ray Candy to win the NWA Arkansas Heavyweight Title
1980
Houston, Texas: – Mr. Hito and Mr. Sakurada defeated El Halcan and Jose Lothario for the World Class American Tag Team Title
1981
Dallas, Texas: – Bruiser Brody and Kerry Von Erich won the World Class American Tag Team Title by defeating Gino Hernandez and Gary Young
Monterrey, Mexico: – Centurion Negro defeated Jungle Negra for the UWA World Middleweight Title
1984
Tampa, Florida: – Mike Davis and Mike Rotundo defeated Ron Bass and The One Man Gang for the Florida NWA United States Tag Team Title
1985
Dallas, Texas: – The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton) defeated The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) to win the World Class American Tag Team Title
Columbus, Ohio: – Ole Anderson and Thunderbolt Patterson defeated The Long Riders (Bill and Scott Irwin) for the NWA National Tag Team Title
1986
Atlanta, Georgia: – Sam Houston defeated Krusher Khrushchev to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title
1987
Memphis, Tennessee: – Jeff Jarrett and Billy Travis defeated The Rock ‘n’ Roll RPM’s (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane) for the AWA Southern Tag Team Title
1988
Birmingham, Alabama: – Jonathan Boyd defeated Ranger Ross to win the NWA Alabama Heavyweight Title
1991
East Rutherford, New Jersey: – Ric Flair pinned NWA World Heavyweight Champion Sting to win the title (title become the WCW World Heavyweight Championship) – Arn Anderson and Barry Windham defeated WCW World Tag Team Champions Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons) in a non-title steel cage match
1993
Atlanta, Georgia: – Dustin Rhodes defeated NWA and WCW World Tag Team Champion Ricky Steamboat by countout to win the vacant NWA and WCW United States Heavyweight Titles
Memphis, Tennessee: – Brian Christopher defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the USWA Heavyweight Title – The Moondogs (Spike and Spot) defeated Ron and Don Harris for the USWA Tag Team Title
2003
West Miffin, Pennsylvania: – Low Ki and A.J. Styles defeated ROH Tag Team Champion Christopher Daniels and ROH Heavyweight Champion Xavier in a No Holds Barred match – Samoa Joe defeated Bryan Danielson
2009
Orlando, Florida: – Alex Shelly defeated Chris Sabin to win the X Division Championship – Beer Money won the TNA Tag Team Championship over Jay Lethal & Consequences Creed and Matt Morgan & Abyss
WWE officially announced today that Sting will headline its 2016 Hall of Fame Class to be inducted Wrestlemania weekend in Dallas, TX. He was expected to be the lead inductee this year given he lives near Dallas and that the timing worked out.
Steve “Sting” Borden was one of the biggest stars in pro wrestling during the 1990s with WCW, where he was a six-time WCW world champion and two time International world champion. He was also a two-time NWA champion and four time TNA champion.
Borden started his career working for Jerry Jarrett in late 1985 after only a few weeks of training under Red Bastien and Billy Anderson, as Power Team USA. He was discovered working in a Southern California gym by Rick Bassman, who was trying to put together a group of bodybuilders to capitalize on the popularity of the Road Warriors. Borden and Jim Hellwig, who became the Ultimate Warrior, left the camp and Bassman on their own after sending photos to all the different promotions. Only Jarrett responded, but the team only lasted a few weeks before Jarrett got rid of them.
Bill Watts hired the two based on potential. Watts had trouble with Hellwig, who quit and went to work for World Class wrestling, and then found his way to WWF. Sting started as a heel and was put under the wing of Eddie Gilbert, who turned him face just as the UWF was being sold to Jim Crockett Promotions. Most of the UWF talent got buried, but Sting was kept on as a prelim guy, who started gaining popularity.
His star exploded in one night when he was booked to do a 45 minute draw with Ric Flair on the first Clash of the Champions in 1988. From that day on, he was always considered a major star, and when Crockett Promotions told to Turner Broadcasting in 1989, Sting was considered the heir apparent as the company’s top star after Flair. The decision was to change the title in February 1990, ironically, on Flair’s 41st birthday in Greensboro. However, Sting suffered a bad knee injury in an angle building up the match, and the title change was moved to Baltimore and the Great American Bash that summer.
