The Bryan & Vinny Show is back and we’ve got tons to talk about. First, how YOU can have the opportunity to co-host the Bryan & Vinny Show~! Then, we’ve got our weekly ROH review and a new series — THIRTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK ON NWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING! Ric Flair, evil Russians, Terry Taylor, the GOLDEN TERROR and so much more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
We’re looking for reports on toady’s WWE show in Huntington, WV with Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, The Wyatts, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Baron Corbin, Alberto De Rio, Kane, Usos and Ryback. Send to NEWSTIPS
New Japan tag team tournament for today’s show in Ehime is up on New Japan World
Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga
Michael Bennett & Matt Taven vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Michael Elgin vs Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi
Raw is Monday in Pittsburgh. Nothing to this point has been announced for the show.
New Japan tag team tournament Monday in Fukuoka
Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba
Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tetsuya Naito & Evil
Smackdown and Main Event will be taped on Tuesday night in Hershey, PA.
New Japan tag team tournament Tuesday in Fukuoka
Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga
Michael Bennett vs. Matt Taven vs. A.J. Styles & Yujiro Takahashi
Kazuchika Okada & Yoshi-Hashi vs. Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba
It’s Black Friday and that means Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online has a huge deal for you!
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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
A look at the decision to make Sheamus the WWE champion and its ramifications is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. We look at WWE’s options, both the obvious ones and the ones out of the box, different ways to use people, the nature of the decision, the prior identical decision in 2011 and the storyline it was supposed to lead to and why it was made.
We look at the real long-term goal, the note on the ratings, the portrayal of Sheamus leading up to the title change, the plans for the TLC show, what has been messed up, the women’s division, the WWE blaming Charlotte on a bad taste angle, ESPN and WWE, plus match-by-match coverage of Survivor Series with poll results and star ratings.
We look at the TNA deal with Pop TV, both the good and the bad of it, plus the tapings in Bethlehem, the economics of the deal and note on the station.
We’ve got a look at the New Japan tag team tournament, with current standings, goals of the tournament, who probably can’t win the tournament, and coverage of the tournament so far.
We also look at why Genichiro Tenryu is one of the biggest stars of the past 40 years in wrestling, with a look at his career in wrestling, his days in sumo, his early U.S. run, his rise in All Japan, why he left All Japan, how his leaving led to a boom period for All Japan, his deal with Super World Sports, his feud with Riki Choshu and Jumbo Tsuruta, the real story behind his Tokyo Dome match with Hulk Hogan, the story behind his rise. the WAR days his biggest matches and his final show.
We also have an update on Randy Orton, Cesaro, notes on new WWE signing La Sombra, thoughts on the Sombra signing, how it’s the same and different from the original Mistico signing, WWE week on USA and changes this year, WWE Network shows, Brock Lesnar’s return to Raw, legal briefs filed by WWE, why Stephanie McMahon has been gone from TV and why she’s back regularly, next Takeover special, HHH talks Hogan’s return, John Cena talks his departure, WWE star teases retirement in a few years, Mick Foley upset with creative direction and notes from the developmental shows over the weekend,.
PLUS MUCH MORE! CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW
The Latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter: November 30, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Sheamus wins WWE title, Tenryu retirement show
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@wrestlingobserver.com” target=”_blank”>dave@wrestlingobserver.com
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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. 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.
TODAY’S DAILY UPDATE
WWE
MISCELLANEOUS
1958 – Enrique Torres beat Big Ben Sharpe (West Palm Beach)
1960 – Eddie Graham & Chief Big Eagle beat Mighty Yankees-DQ (Orlando)
1963 – Eddie Graham & Don Curtis & Mark Lewin beat The Assassins (three of them) in a 2/3 fall match (Jacksonville)
1966 – Jose Lothario & Lester Welch beat The Infernos-DQ (Orlando)
1967 – Sammy Steamboat beat Hiro Matsuda (Fort Myers)
1967 – Jose Lothario & Joe Scarpa (Chief Jay Strongbow) beat Tarzan Tyler & Johnny Valentine (Tampa)
1970 – Jack Brisco beat Tarzan Tyler (Miami Beach)
1972 – Jack Brisco beat Paul Jones to win the Florida title (Tampa)
1972 – Bob Orton Sr. & Bob Orton Jr. beat Sputnik Monroe & Norvell Austin via count out (Fort Myers)
1973 – Ron Fuller beat Don Carson via DQ (Fort Pierce)
1973 – Paul Jones beat Buddy Colt via DQ (Miami Beach)
1974 – Dusty Rhodes beat Cowboy Bill Watts to win the Florida title (Jacksonville)
1977 – Lars Anderson beat Pedro Morales (West Palm Beach)
1978 – Harley Race beat Jack Brisco to retain the NWA title (Tampa)
1979 – Harley Race double count out Manny Fernandez to retain the NWA title (Miami Beach)
1981 – Ric Flair beat Jack Brisco to retain the NWA title (St. Petersburg)
1984 – Jim Neidhart & Khrusher Khrushchev beat Mark & Jay Youngblood (Tampa)
ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY INTERNATIONAL (thanks to Graeme Cameron)
1981 – Faraon beat Ringo Mendoza in Guadalajara to win the Mexican national middleweight title
2000 – Ricky Marvin beat Virus in Acapulco to win the CMLL super lightweight and Mexican national lightweight titles
2002 – Etsuko Mita & Mima Shimoda beat Momoe Nakanishi & Nanae Takahashi to win the WWWA womens’ tag team title
2009 – Shuji Ishikawa beat Kota Ibushi in Tokyo to win the KO-D open weight title
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and FILTHY TOM LAWLOR returns today to talk all sorts of different topics including modern-day WWE, ratings, WWE Twitter comedy, tons of calls and emails and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
On November 13, 2005 the wrestling world lost one of its brightest stars at the age of 38. Eddie Guerrero was found unconscious by his nephew Chavo in his hotel room, but was later declared dead by paramedics. It was later discovered that his death was due to heart failure brought on by a blocked artery.
