Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back today with special guest Nick Aldis, AKA Magnus, to talk his new bodybuilding book up now at Amazon.com, his recent biceps injury, thoughts on the wrestling business as a whole and why we need to go back to simpler booking and more flashy characters, and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back today with tons of things to get into, including notes on Breaking Ground and the new season of Lucha Underground, Dave Meltzer’s preview of the weekend UFC main events, plus Blue Pants Leva Bates joins us to talk SHINE this weekend! A fun show as always so check it out~!
On Thursday, WWE COO Triple H did his usual conference call before big NXT events, this time hyping up the Wednesday, December 16th WWE Network event from London, England.
Here’s some highlights and the audio itself which ran just under 40 minutes:
– He ran down the card and teased some impending announcements.
– He was asked about pushing emotion on the NXT brand as opposed to a lack of that in promos on the major brand. He made a reference to ‘some like chocolate, some like vanilla’ as he’s done before and said when it comes to NXT, he picks the flavor.
– He was asked about three-hour shows. He said the company has to be more creative, come up with a better format, and that they hear people’s frustrations. “It’s fixing it, trying to fix it, and it is what it is. We’ll get there…trust me.”
– He was asked about Finn Balor not being called up to the main roster despite there being an injury crisis. He essentially said that while he has experience in Japan, he’s still learning some things at NXT like promos, etc. He doesn’t want to call guys up to be Band-Aids when there are injury issues. He wants people to have a long-term plan in place for when they come up.
– He was asked about relationships with groups like Evolve and the possibility of opening up relationships with emerging UK groups (ones that our Alan Boon talks about weekly!) to find new talent.
– He was asked about implementing some of the ideas that begin in NXT making their way to WWE. He said that slowly, you see some things bubbling their way up but again referenced the chocolate/vanilla comparison. As far as things he’d like to see change, he mentioned how the women are characterized, but that things take time to change.
*****
Listen by clicking below or right clicking to save:
Photo: Memphis Wrestling History
The latest JNPO has landed with special guest Denny Burkholder of CBSSports.com! Josh and Denny went for an hour discussing all kinds of interesting nuggets in the worlds of wrestling, MMA, and sports media in general.
A few highlights:
– How CBS Sports.com has covered MMA in the past, and how Denny helped in that effort in the early days
– The method of pitching stories to the site, especially with pro wrestling
– How he became a lapsed MMA/UFC fan
– Whether the buzz for Saturday’s UFC 194 has got him to click the ‘buy’ button
– The backstory of his oral history of WWF 1985, how he contacted the talent, and what he learned that he didn’t know before
– His observations on Wendi Richter and Paul Orndorff
– Why Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper weren’t part of the story
– What he didn’t want to tell Don Muraco
– The backstory of his Andre The Giant feature and making it different than other Andre stories
– The bizarre story of the whereabouts of Andre’s casket…and more!
*****
Subscribers can listen to the show by clicking below or right clicking to save:
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back today to talk all the news in wrestling and MMA including a preview of a huge weekend ahead for UFC, the future of Daniel Bryan and Sting after their injuries, Smackdown and Tribute to the Troops notes, New Japan results and Tokyo Dome line-up, questions and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Tomorrow starts three UFC events in three nights. Starting with UFC Fight Night 80 which features Paige VanZant vs Rose Namajunas in the main event tomorrow night, UFC’s new golden boy Sage Northcut is also on the card. Friday night is the finale of TUF 22, with the main event between featherweight contenders Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes. Then of course, Saturday night features UFC 194 with interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor vs. featherweight champion Jose Aldo for the undisputed title while current middleweight champion Chris Weidman takes on #1 contender Luke Rockhold — two very competitive title fights headline what is also a very stacked card. Uriah Faber headlines the FS1 portion of the card against Frankie Saenz. Gunnar Nelson takes on jiu jitsu master Damien Maia. Really is a must see card.
NXT at 8:00 p.m. ET on WWE Network is headlined by Finn Bálor & Apollo Crews vs. Samoa Joe & Baron Corbin. This is the go-home show for next week’s NXT TakeOver: London.
UFC Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 2 (not a typo; everything else is on Fox Sports 1 tonight) is the last show before this week’s triple header. Hosts Kenny Florian and Daniel Cormier break down and preview the epic weekend featuring THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE and two title fights at UFC 194. Karyn Bryant and Ariel Helwani provide reports.
