The 37-year-old Punk (Phil Brooks) said he had just gotten clearance to train after back surgery and would debut in Cleveland, a show headlined by Stipe Miocic vs. Alistair Overeem for the UFC heavyweight title. Fabricio Werdum vs. Ben Rothwell is also on that show.
Assuming the fight goes off as planned, his debut would happen nearly two years since he first signed with UFC, a timetable far longer than expected. Reasons included delays due to head trainer Duke Roufus not wanting him to fight too early, as well as shoulder and back injuries, both of which date back to his days as a pro wrestler.
Gall is 2-0 in his young MMA career, and won his February UFC debut convincingly against Mike Jackson.
– Air Date: June 23, 2016 – Location: Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, AZ
– The Big News:
There was no acknowledgement of the Roman Reigns wellness policy violation or suspension. There was also no mention of what happened with Jerry Lawler this week. Smackdown did feature Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins for the first time ever, and it delivered.
Show Recap:
They started with a video package recapping Dean Ambrose’s night at Money in the Bank and Raw. They officially announced Ambrose vs. Rollins vs. Reigns at Battleground. The commentary team was Mauro Ranallo, Byron Saxton and David Otunga. The Raw/Smackdown podiums were on the stage too, even though they were never used.
Seth Rollins Promo
Rollins said all of our parents told us that we can accomplish our goals if we work hard, but MITB was proof that they’re all liars. Nobody works harder than him and he proved it when he came back early from his injury and pinned the paper champion Roman Reigns. Rollins said Ambrose snuck up behind him and stole his title.
Rollins said he would prove again that he was, and always will be, the best member of the Shield. Tonight, he wanted to prove he was the man and issued an open challenge, which brought out Sami Zayn. Rollins asked him of his master Kevin Owens let him off his leash. Rollins was taking Zayn lightly and called him the perfect opponent.
Before Zayn could say anything, Dean Ambrose interrupted. Ambrose called for the production guys to bring his Ambrose Asylum set into the ring, which they did. Ambrose has a cactus now. He also (poorly) drew the WWE title belt on the bristol board sign. Rollins thought this was crap and didn’t want to be a guest on his show, but Zayn played along, acting overly excited and honoured to be on.
Ambrose’s first question was for Rollins, asking him why he’s such a jackass. Rollins didn’t want to be there, so Zayn challenged him to a match right now. Rollins was pissed about this whole thing and stormed off. Ambrose announced the match for the main event, and Ranallo called it a first-time ever match. Perfectly fine opening segment.
Cesaro beat Alberto Del Rio via pinfall
They went to commercial one minute into the match. The story behind this was that Del Rio blames Cesaro for costing him the ladder match. Cesaro won an 8-9 minute match after reversing the armbar into a Neutralizer. Really good match and the crowd got into it the more it went.
Sheamus beat Apollo Crews via countout
Otunga said he understood Sheamus’ position because when Otunga himself was out, he was afraid somebody else would take his spot, and Sheamus must be worried about the same thing.
Crews had control until Sheamus gave him a rolling senton on the outside. Sheamus grabbed the steel steps, stood them up, and eventually hit Crews with a Brogue kick, sending him into the steps. This was somehow not a DQ, and Sheamus got in the ring as the referee counted out Crews.
The announcers discussed the Draft and the AJ Styles/John Cena program.
Backstage with The Club
Gallows said there’s no better feeling than beating Cena, which Styles did. Anderson said there was no better feeling than beating up Cena, which they all did on Raw. The Usos interrupted and told Styles he can’t win without his boys “Head and Shoulders.” Styles couldn’t tell the Usos apart. Jimmy said they’ve fought Gallows and Anderson before, but not Styles one-on-one, and challenged him.
Styles agreed to a match and would take him on without the Club at ringside. Jimmy wanted to shake on it, but when Styles went to shake his hand, Jimmy pulled his hand back and dabbed. The crowd laughed. They cut to Ranallo who said the match was made official, even though the segment literally just ended a second earlier. Whoever runs Smackdown works quickly, I guess.
AJ Styles beat Jimmy Uso (w/Jey Uso) via pinfall
Otunga picked Jimmy Uso to win this match. He also mentioned listening to the Stone Cold podcast and thought Styles was insecure about his size, which is why he hangs out with such big guys. Amazing. As Styles held a headlock, the younger portion of the audience chanted “AJ sucks.” Jimmy made his comeback and hit a superkick.
At this point, Gallows and Anderson ran down through the crowd to attack Jey. Jimmy nailed them both with a dive, and Styles followed with slingshot forearm on Jimmy. Styles pushed him back in the ring and hit a Phenomenal forearm for the win. The action was good but this was too short. The story, of course, was that Styles won thanks to the Club.