Eddie was a journeymen wrestler similar to the likes of Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit, wrestling all over the world. From his beginnings in Mexico, working as “Black Tiger” in NJPW, winning the Television title in ECW, to having classic matches in the cruiserweight division of WCW, Eddie was a fan favorite that never quite hit the main event level. That was until his run in WWE where he captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Brock Lesnar in 2004.
Until his death he remained a headliner for the Smackdown brand, feuding with JBL, Rey Mysterio, and Batista. In 2006 he was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, as well as the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.
This week’s classic audiolooks back at a Bryan and Vinny Show from 2005 discussing the death of Eddie Guerrero. They also review TNA’s Genesis pay per view which featrued Jeff Jarrett and America’s Most Wanted vs. Team 3D and Rhyno as well as AJ Styles vs. Petey Williams. A somber show, but historic with memories of the late Eddie Guerrero.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer returns today to talk all the news in wrestling and MMA including a full review of a very fun UFC in Korea show on Fight Pass, the Fight of the Century signed again, some very interesting Ronda Rousey PPV notes, an update on AJ Styles back injury, ROH and NXT TV notes from this past week, Dave’s notes on the passing of Tommy Gilbert, plus the mailbag and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
We are back for the sixth day of World Tag League action, but instead of the normal 3-4 matches per card, we’re only up for two as AJ Styles had to pull out of today’s show in Yamaguchi due to a lower back injury. No word on his status for the rest of the tournament, but we do know that his team has officially forfeited this match, so Katsuyori Shibata and Hirooki Goto get an extra 2 points as a result.
The Addiction vs. Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma
Okay match, but nothing special. What I like about the Addiction here that isn’t prevalent in a lot of New Japan matches is that they are heels who cheat, but not like the Bullet Club where there’s a bunch of interference. They just work like heels and that’s kinda cool. They worked on Honma for most of the match. Makabe made a comeback and eventually just pinned Kazarian with the King Kong knee drop. Pretty anti-climatic finish.
Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows vs. Tencozy
Another decent and basic formulaic match, but everyone looked good. Bullet Club jumped Tencozy right at the bell. Anderson worked a lot of the match and was in control until Kojima made a comeback. Kojima kicked out of a gun stun. BC went for the Magic Killer but Tenzan cut them off and they hit a 3D. They got rid of Gallows as Kojima worked on Anderson. Kojima hit the ropes and Gallows grabbed his feet. In a split second, Anderson laid out Tenzan with a gun stun and soon after Kojima met the same fate. BC then hit the Magic Killer as Anderson pinned Kojima.
Current Standings:
Block A:
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Michael Elgin- 4
Kazuchika Okada and Yoshi-Hashi- 4
Christopher Daniels and Kazarian- 4
Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma- 4
Kazushi Sakuraba and Toru Yano- 2
Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata- 2
Bad Luck Fale and Tama Tonga- 0
Block B:
Evil and Tetsuya Naito- 6
Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata- 6
Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson- 4
Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima- 2
AJ Styles and Yujiro Takahashi- 2
Matt Taven and Michael Bennett- 0
Shinsuke Nakamura and Tomohiro Ishii- 0
It is a very slow news weekend coming off of the Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S. UFC Fight Night 79 from Seoul took place early this morning. The main event saw Benson Henderson get a close win over Jorge Masvidal in 5 round by judges decision. Sexyama was also on the card! Check out our play-by-play for the full results.
AJ Styles missed his NJPW appearances due to an ongoing back injury.
Don’t miss this one! An interview with Wrestling Superstar Virgil: Special Feature: Virgil looks back on his career, looks ahead to meat sauce
We are looking for a new TNA Impact Reviewer, CLICK HERE for more info.
WWE runs Saturday night in Kansas City with Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, The Wyatts, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Baron Corbin, Alberto Del Rio, Kane, Usos and Ryback.
WWE runs Sunday in Huntington, WV with Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, The Wyatts, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Baron Corbin, Alberto De Rio, Kane, Usos and Ryback.
New Japan tag team tournament Sunday in Ehime
Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga
Michael Bennett & Matt Taven vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Michael Elgin vs Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi
Raw is Monday in Pittsburgh. Nothing to this point has been announced for the show.
New Japan tag team tournament Monday in Fukuoka
Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba
Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tetsuya Naito & Evil
Smackdown and Main Event will be taped on Tuesday night in Hershey, PA.