UFC Ultimate Insider at 9:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 is the show that premiered earlier in the week. Watch Randa Markos’ story of her remarkable journey from war torn Baghdad, Iraq to Montreal, Canada where she now trains under the tutelage of legendary coach Firas Zahabi and UFC icon Georges St-Pierre. Then, ride along with Myles Jury as he returns to his hometown outside Detroit, Michigan for hard hitting memories, while adding fuel to his championship dreams. Next, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo is mic’d up at UFC 190, as teammate and top strawweight contender Claudia Gadelha attempts to dispatch Jessica Aguilar and solidify a title shot. Finally, UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman sits down with Jon Anik at his gym in Long Island, New York to discuss future plans and upcoming opponent Luke Rockhold’s pre-fight antics.
UFC Fight Flashback at 9:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 is a rerun of Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes II episode to hype this weekend’s main events.
The Ultimate Fighter at 10:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 is titled “Here For Myself.”. Moving into the semifinals, one squad’s training session turns a little more intense. Urijah surprises Team USA by bringing in UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo as a guest coach, who shows the fighters some jiu-jitsu. In the final Team McGregor training session, Conor reflects on his experience, being grateful for the opportunity. As the fighters arrive for the fight, Conor is shocked Aldo is in attendance. A few words are exchanged before the focus shifts to the fights. After two exciting semifinals, the final is set, and fighters square off. Then, McGregor and Aldo have their own face-off, ready to do battle in their title fight.
ROH at midnight ET/PT on COMET has a main event of Mark & Jay Briscoe vs. The Young Bucks. Reminder: If you don’t get COMET, ROH puts the TV show up for free on their website on Thursday.
Figure Four Weekly
Figure Four Weekly (11/23/15): Lots of Updates in Hulk Hogan-Gawker case
Lots of news including a win for Gawker, the new police report, the remaining mysteries of the case, what Bubba the Love Sponge is saying, and more.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Mick Foley’s talk on WWE creative and a look at all the new moves WWE tried this week on television is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. We look at the changes WWE attempted after a week of record low ratings, as well as the fan questionnaire sent out, what can be learned from it, and why they are asking exactly the wrong people.
We also look at the strengths and weaknesses of the current WWE business, as well as why the ratings may be important, but other factors are probably more important,when it comes to WWE’s next television deal. We look at the different potential changes in the landscape look at what aspects of business are and aren’t improving, as well as WWE’s business in the big picture.
He also update the situation with A.J. Styles, and the New Japan tag team tournament with standings and notes on the tournament matches over the past week.
We also look at the TLC PPV update, more on La Sombra in WWE, questions about all the shoulder injuries, WWE security at live shows, Cena movie release, Brad Maddox firing, Maddox’s WWE history, talents WWE has shown interest in, WWE overseas tour lineup and WWE weekend live event notes and business.
We have a look at the debut of the new Rizin promotion, major announcements for the first weekend of shows, the tournament, just how big Bob Sapp vs Akebono was the first time.
We also have a story on the domestic abuse claims by the girlfriend of Tomoaki Honma, and his response.
We look at the realities of the free agency of Benson Henderson, judging of the key fights, as well as full rundown of UFC’s debut in South Korea this past week.
We’ve got notes of TNA’s canceled tour of India, notes on the death of Tommy Gilbert and El Bello Greco, along with a feature on Stan Holek, a member of two of the most decorated tag teams of the 50s and 60s, the Lisowski Brothers with Crusher and the Neilson Brothers with Art Neilson. We look at the unique reason why all of his success was as a tag team wrestler, his biggest rivals, and his 13 runs as world tag team champion.
We’ve got a feature on the retirement of Act Yasukawa and the sad reason it happened.
We’ve also got the awards ballot for the 2015 awards and information on how well Hell in a Cell did this year on PPV.
PLUS MUCH MORE! CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW
The Latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter: December 7, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE attempts to right the ship, New Japan tag league update, more
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Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of the UFC Fight Night 80: Namajunas vs. VanZant weigh-ins from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada kicking off at 7 PM eastern time. The event airs on Thursday on UFC Fight Pass at 10 PM eastern time. Preliminary card action kicks off on UFC Fight Pass at 6:45 PM eastern time. This kicks off the biggest fight week in UFC history with the first of three straight nights of fights in Las Vegas.