He remained as a top star with WCW until the promotion closed. He retired after not making a deal with WWF, but then came back for a lucrative deal with TNA. He agreed to come in 2006 and every year, he expected it to be his last. And every year, Dixie Carter offered him a new deal and he remained with the company until his last contract expired in early 2014. At that point, TNA could no longer afford him, and he opened up talks with WWE, later debuting at the 2014 Survivor Series in the show-closing angle.
Sting wrestled a few matches with WWE until suffering a neck injury at the 2015 Night of Champions after taking a power bomb into the turnbuckles in a match with then-World Champion Seth Rollins. He noted when talking with Ric Flair that he requires neck surgery, although has not gotten surgery yet.
Pro wrestling is a world filled with a lot of negativity, from the deception, these days often more prevalent behind the scenes than in front, the backstabbing and the jealousy. But on 11/29 in Knoxville, World Championship Wrestling put it all behind to honor someone to whom most fans would see as a very insignificant part of the profession. By the response of his peers, it was made evident he was anything but.
WCW’s unannounced ceremonies for referee Brian Hildebrand, 36, a lifelong wrestling fan who became one of the most universally well-liked people in the profession, facing the toughest fight of his life in his second battle with stomach cancer, reeked of genuine emotion. To paraphrase what Ric Flair said in what may be someday an immortal line, it wasn’t a great wrestling show, it was real. Just like Hildebrand was and is a credit to his profession, what WCW did was very much a credit to the profession as well. The highlight was no doubt when Flair came out, as a surprise guest at the house show, and presented Hildebrand with a replica of the WCW world heavyweight championship belt and said that Hildebrand, not Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan, was really “The Man.”
The show was headlined by a match made partially because it was the match Hildebrand himself wanted to see, Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko vs. Eddie Guerrero & Chris Jericho. Even though it was a house show, which these days to many wrestlers means avoid more than a few bumps if at all possible, the four men worked as hard if not harder than if it was a PPV match more for the audience of one than the other 4,344 fans in the building. The finish saw a referee bump, which led to Hildebrand jumping out of his ringside chair and calling for the bell as Benoit had Jericho in the crossface. At that point Hildebrand took off his shirt and was wearing a Four Horseman t-shirt underneath it.
“The Notorious” Conor McGregor vs. Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. would be, in many ways, the greatest fight of all time. However unlikely to happen, there’s been at least some trash talk brewing recently. McGregor was mad that Mayweather tried to claim it was racial why McGregor and Ronda Rousey were stars, where he noted that Laila Ali was beautiful but was never the star Rousey was and that fans hate him for trash talking but like McGregor. McGregor said the Irish have been oppressed for there entire existence and there was once a time where just having the name McGregor “was punishable by death.” He then said he’d be willing to fight Mayweather on an 80/20 split, noting he’d get the 80, because Mayweather’s last PPV bombed so badly.
The official announcement of UFC 197 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on 3/5 with Conor McGregor vs. Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight title and Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate for the womens’ bantamweight title is expected imminently.
Three of the top matches for the next ROH PPV on 2/26 in Las Vegas at Sam’s Town are Jay Lethal vs. Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly for the ROH title, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Michael Elgin vs. Mark & Jay Briscoe, and Kazuchika Okada vs Moose. That main event sounds excellent, as does the tag match. It’s also a huge step up for Moose to get a chance to work with Okada in a singles. This is a big time for ROH as they begin the build to the Wrestlemania weekend, and Supercard of Honor X in Dallas.
We’re looking for your thoughts on Friday night’s TNA PPV 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 the Lucha Underground tapings yesterday and today in Los Angeles, as well as today’s WWE shows in Mobile, AL (Roman Reigns vs. Sheamus for WWE title; New Day vs. Dudleys & Tommy Dreamer; Kane vs. Bray Wyatt) and Monroe, LA (Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens for IC title, Chris Jericho vs. Alberto Del Rio, Ryback vs. Rusev).
Raw is live Monday from New Orleans. Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman return on the show.
Smackdown and Main Event tapings will be Tuesday in Lafayette, LA.