New Japan tag team tournament Tuesday in Fukuoka
Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga
Michael Bennett vs. Matt Taven vs. A.J. Styles & Yujiro Takahashi
Kazuchika Okada & Yoshi-Hashi vs. Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba
It’s Black Friday and that means Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online has a huge deal for you!
NEW AND RETURNING SUBSCRIBERS CAN RECEIVE AN ENTIRE MONTH OF WRESTLINGOBSERVER.COM ACCESS FOR ONLY $3.99!
Please CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE NOW! It’s only $3.99 for the entire month!. You can cancel at any time and not be re-billed at our current rates.
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
A look at the decision to make Sheamus the WWE champion and its ramifications is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. We look at WWE’s options, both the obvious ones and the ones out of the box, different ways to use people, the nature of the decision, the prior identical decision in 2011 and the storyline it was supposed to lead to and why it was made.
We look at the real long-term goal, the note on the ratings, the portrayal of Sheamus leading up to the title change, the plans for the TLC show, what has been messed up, the women’s division, the WWE blaming Charlotte on a bad taste angle, ESPN and WWE, plus match-by-match coverage of Survivor Series with poll results and star ratings.
We look at the TNA deal with Pop TV, both the good and the bad of it, plus the tapings in Bethlehem, the economics of the deal and note on the station.
We’ve got a look at the New Japan tag team tournament, with current standings, goals of the tournament, who probably can’t win the tournament, and coverage of the tournament so far.
We also look at why Genichiro Tenryu is one of the biggest stars of the past 40 years in wrestling, with a look at his career in wrestling, his days in sumo, his early U.S. run, his rise in All Japan, why he left All Japan, how his leaving led to a boom period for All Japan, his deal with Super World Sports, his feud with Riki Choshu and Jumbo Tsuruta, the real story behind his Tokyo Dome match with Hulk Hogan, the story behind his rise. the WAR days his biggest matches and his final show.
We also have an update on Randy Orton, Cesaro, notes on new WWE signing La Sombra, thoughts on the Sombra signing, how it’s the same and different from the original Mistico signing, WWE week on USA and changes this year, WWE Network shows, Brock Lesnar’s return to Raw, legal briefs filed by WWE, why Stephanie McMahon has been gone from TV and why she’s back regularly, next Takeover special, HHH talks Hogan’s return, John Cena talks his departure, WWE star teases retirement in a few years, Mick Foley upset with creative direction and notes from the developmental shows over the weekend,.
PLUS MUCH MORE! CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW
The Latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter: November 30, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Sheamus wins WWE title, Tenryu retirement show
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@wrestlingobserver.com” target=”_blank”>dave@wrestlingobserver.com
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. 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.
TODAY’S DAILY UPDATE
WWE
Other Wrestling
UFC/MMA
Two-time IWGP Champion and current NJPW star A.J. Styles missed today’s New Japan show in Yamaguchi, Japan, due to a back injury.
Styles & Yujiro Takahashi were scheduled against Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata, but Goto & Shibata were awarded the win via forfeit. Goto & Shibata beat Sho Tanaka & Yohei Komatsu after some changes to the undercard.
According to those close to the situation, Styles took the show off for rest and treatment and he is expected back in action shortly. Styles & Takahashi’s next tournament match is scheduled against ROH tag team champions Michael Bennett & Matt Taven for this Tuesday in Fukuoka at Hakata Star Lanes.
The 38-year-old Styles had been out of action a few weeks ago with back problems before the tour, causing him to miss two ROH dates. He is set for some big matches in the months ahead, facing ROH Champion Jay Lethal at December’s Final Battle iPPV and Nakamura at January’s Wrestle Kingdom 10.
Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of UFC Fight Night 79: Henderson vs. Masvidal from the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul, South Korea. The event is headlined by a five-round welterweight bout as former UFC and WEC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson takes on Jorge Masvidal. Also on the card, in the co-main event, is South Korea’s own, Dong Hyun “Stun Gun” Kim, ranked seventh at 170 pounds, taking on Dominic Waters, plus the return to action of Yoshihiro Akiyama, who takes on the undefeated Alberto Mina. The action kicks off with preliminary card fights at 5 AM eastern time on UFC Fight Pass. The action remains on UFC Fight Pass for the main card at 8 AM eastern time.
UFC Fight Night 79 Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night 79 5 Storylines To Watch
UFC Fight Night 79 DFS Playbook
Coverage provided by Ryan Frederick
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 5 AM ET/2 AM PT)
WELTERWEIGHTS- DOMINIQUE STEELE (13-6, 0-1 UFC) VS. “MAESTRO” DONG HYUN KIM (13-6-3, 0-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- We have the first of our two Dong Hyun Kim’s fighting on the card. Steele drops Kim with a left hook early and gets on the top but they get to their feet. The crowd is loud early. KIm has Steele against the fence. KIm lands a head kick. Steele lands a left hook and they trade in the clinch. Steele with some foot stomps and then lands a big elbow. They trade in the clinch and they are throwing a lot of punches. Kim grabs the neck and pulls guard but Steele is in the full guard against the fence. They battle to their feet. Kim with a spinning elbow as they break the clinch. Steele lands a right hand and Kim counters with a combo and a head kick. Flying knee to the body from Kim. Good first round. 10-9 Steele.