The event will be headlined by a five-round bout in the women’s strawweight division as Rose Namajunas takes on rising star Paige VanZant in VanZant’s first headline spot. It will also mark the first non-title womens’ bout to headline a UFC event. In the co-main event, it will be a lightweight bout as UFC veteran Jim Miller takes on former “TUF” winner Michael Chiesa. Also on the card is 19-year-old Sage Northcutt taking on Cody Pfister.
MAIN CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT):
Rose Namajunas (115.5) vs. Paige VanZant (115.5)
Jim Miller (155.5) vs. Michael Chiesa (156)
Sage Northcutt (155.5) vs. Cody Pfister (156)
Elias Theodorou (185) vs. Thiago Santos (185)
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 6:45 PM ET/3:45 PM PT):
Tim Means (170) vs. John Howard (170)
Omari Akhmedov (170) vs. Sergio Moraes (171)
Antonio Carlos Junior (185) vs. Kevin Casey (185)
Aljamain Sterling (135.5) vs. Johnny Eduardo (135)
Santiago Ponzinibbio (170) vs. Andreas Stahl (171)
Danny Roberts (169.5) vs. Nathan Coy (170)
Zubaira Tukhugov (145) vs. Phillipe Nover (145)
Kailin Curran (115) vs. Emily Kagan (115)
*Everyone made weight with no issues, and everything was cordial when it came to the staredowns.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive returns today to talk all the news in wrestling and MMA including Raw ratings from Monday, the return of Lucha Underground and more, plus Paul Ace Fontaine joins us for a full preview of THREE STRAIGHT UFC SHOWS leading to Jose Aldo Jr. vs. Conor McGregor on Saturday! A fun show as always so check it out~!
By Alan Boon for WrestlingObserver.com
Here’s five things you should know about the week in British pro wrestling.
1) PROGRESS hits the north.
After three and a half years of sold out shows in London, PROGRESS promoted their first card outside the capital on Sunday, making the two-hundred mile journey to England’s third city, Manchester, for Hit The North. Headlined by a successful title defence by PROGRESS champion Will Ospreay (over Origin scoundrel Zack Gibson and 2015 Natural Progression Series winner Flash Morgan Webster), the show at the 650-capacity Ritz also featured a match of the year candidate between Zack Sabre Jr and Tomasso Ciampa, who has become a regular visitor to the UK this year. The show sold out, and the promotion has already announced a further half-dozen shows for 2016 at the same venue. England’s north west is one of the most hotly-concentrated areas of the country for wrestling action but PROGRESS just proved there’s always room for more if there’s a great show in the offing.
2) There’s always something different going on.
Also in the north west, a little further north and west in Hindley, on the outskirts of Wigan, is Grand Pro-Wrestling. Starting out in 2003, as Garage Pro-Wrestling, at the grandly-titled Monaco Ballroom in Wigan, the promotion evolved into Grand-Pro by 2010 and has presented its own brand of weirdness ever since, with their latest show – Double Jeopardy – taking place last Friday. Amongst the storylines spinning out of Hindley this year have been the purchase of the promotion by a wealthy Arab Sheikh, and a unique spin on a loser-leaves-town match between Martin Kirby and Ashton Smith, where Kirby had to sell his house if he lost, and Smith would be banned from his local supermarket if Kirby won (Smith got the win and a homeless Kirby was found living under the ring at the next show).
Last week’s show – one of their regular outings at the Rose Club – was headlined by a four-man, double-championship match, with Bubblegum winning the GPW British title from T-Bone in the first fall, and T-Bone returning the favour in the second to win the GPW Heavyweight title. Also on the show, the wealthy Arab Sheikh teamed with Martin Kirby against the Midnight Bin Collection, a tag-team of a garbage man and a party animal, and suspiciously-Caucasian Pacific Islander Tabu was reunited with his estranged brother, and former tag-team partner, Rio. The UK is dotted with promotions that occupy their own little worlds, and is all the stranger (and better) for it.
3) Girls wanted to have fun, and did.