If you’ve ever wanted to WATCH our radio shows here on the site, check out our new Youtube page! No full video shows, but lots of video clips, full free audio shows that you can tell your friends about, and much more to come! Make sure you subscribe today! We have have clips of the post Summer Slam / Super China Buffet show featuring a lengthy Brent Kremen discussion, as well as clips from the X-Mas show. This is a soft launch but we will be releasing much more shortly.
In the biggest news week in a long time, we’ve got a double issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter this week, covering John Cena’s injury, New Japan stars headed to WWE, a major feature looking at the year that past in pro wrestling and MMA and the year coming up, WWE direction for WrestleMania season, Tokyo Dome coverage, Rizin debut coverage, TNA changes and UFC 195.
Our lead story talks about John Cena’s injury and the injury issues in WWE with more notes on the training program being used. All the news regarding wrestlers leaving New Japan, who’s been contacted, different roles, the various schedules for different guys, other negotiations, what led to these moves, what New Japan needs to learn from this, affects on ROH, and other ideas for New Japan to break out of its standard mentality.
UFC in 2016, the success of the women’s division, UFC business review, big fights on the horizon, the state of WWE in 2015 and 2016, different fan bases, rise of NXT, where New Japan has failed on the international scene, plus AAA, CMLL, Bellator, TNA and ROH prospects in 2016.
Full coverage of New Japan’s Tokyo Dome show, match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results, the big angles, Okada’s prospects as the top star, the next big programs on the horizon, big show plans for 2016, the Fanstastica Mania tour lineup and thoughts, New Year’s Dash coverage.
The changes to this year’s Royal Rumble and scout the possibilities and big matches on the horizon for Mania, and the return of Chris Jericho.
WWE Network, John Cena on Peyton Manning and HGH, football coach trying to recruit WWE for Mania, portrayal of Joseph Maroon in the “Concussion”, lots of details on new Dwayne Johnson projects, Lesnar’s schedule, a look at 50/50 booking, Reaction to HHH circumventing his own angle, February NXT, WrestleMania plans, Jericho talks current interview style, WWE looking for new stars around the world, Dusty Rhodes tag team tournament, WWE injury updates, Austin TV show.
A complete look at the debut of the Rizin promotion, details on the ratings and how it compares to WWE & UFC, the Masato vs. Kid Yamamoto show in competition, boxing in competition, Spike TV numbers, Fedor’s return, the freak show fights and what did and didn’t work on the first two shows.
UFC 195, with match-by-match coverage, poll results and business regarding the show, a look at all the close decisions and why they went the way they did.
TNA’s debut on Pop TV, the ratings, the title tournament, who was watching, the PPV show this week, the Mike Bennett debut, the James Storm return, the departure of Taryn Terrell and the good and bad of the latest relaunch.
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
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.
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Sad to report on the death of Wolfman Willie Farkas, a 60s, 70s and 80s wrestler who worked a lot in the Toronto area and had a run as a mid-carder in 1970 and 1971 in the WWWF. He was one of those characters from the old days of wrestling. Greg Oliver has a story.
TNA is doing a poll at impactwrestling.com for fans to vote for one of three people to be added to the U.K. tour at the end of the month. The choices are Will Ospreay (who is fantastic), Jimmy Havoc and Big Damo. Really they could add all three and it would be a good move.
HHH was quoted in Sky News today while appearing at the funeral of Lemmy of Motorhead: “I remember going to him one time after getting beaten again and walking up to him to shake his hand. I gave him a hug and he looked right at me and he goes…`man, you suck, you can’t win a match to save your life.’ I probably looked at him, stunned, and he grabbed me by the back of my neck and he said, `That’s why you’re perfect for Motorhead.’” (thanks to Dean Ayass)
Kevin Owens did an interview throwing his hat into the ring so to speak for a match with Undertaker at WrestleMania with Title Match Wrestling.