ROUND 2- Kim with a jumping head kick to start the round off. Steele lands a right hand right as Kim goes for a low kick and Kim goes down and Steele follows into the guard. Steele with punches from the top and Kim is cut under the eye but they get to their feet. Steele picks Kim up and lands a takedown. Steele with an elbow from the top. Steele with more elbows from the top. Steele with a couple more big elbows from inside the guard. Steele with punches from the top as Kim is unable to work to his feet. More big strikes from the top by Steele. 10-9 Steele, 20-18 Steele.
ROUND 3- Kim lands a big right hand and Steele counters with a big takedown and some elbows from the top and Kim is out! Big slam and Kim was out there and ate the elbows as he was out.
Official Result- Dominique Steele def. “Maestro” Dong Hyun Kim by knockout (slam) at 0:27 of Round 3
BANTAMWEIGHTS- NING GUANGYOU (5-2-1, 2-0 UFC) VS. MARCO BELTRAN (6-3, 1-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- They are each missing kicks early. Beltran with a body kick and lands a knee instead and then a right hand. Guangyou with a low kick that went a little too low. Beltran misses a spin kick. Not a lot of action and the crowd is letting them hear it. Beltran with a body kick and Guangyou lands one. Neither man is doing anything. A round full of circling and movement and missed strikes. Beltran with a late takedown. 10-9 Beltran.
ROUND 2- Guangyou lands some punches and goes for a takedown. Beltran slips as he tries to land a knee and Guangyou goes into the guard. Guangyou lands a punch from the top. They are trading punches from the guard and then are stood up. Beltran with a leg kick. Guangyou with a leg kick. Not a lot of action when they’re on their feet. Beltran just misses a head kick. Guangyou with a leg kick. 10-9 Guangyou, 19-19.
ROUND 3- Guangyou with a leg kick. Beltran lands a combination. They trade leg kicks. Guangyou fighting very timid in this fight. Beltran lands a head kick. Beltran lands a right hand. Beltran with a front kick but Guangyou grabs the leg and forces the fight against the fence. Guangyou with an elbow on the break and then a left hand. Beltran with a big knee to the body on the break and then a big combo and lands in the clinch with some knees. Beltran with another big knee. They clinch and Beltran lands some knees as Guangyou lands some body punches. Dirty boxing by both to end the fight. Fight could really go either way. 10-9 Beltran, 29-28 Beltran.
Official Result- Marco Beltran def. Ning Guangyou by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
FLYWEIGHTS- YAO ZHIKUI (2-2, 1-1 UFC) VS. FREDY SERRANO (2-0, 1-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- Serrano is a big-time prospect, even at age 36, and a 2008 Olympian in wrestling. They trade punches and Serrano lands a takedown and some punches from the side and the fight is stopped. Zhikui hurt his arm on the takedown as he posted on his right arm and he dislocated his arm. Serrano gets the win though.
Official Result- Fredy Serrano def. Yao Zhikui by TKO (arm injury) at 0:44 of Round 1
WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHTS- SEO HEE HAM (15-6, 0-1 UFC) VS. CORTNEY CASEY (4-2, 0-1 UFC)
ROUND 1- Ham got a big reaction walking out. They trade punches. They trade again. Casey lands a right hand. They trade in an exchange with Casey getting the better of it. Ham lands a left hand. Casey with a big head kick and looks for the finish with some punches. Ham survives and fires back with a combo. Casey with some punches. They trade punches as Casey lands a leg kick. Casey with an aggressive attack and they end the round in a wild exchange. Good round. 10-9 Casey.
ROUND 2- Ham with a leg kick as she looks to get inside of Casey’s range. Casey drops Ham with a right hand but Ham gets right back to her feet and lands a left hand. Break in the action as Casey is poked in the eye. Casey lands a leg kick as we get back to action. Casey just misses a head kick. They trade body kicks. They trade in an exchange and clinch against the fence. Ham with a body kick that went a little low. They trade as we get back to action and Ham lands a left hand. Casey lands a big right hand and they have another wild exchange to end the round. Another good round. 10-9 Ham, 19-19.
ROUND 3- Casey misses a head kick but lands a side kick. Ham lands a big left hand and then a nice combo. Ham with a spin kick to the body but Casey lands a right hand. Ham with a right hand as she looks for a finish. Casey has slowed down as Ham as picked up the pressure. Casey with a knee in close. Ham with a barrage of strikes and a spinning back fist. Ham with a body kick. They trade punches and clinch against the fence. Ham with a big combo. They trade an exchange. They battle for a takedown with 40 seconds left. Wild exchange to end the fight. Really good fight that comes down to how the second was scored. 10-9 Ham, 29-28 Ham.