Women’s wrestling can often be little more than an add-on, a titillating sideshow whose competitors are seldom booked for their athletic ability. Thankfully, though, the UK has a strong women’s wrestling scene, with the distaff sections of PROGRESS and Lucha Britannia – to name just two of the promotions who take it very seriously – putting on matches the equal of anything presented by their penis-endowed colleagues. In addition to the matches on male-dominated cards, the UK also has two female-only promotions – Empress Pro-Wrestling and Bellatrix, and the latter ran their latest show last weekend.
An offshoot of WAW, which has been run by WWE-star Paige’s dad, Ricky Knight, since the late 1990s, Bellatrix is obviously centered around Paige’s mum, Saraya, but has built a roster of British girls and European and American imports, with a talent exchange arrangement with both Shimmer and Shine. On their latest show, Bellatrix 16, champion Sammi Baynz was unable to defend her title through injury and Saraya installed Lady Lory in her place, making the main event against Destiny (a thirteen-year veteran trained by Saraya, as was Baynz) a non-title match. Earlier in the show, Saraya lost to Liberty, and Queen Maya retained her RQW European title over Erin Angel.
4) A good hand hung up his boots….somewhat.
Greg Burridge – also known as Darren Burridge and Baxter Burridge – had his last match on Saturday. Kind of. At Future Pro-Wrestling’s Jingle Bell Brawl, in Sutton, south London, Burridge faced Rob Cage in his farewell match, and won. Two hours later, however, at Lucha Britannia’s Season’s Greetings, Season’s Beatings (part 1), Metallico (who very much resembles Burridge) took on Steakley Bakewell (who has never been seen in the same room as Rob Cage), as part of a lucha three-way with Marduk Malik, and thus proved that Terry Funk doesn’t have the monopoly on odd retirements. The RetroFutureVerse aside, though, Burridge is very much retired, and can look back on a career blemished by injuries and poor timing.
With good genetics, height, and great natural ability, if he’d stayed fit – and started five years earlier, or five years later – he’d have had the opportunities that the likes of Sheamus O’Shaugnessy, Drew Galloway, and Stu Sanders got but sometimes things don’t go your way. As it is, Burridge was a big part of 1PW, and has appeared for just about every UK company worth noting in the last decade and a half. With an acting career, which also included stunts for the Harry Potter movies, taking off, and still being very much involved in the London School of Lucha Libre and the Lucha Britannia promotion, he’ll not be short of things to occupy his time.
5) There’s still so much going on!
If Burridge and Cage did make it through to the weird alternate universe occupied by Lucha Britannia, they might have been dragged there by Lucha Britannia champion Fug, who definitely did do double-duty on Saturday night, defending his title against Lagarto de Plata at the Resistance Gallery just hours after competing as part of Team Windsor for Future-Pro in Sutton. Also on that show were PROGRESS regulars Paul Robinson and Pastor William Eaver. North of the border, ICW held a TV taping for their OnDemand channel and British Championship Wrestling pulled a double shot, in Kilmarnock and East Kilbride, and brought in Carlito & MVP, but the real attractions were Will Ospreay and Marty Scurll, making rare visits to Scotland. Scurll put over local guys both nights, while Ospreay beat BT Gunn but lost in a mouth-watering three-way against Noam Dar and BCW Openweight champion Kenny Williams.
Chikara-Pro affiliate, Fight Club: Pro staged their Infinity 2015 tournament, which featured Zack Sabre Jr alongside the regulars. Pete Dunne, who competed in this year’s King of Trios tournament, emerged victorious from a field which also included Tyler Bate and Trent Seven. Dave Mastiff successfully defended his FCP title against MK McKinnan on the same show. As well served as the north west, Scotland, and London are for professional wrestling, so too is Bristol, the UK’s tenth largest city. At least four promotions regularly run shows there, and one of those, Chaos Pro-Wrestling, drew almost 500 to Yate Leisure Centre for Rhynos, Boars, Birds & Beards. Alongside Rhyno, Wild Boar, Mike Bird, and the bearded Big Grizzly were Mark Andrews, Flash Morgan Webster, Mikey Whiplash, and Martin Kirby pretending to be a woman. Well, it is pantomime season.
The long-awaited NXT tour rolls into the UK next week, and most of the bigger promotions are (understandably) laying quiet, but there’s still lots going on. Join me next week for all the happenings!