Results from last night’s WWE show in Montgomery, AL: Luke Harper & Erick Rowan & Braun Strowman b Dudleys & Tommy Dreamer, Neville b Bo Dallas, Jack Swagger b Bo Dallas, Fandango & Goldust b The Ascension, Kane b Bray Wyatt (Wyatt Family and Dreamer & Dudleys were all involved), Charlotte b Becky Lynch to retain the Divas title, Big E & Xavier Woods b Usos to retain the tag titles, Roman Reigns b Sheamus to retain the WWE title
A Road to WrestleMania house show on 3/19 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY was advertised with Big Show, Bray Wyatt, Dudleys, Demon Kane, Alberto De Rio, The Wyatt Family, Kalisto and more (thanks to Mike Omansky)
UFC
UFC Ultimate Insider at 6:30 p.m. Eastern tonight on FS 1 has TJ Dillashaw in his move to Colorado and Anthony Johnson is mic’d up for Ryan Bader’s last fight. FS 1 also has Thomas Almeida vs. Brad Pickett and Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber in taped matches at 10 p.m. tonight.
MISCELLANEOUS
Bad Luck Fale has confirmed on Facebook that he’s staying with New Japan.
The New York Times has a great story on the brain injuries in a 2013 boxing match in Madison Square Garden.
NWA Parade of Champions on 3/31 in Fort Worth over WrestleMania weekend at the Ridglea Theater. Jim Cornette will host the event and do a live podcast that afternoon. Also scheduled are Jax Dane, Charlie Haas, Ray Rowe, Rodney Mack, Marc Lowrance, Mike McGuirk, Chase Owns, Jason Kincad, Matt Riviera, Rob Conway and NWA President Bruce Tharpe. Tickets go on sale 2/13 at NWARingside.com
Fenix, Dragon and Pentagon Jr. are booked on 3/13 in Atlanta.
Bas Rutten became a grandfather recently. Congratulations to him.
Davey Richards, who announced he is taking no more indie bookings after 5/1, will be at the 20th annual ECWA Super 8 tournament on 4/23 in Woodbury Heights, NJ. Appearing with him in the tournament will be Jason Kincaid, Papadon, John Skyler and four more. Richards won that tournament in 2006.
Freelance Wrestling from Friday night in Chicago before 300 fans: Maxwell Chicago won over Harvey Bower, Brad Kevins, Brent Banks, Kobe Durst and Ethan Case, Matt Knicks & Chris Castro b Yabo & Ruffo the Clowns, GPA b Chase Owens, Robert Anthony b Silas Young, Stevie Fierce & Rob Matter b Bryce Benjamin & Acid Jazz, Craig Mitchell b Suge D, Isaias Velazquez b Mustafa Ali. (thanks to Lance LeVine)
In Your Face has its fifth annual Memories, Moments and Mayhem convention and wrestling show on 3/12 in Albany, NY at the Polish Community Center. Bob Holly, Scott Norton and Cody Deaner are announced for the show. The convention runs from 2-6 p.m. and the wrestling show is at 7 p.m.
Superkick’d on Friday night in Toronto: Michael San Francisci & Marc Hauss b Holden Albright & Maximo Suave, Tyson Dux b Anton Aleviev, Jake Something b Dylan Bostic, Phil Atlas won over Mano del Diablo, RJ City and EZE Eric Cairnie, Mike Rollins b Stratos Fear in a tables match, Space Monkey b Young Myles, Alessandro del Bruno & Scotty O’Shea b Ashley Sixx & Orlando Christopher-DQ, Shane Sabre b Kris Chambers-DQ. Next show is 2/5 at the Lithuanian Center in Toronto with a ladder match (thanks to Steve Ashe)
Missy Hyatt headlines as a guest for Absolute Intense Wrestling on 2/12 in Cleveland at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling on 1/16 in Kingsport, TN at the Civic Auditorium with The Heatseekers vs. Jeff Connelly & Bryan Montgomery.
Baja Stars Wrestling on 2/20 in San Diego at the Montgonmery-Waller Rec Center has Extreme Tiger (Tigre Uno) & El Hijo de Rey Misterio vs. Mortiz & TJ Boy.
Cibernetico won’t be at Arena Mexico on Friday night because he’s working in Mission, TX teaming with Kraneo against Octagon & Laredo Kid at the Salon los Portales.
Volador Jr. defends the UIPW title against Mariachi Loco on 1/30 in Montebello, CA at the Grace Baptist Academy (thanks to Kris Zellner)
The Crash on 2/12 in Tijuana at Auditorio Municipal has Blue Demon Jr. & Fenix & Rey Hours vs. Teddy Hart & Johnny Mundo & Pentagon Jr plus The Psycho Circus vs. El Texano Jr. & Mr. Maldito & Taurus.