Official Result- Seo Hee Ham def. Cortney Casey by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
LIGHTWEIGHTS- TAE HYUN BANG (17-9, 1-2 UFC) VS. LEO KUNTZ (17-2-1, 0-1 UFC)
ROUND 1- They trade punches to start the fight and Bang drops Kuntz with a left hand and looks for the finish. Bang grabs the guillotine and is looking to finish. Kuntz escapes. They get to their feet. Kuntz with a low knee. Bang’s eye is cut open and is looking bad. Kuntz lands a combo and Bang counters with a spinning back fist. Bang with some nice punches. Kuntz looks for the takedown but eats some knees before he gets it. They break on the feet. Bang with a right hand. They trade punches. Good round. 10-9 Bang.
ROUND 2- They trade right hands and Kuntz landed a big one but ate a big one. Bang with a big right hand and both looking for a knockout. Kuntz goes for a takedown but Bang defends. They break as Kuntz can’t finish the takedown. Bang looks gassed. Bang with a solid combo that lands. Bang with a left hook. Kuntz gets a double-leg takedown straight into side control. Kuntz with punches from the top as he takes the back. Kuntz with punches from the back as he looks for a choke. Bang not defending the choke but somehow scrambles out. Bang on top and lands some punches but Kuntz rolls out from the bottom to the feet. Both men are gassed. Good fight though. 10-9 Kuntz, 19-19.
ROUND 3- Kuntz a little fresher to start the final round. Bang with his hands down. Kuntz goes for a takedown against the fence. Bang with some elbows. Bang has the neck and drops down for the guillotine choke. Bang squeezing tight. Kuntz escapes and Bang looks dejected and extremely tired. Kuntz with some soft hammerfists from the top. Bang tries to work to his feet and they are stood up. I’m not sure about that one. Kuntz misses a takedown. Bang scores a takedown of his own against the fence and goes for the back. Kuntz scrambles to his feet and spins out. Bang with a right hand and they trade punches. Bang with a big right hand. Sloppy fight, but a good one. 10-9 Bang, 29-28 Bang.
Official Result- Tae Hyun Bang def. Leo Kuntz by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
FEATHERWEIGHTS- YUI CHUL NAM (18-5-1, 1-1 UFC) VS. MIKE DE LA TORRE (13-5 1 NC, 1-2 1 NC UFC)
ROUND 1- They trade quickly and Nam goes in for a takedown. Torre with some huge right hands and these guys are swinging for the fences. That was a wild brawl as they clinch against the fence. Nam is cut above his left eye. Nam with some knees in the clinch. Another wild brawl as both throw and land punches. They break away from a clinch. Nam misses on a takedown but has the back. Nam really wincing his eye. They are battling hard for position in the clinch. Torre with some heel strikes in the clinch and they are broken apart. Another wild exchange from both men and they clinch again. Good round. 10-9 de la Torre.
ROUND 2- Torre lands a left hook as Nam shoots in for a takedown against the fence. Torre with some knees in the clinch as Nam works for that takedown. They battle for position with a bunch of switches. They break. Another wild exchange. Nam misses a takedown attempt. They break after not much happens in a clinch. Nam lands a nice right hand. Nam whiffs a takedown and Torre makes him eat a left hand. Nam lands a right hand but can’t score a takedown. de la Torre with some short elbows in the sprawl. They are still throwing big punches with one hoping to land the ender. 10-9 de la Torre, 20-18 de la Torre.
ROUND 3- Nam lands a right hand. de la Torre lands a kick but eats another right hand from Nam. Nam misses a takedown. de la Torre with a kick but Nam catches the leg and finally gets a takedown. de la Torre gets right back up. Nam misses another takedown. His gameplan is really obvious right now. They are clinched again. This fight feels on repeat. Broken up by the referee again. Nam misses a big left hand. Nam with two body kicks and his face is showing the counters he has eaten. Nam misses a takedown. He misses another. Torre lands a left hook. 10-9 de la Torre, 30-27 de la Torre.
Official Result- Mike de la Torre def. Yui Chul Nam by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
I don’t see how you can score that fight for Nam, but the right guy got the decision in the end.
MIDDLEWEIGHTS- DONGI YANG (12-3, 1-3 UFC) VS. JAKE COLLIER (9-2, 1-1 UFC)
ROUND 1- This is Yang’s second stint in the UFC. Yang with a big body kick early. They exchange and Yang lands some nice left hands. Collier with a body kick. Collier drops Yang with a right hand and goes into the half-guard. Yang scrambles to his feet. Collier with a leg kick. Yang with a nice combo. Yang with a left hand and then gets poked right in the eye. Yang lands a left hand and they exchange punches. Yang with a takedown and landing from the top. Collier to his feet but eats strikes from Yang. Collier reverses a takedown and goes into half-guard. Yang scrambles to his feet. Collier with another takedown but Yang reverses and lands punches. Back to their feet. Yang with a late takedown. Close round. 10-9 Yang.
ROUND 2- They exchange and Collier grabs the neck looking for a guillotine choke. Yang defends and lands body punches. Yang escapes and lands big punches from the top and looking to finish. Collier rolls for a leg lock but Yang landing big punches. Collier has a leg and looking to extend it. Yang gets out and lands more punches and Collier is eating them and not fighting back and Herb Dean stops it. TKO win for Yang in his UFC return.
Official Result- Dongi Yang def. Jake Collier by TKO (punches) at 1:50 of Round 2
MAIN CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 8 AM ET/5 AM PT)
FEATHERWEIGHTS- DOO HO CHOI (12-1, 1-0 UFC) VS. SAM SICILIA (15-5, 5-4 UFC)
ROUND 1- Choi is a solid prospect at 145 pounds. Choi lands a combo to start. Choi rocks Sicilia and drops him. Sicilia gets up but is on wobbly legs. Sicilia lands a big right hand. Choi with another big punch. Sicilia goes for a trip but it is defended. Cjoi with a flying knee. Both men landing punches. Choi drops Sicilia with a left hand and some more punches on the ground and this fight is stopped. Choi extends his win streak to 11. Excellent fight while it lasted.
Official Result- Doo Ho Choi def. Sam Sicilia by TKO (punches) at 1:33 of Round 1
Choi called for a fight against Tatsuya Kawajiri next. Coincidence, Kawajiri fights in 13 days in Las Vegas, and doesn’t have an opponent as his opponent, Mirsad Bektic, pulled out due to a torn ACL yesterday.
WELTERWEIGHTS- YOSHIHIRO AKIYAMA (14-5 2 NC, 2-4 UFC) VS. ALBERTO MINA (11-0, 1-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- Akiyama is returning to action after 14 months off, still as shredded and as sexy as ever. Huge pop from the crowd when he took his shirt off. Mina with a right hand. Akiyama and Mina trade leg kicks. Akiyama with another big leg kick. Akiyama with a spinning back fist as the crowd chants for him. Mina with a leg kick. Mina lands a right hand. Mina with a leg kick. They trade leg kicks. Mina misses a takedown and a flying knee. They trade right hands. Mina with a late takedown. Close round. 10-9 Akiyama.
ROUND 2- Mina with a leg kick. Akiyama with a leg kick and then a big right hand. Akiyama with a leg kick. Mina misses a takedown. Mina with a front kick. Big uppercut lands from Akiyama. Mina then attacks the legs with kicks. Akiyama with a leg kick. Mina misses another takedown as he telegraphs them. Akiyama with another leg kick. They trade leg kicks and Akiyama stuffs a takedown attempt from Mina. Mina with a combo rocks Akiyama for a moment and they clinch against the fence but break. Mina with a too low kick and we have a timeout. We get back to action and Mina rocks Akiyama with a left hand. Mina goes for a takedown but it is stuffed. Mina with another right hand rocks Akiyama and drops him. Mina going for the finish and Mina rocking Akiyama big time but he is saved by the bell. Mina stole that round. 10-9 Mina, 19-19.
ROUND 3- This fight could be up for grabs. Mina misses a big left hook. Akiyama with a leg kick. Mina whiffing on his punches. Akiyama lands an uppercut. Mina misses a spinning elbow. Akiyama with a left hook as Mina drops for a takedown. Akiyama landing some punches as Mina looks gassed trying for a takedown. Crowd chanting big for Akiyama. Mina misses a takedown and tries to pull guard but Akiyama has none of it. Mina’s leg is badly bruised from the leg kicks. Akiyama with a right hand and then a combo. Mina just getting desperate for takedowns and it could cost him the fight. Mina lands a combo though. Akiyama with a solid combo and both are landing punches. Mina catches a leg kick from Akiyama and gets a takedown but Akiyama reverses. Akiyama in the guard and landing punches. They get up. Akiyama landing the left. Mina gassed out badly with the leg hurting. Akiyama with a left hook. Mina misses a takedown and is laying on the mat and Akiyama capitalizes and nearly finishes him. Akiyama finishes the round with strikes from the top. Good fight, comes down to how the first was scored. 10-9 Akiyama, 29-28 Akiyama.
Official Result- Alberto Mina def. Yoshihiro Akiyama by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Crowd booed the decision as Akiyama is the big crowd favorite, but nothing wrong with it at all.
WELTERWEIGHTS- (#7) DONG HYUN KIM (20-3-1 1 NC, 11-3 1 NC UFC) VS. DOMINIC WATERS (9-3, 0-1 UFC)
ROUND 1- We have the more well-known Dong Hyun Kim up now. Kim with a cartwheel kick and Waters takes advantage and grabs the back. Kim with a kneeto the body in the clinch. Kim with a judo throw and is in side control and the crucifix. Kim with a lot of punches from this position. Kim looking for a shoulder lock. Kim with more punches from the top. Kim with more and more punches. Waters in a lot of trouble as he fights to escape. Kim looking to finish and it is over. Kim has finished Waters and gets the big win.
Official Result- Dong Hyun Kim def. Dominic Waters by TKO (punches) at 3:11 of Round 1
WELTERWEIGHTS- (#7 LW) BENSON HENDERSON (22-5, 10-3 UFC) VS. JORGE MASVIDAL (29-9, 6-2 UFC)
ROUND 1- This is interesting for Henderson as it is the last fight on his current contract. Henderson with a leg kick. Henderson with a nice combo and a leg kick. Masvidal with a body kick. They trade punches. Masvidal with a body kick. They trade punches. Masvidal with a body kick but gets dropped for a moment by a right hand counter from Henderson. He gets back up and they clinch and Masvidal lands a liver punch on the break. Masvidal with a series of body kicks and then a head kick. Henderson with a leg kick. Henderson with a body kick and Masvidal lands his own and a right hand. Masvidal with a flying knee attempt and Henderson tries a takedown but it is defended. Good and close round. 10-9 Henderson.