Lucha Libre Extreme had been off television in Fresno the last few weeks but returned last night with a highlight show. The hosts claimed that KAIL TV in Fresno moved to a new building and some of the shows were lost as a result. They announced tapings on 1/31 in Hanford, CA at the Civic Center with Jake O’Brien vs. Guerrera del Muerta for the U.S. title at 3 p.m. (thanks to Jon Southerland)
Dynamo Pro Wrestling from last night in Fenton, MO: Bahamut b Ric Maverick, Jayden Fenix b CJ Shine, Ozzie Gallagher b Jackal, Shorty Biggs b Kiyoshi Suzuka, Outtkast won six-way over Dave DeLorean, Billy McNeil, Justin D’Air, Evan Morris and Rocket Mapache, Mike Sydal b Elvis Aliaga, Jack Gamble & Jon Webb b Michael Magnuson & Danny Adams, Brandon Espinosa b Mike Outlaw, Ricky Cruz b Jake Dirden-DQ, Ricky Cruz & Mike Outlaw b Jake Dirden & Brandon Espinosa (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)
Hoosier Pro Wrestling from last night in Columbus, IN: Cousin Cooter & Drax O’Brien b Bud Wright & Scarecrow Eddie Felson, Amazing Maria b Haley Shadows, Cowboy Marc Houston b Stan Sierra, Dynamite Dillen b Shawn Cook, Shawn Kemp b JKO Jr. Flash Flanagan b Vic the Bruiser-DQ, Rob Conway NC TJ Kemp. Next show is 2/6 at the 4-H Fairgrounds with Flanagan vs. Timmy Danger in a strap match (thanks to Jerry Wilson)
In Barnesville, GA, Saturday for the WrestleMerica promotion, AJ Styles and Doc Gallows began what will likely be their last run of indie dates in the U.S. Larry Goodman sent us in some notes:
Styles was set to face Jimmy Rave in the highly anticipated main event. Both men cut their teeth as pro wrestlers in Georgia with NWA Wildside roughly 15 years ago. It was a decade ago that Styles feuded with Rave in ROH after Rave stole his finishing move.
The match morphed into a tag match (Styles & Gallows vs. Rave & Sal Rinauro) after just a few minutes of action. The call was made to save wear and tear on Styles, who is headed to England next week for three huge matches vs. Rey Misterio, Morrison and Jay Lethal on consecutive nights. The 450 fans in Barnesvillle didn’t seem to mind the switch. They were into the match full force, as they were for pretty much everything that went down at this event.
– Doc Gallows defeated Sal Rinauro via DQ in 6:05: Rinauro turned a handshake into a punch in the face and ran out of the ring, where he cut a promo talking about how WrestleMerica was built on the backs of people like himself and Jimmy Rave (unlike Gallows who has missed a number of show due to his New Japan commitments). Rinauro stalled and jawed and stalled some more. When Gallows finally got his hands on him, Rinauro sold his ass off. Rave sneaked in and speared Gallows. That led to an instant “AJ” chant and the save by Styles. Rinauro and Rave bailed out untouched. Beautifully done.
– AJ Styles defeated Jimmy Rave by DQ in 3:58. Neither the Bullets Club theme nor his ROH music was used in favor of his less familiar New Japan music leading to a rather flat entrance for Styles. Rave didn’t use “House of the Rising Sun” either. Oh well. They grappled. Rave bailed out to avoid Styles’ signature dropkick, and Rinauro jumped Styles for the DQ. Gallows made the save and got on the mic to make the tag match. Gallows said there was a lot of history with Rinauro and Rave, but the whole wrestling world knew there was more history with Gallows and Styles.
– Styles & Gallows defeated Rave & Rinauro in 11:56. They brawled all over the building. When the action moved inside the ring, Rave interfered to get the heat started on Gallows. A Gallows double clothesline led to the hot tag. Styles had Rave set up for the Clash, but Rinauro intervened with a superkick. The closing minutes were terrific with signature moves and saves galore. Gallows dropped Rinauro on Rave to break up his crossface submission. It appeared that Styles got dinged when Rinauro inadvertently landed on his neck. For the finish, Gallows planted Rinauro with a chokebomb and Styles pinned Rave with a Clash off the ropes.