ROUND 2- Both missing head kicks to start but Masvidal lands a glancing one to the arms of Henderson, who counters with a combo. Masvidal misses on two kicks. Masvidal with a punch and Henderson goes to the mat and Masvidal chases him down. Henderson has the leg but Masvidal defends. They get back up and both land punches in a nice exchange. They clinch and land knees. They break and Masvidal with a high kick. Lots of output from both men, especially Masvidal. Big head kick from Henderson but it is checked. Henderson shoots in for a single-leg but Masvidal has the neck. Masvidal goes for a guillotine but Henderson rolls out and Henderson looks for one of his own. Henderson with knees as the round ends. Another good and close round. 10-9 Masvidal, 19-19.
ROUND 3- Front kick to the face from Henderson. Body kick and then leg kick from Masvidal. They trade punches. Henderson with a body kick. They trade punches and Henderson sets up for a takedown but Masvidal defends against the fence. Henderson landing in the clinch but Masvidal has his tounge sticking out. Masvidal drags Henderson down for a moment and has the back but Henderson spins around. Masvidal has the neck but lets go. Henderson with a knee to the legs. They break and Masvidal got hit in the groin on the break. Masvidal with a body kick. He lands another. Masvidal with a head kick that just misses but lands a right hand. Henderson with a nice right hand and a leg kick. They trade in close range. Big body kick by Masvidal. 3 rounds down, 3 close rounds. 10-9 Henderson, 29-28 Henderson.
ROUND 4- Henderson with an outside leg kick. They trade some punches. Masvidal with a high kick. Henderson goes in for a takedown but Masvidal defends against the fence. They remain clinched against the fence. They break. They trade punches. Masvidal with a wild combo and Henderson grabs the clinch and pushes the fight against the fence. Henderson with a quick takedown but Masvidal slips out and grabs the neck. Masvidal with some elbows off the break. Henderson ducks under a right hand from Masvidal and gets the takedown but Masvidal gets right back up and grabs the back and looks to take Henderson down. Masvidal gets in the guard of Henderson and Henderson looks to set up a triangle. Masvidal gets out and grabs the neck. Masvidal with a combo as Henderson gets off the fence. Henderson lands a flying knee as the round ends. Another close round. 10-9 Henderson, 39-37 Henderson.
ROUND 5- No telling how the scores are in this close fight. Henderson with a left hand to the body. Masvidal misses a big right hand. Henderson misses a flying knee but looks to set up a takedown. Henderson gets Masvidal down for a second but right back up. Masvidal grabs the neck and goes for a choke and Henderson is in trouble as this is tight. Henderson goes to his back to defend but Masvidal still going for it. Henderson defending well. They get back to their feet. Masvidal with a knee in the clinch. Masvidal with a right hand over the top. Masvidal with a body kick and Henderson goes for a takedown but it is stuffed by Masvidal. Henderson with knees to the thighs. Masvidal with a roll and Henderson gets into mount but Masvidal escapes. Nice scramble and Henderson lands a knee. They scramble and go back down to the mat. They get to their feet and Henderson has the back. Henderson trips Masvidal down and looks for the back. Masvidal escapes with 30 seconds left. Masvidal trying a late takedown. Masvidal goes for the neck but the fight ends. Excellent fight, one of the better fights of the year. Every round is close. 10-9 Henderson, 49-46 Henderson.
Official Result- Benson Henderson def. Jorge Masvidal by split decision (47-48, 48-47, 49-46)
AXS TV is airing college basketball tonight so no New Japan, live fights or Inside MMA.
WWE and NXT aren’t running shows tonight.
CMLL will be airing live at 9:30 p.m. at www.clarosports.com This is expected to be available in the U.S. free of charge live from Arena Mexico.
The New Japan tag team tournament continues this weekend. Here are the tournament matches that will be up in the morning each day on New Japan World (they aren’t airing live)
New Japan Tag team tournament tomorrow in Yamaguchi
Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe vs. Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian
Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows
Katsuyori Shibata & Hirooki Goto vs. A.J. Styles & Yujiro Takahashi
UFC ON FIGHT PASS FULL CARD IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA AT 5 A.M. EASTERN AND 2 A.M. PACIFIC TIME
Dominique Steele (171) vs. Dong Hyun Kim II (170)
Ning Guangyou (134) vs. Marco Beltran (136)
Yao Zhukui (126) vs. Fredy Serano (125)
Seo Hee Ham (115) vs. Cortney Casey (116)
Tae Hyun Bang (156) vs. Leo Kuntz (156)
Yui Chul Nam (146) vs. Mike de la Torre (146)
Dongi Yang (186) vs. Jake Collier (185)
Doo Ho Choi (146) vs. Sam Sicilia (146)
Choo Sung-hoon (better known as Yoshihiro Akiyama, but using his Korean name here) (170) vs. Alberto Mina (171)
Dong Hyun Kim Original (170) vs. Dominic Waters (170)]
Benson Henderson (170) vs. Jorge Masvidal (170)
WWE runs Saturday night in Kansas City with Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, The Wyatts, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Baron Corbin, Alberto Del Rio, Kane, Usos and Ryback.
WWE runs Sunday in Huntington, WV with Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, The Wyatts, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Baron Corbin, Alberto De Rio, Kane, Usos and Ryback.
New Japan tag team tournament Sunday in Ehime
Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga
Michael Bennett & Matt Taven vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Michael Elgin vs Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi
Raw is Monday in Pittsburgh. Nothing to this point has been announced for the show.
New Japan tag team tournament Monday in Fukuoka
Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba
Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tetsuya Naito & Evil
Smackdown and Main Event will be taped on Tuesday night in Hershey, PA.
New Japan tag team tournament Tuesday in Fukuoka
Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga
Michael Bennett vs. Matt Taven vs. A.J. Styles & Yujiro Takahashi
Kazuchika Okada & Yoshi-Hashi vs. Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba
It’s Black Friday and that means Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online has a huge deal for you!
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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
A look at the decision to make Sheamus the WWE champion and its ramifications is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. We look at WWE’s options, both the obvious ones and the ones out of the box, different ways to use people, the nature of the decision, the prior identical decision in 2011 and the storyline it was supposed to lead to and why it was made.
We look at the real long-term goal, the note on the ratings, the portrayal of Sheamus leading up to the title change, the plans for the TLC show, what has been messed up, the women’s division, the WWE blaming Charlotte on a bad taste angle, ESPN and WWE, plus match-by-match coverage of Survivor Series with poll results and star ratings.
We look at the TNA deal with Pop TV, both the good and the bad of it, plus the tapings in Bethlehem, the economics of the deal and note on the station.
We’ve got a look at the New Japan tag team tournament, with current standings, goals of the tournament, who probably can’t win the tournament, and coverage of the tournament so far.
We also look at why Genichiro Tenryu is one of the biggest stars of the past 40 years in wrestling, with a look at his career in wrestling, his days in sumo, his early U.S. run, his rise in All Japan, why he left All Japan, how his leaving led to a boom period for All Japan, his deal with Super World Sports, his feud with Riki Choshu and Jumbo Tsuruta, the real story behind his Tokyo Dome match with Hulk Hogan, the story behind his rise. the WAR days his biggest matches and his final show.
We also have an update on Randy Orton, Cesaro, notes on new WWE signing La Sombra, thoughts on the Sombra signing, how it’s the same and different from the original Mistico signing, WWE week on USA and changes this year, WWE Network shows, Brock Lesnar’s return to Raw, legal briefs filed by WWE, why Stephanie McMahon has been gone from TV and why she’s back regularly, next Takeover special, HHH talks Hogan’s return, John Cena talks his departure, WWE star teases retirement in a few years, Mick Foley upset with creative direction and notes from the developmental shows over the weekend,.
PLUS MUCH MORE! CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW
The Latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter: November 30, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Sheamus wins WWE title, Tenryu retirement show
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TODAY’S DAILY UPDATE
WWE
4/16 in Birmingham
4/17 in Nottingham
4/18 in London at the O2 Arena for Raw
4/19 in London at the O2 Arena for Smackdown
4/19 in Manchester
4/20 in Newcastle
4/20 in Belfast
4/21 in Dublin
4/22 in Sheffield
4/23 in Glasgow
WWE stock closed up 28 cents per share today to $17.38.
MISCELLANEOUS
ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY INTERNATIONAL
1970 – El Solitario beat Ray Mendoza in Mexico City to win the NWA light heavyweight title
2002 – Cima & Suwa & Don Fujii beat Milano Collection A.T. & Yossino & Brother Yasshi to win the UWA trios titles
2007 – La Sombra beat Hajime Ohara in Mexico City to win the NWA welterweight title
2011 – Katsuhiko Nakajima beat Ricky Marvin in Tokyo to win the vacant GHC jr. title
2012 – Estrellita beat Princesa Blanca in Guadalajara to win the Mexican national women’s title
Barry Rose listed these shows that took place historically on 11/26 in Florida
1956 – June Byers beat Dot Dotson to retain the NWA women’s title (Sarasota)
1958 – Enrique Torres beat Big Ben Sharpe (Miami)
1964 – Bob Orton Sr. beat Tarzan Tyler (Jacksonville)
1968 – Sailor Art Thomas beat Great Malenko with Joe Louis as referee (Tampa sellout)
1973 – Dusty Rhodes beat Great Malenko in a cage match (Orlando)
1974 – Dusty Rhodes beat Cowboy Bill Watts in a cage match for the Florida title (Tampa)
1974 – Bob Armstrong beat Mike McCord (Austin Idol) to keep the North American title (Fort Myers)
1975 – Rocky Johnson beat King Curtis Iaukea (Miami Beach)
1977 – Dusty Rhodes beat Lars Anderson (St. Petersburg)
1979 – Harley Race beat Steve Keirn to retain the NWA title (West Palm Beach)
1980 – Dusty Rhodes & Bobo Brazil beat R.T. Tyler & Bobby Jaggers via DQ (Miami Beach)