Non-title: WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston & Big E (w/Xavier Woods) beat The Vaudevillains via pinfall
New Day won very quickly after hitting Gotch with Midnight Hour.
After the match, the Wyatts appeared on the screen. Bray said the measure of a man is what he does with power, but New Day used their power of positivity to interrupt the eater of worlds and that would be a grave mistake. New Day falls… Run.
There was a new segment with Bob Backlund and Darren Young. Young said his goals were to win a singles title and main event WrestleMania. Backlund said his era was called the “Bob Backlund era” and this will be the “Darren Young era.”
Backstage Interviews
Sami Zayn told a new interview man that it was time to move on from Kevin Owens, which is why he accepted Rollins’ challenge. He said the earlier segment may have been fun and games, but it was time to get serious. Zayn said he wouldn’t be worried about Owens tonight, and he hoped Rollins wouldn’t be worried about Ambrose, because Zayn would kick his face off. This was great.
Elsewhere, Renee Young asked Charlotte and Dana Brooke about Sasha Banks, which led to “We want Sasha” chants in the background. I missed Charlotte’s response. I’m sure it doesn’t matter. Brooke said she would beat Carrot Top Becky and playtime was over. One of the announcers (or someone) coughed into their mic during this segment and they didn’t bother editing it out.
Dana Brooke (w/Charlotte) beat Becky Lynch via pinfall
After Lynch hit a reverse DDT, Charlotte jumped on the apron, so Lynch knocked her off. The distraction allowed Brooke to apply a small package for the win in less than 2 minutes. Stupid. Another short women’s match and it was the only one on the show.
Afterwards, the heels doubled teamed Lynch. Lynch gave Brooke an Exploder, but Charlotte nailed her with a big boot. Sasha Banks came down for the save. Charlotte bailed and Brooke attacked Banks from behind, but she gave Brooke the Bank Statement as she stared at Charlotte.
Backstage, Rollins walked toward Gorilla when Ambrose showed up behind him. Ambrose said he wasn’t about to miss this match and casually walked along behind Rollins. Rollins was annoyed and responded by just walking really fast to get away. Funny.
Seth Rollins beat Sami Zayn via pinfall
Dean Ambrose joined commentary. Ranallo called him the new kingpin of WWE, and Ambrose really liked that. There were dueling chants of “Let’s go Rollins” and “Sami Zayn.” After a break, Rollins stomped a mudhole into Zayn. They each tried to hit a vertical suplex, but Rollins got the better of it and hit a Falcon Arrow.
Ranallo asked Ambrose what it was like to get “You deserve it” chants. Ambrose said you can’t outsmart the people and, “to quote John Cena, even though I don’t want to, real recognizes real.”
Zayn began making a comeback but Rollins escaped to the outside. Zayn went right after him with a clothesline, followed by a crossbody back in the ring for two. Zayn then hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.
Zayn went for the Helluva kick but Rollins countered with a jumping kick and turnbuckle bomb. Zayn countered into a school boy for two, then reversed a Pedigree into a tornado DDT. Zayn went for Helluva kick again, but again Rollins escaped the ring. Zayn hit a flip dive, but as they re-entered the ring, Rollins immediately hit the Pedigree for the win. Very good match, although it was only about 12 minutes.
After the match, Rollins confronted Ambrose, but when Ambrose got in his face, Rollins backed off. Ambrose went to sit back down so Rollins gave him a cheap shot. With Ambrose down, Rollins celebrated, but Ambrose wildly attacked him. Ambrose went for a Dirty Deeds in the ring but Rollins bailed.
– Final Thoughts:
Based on normal Smackdown standards, this show was pretty good, especially with what felt like a light crew. Del Rio vs. Cesaro and Zayn vs. Rollins were both really good and the talking segments were entertaining too. I love that Seth Rollins seems like he’ll be perpetually annoyed as long as Dean Ambrose is WWE champion.
A Wellness policy violation by Roman Reigns (31-year-old Joe Anoa’i), who WWE has been pushing for years as the heir apparent for John Cena’s role as top star, has changed short-term plans for the company.
Ahead of this Friday’s ROH Best in the World ppv, Ring of Honor announced Wednesday that “Mr. ROH” Roderick Strong would be leaving the promotion following Saturday’s TV tapings.
Strong has been a part of ROH off and on since 2003, and has been one of their longest-tenured performers outside of a brief TNA run. He and Austin Aries held the ROH Tag Team Titles, and he won both the TV and World titles in the company as well. In the ROH announcement, he didn’t list any reasons for leaving the promotion.
Over the past few years, he has had some outstanding matches with New Japan stars including classics with Okada, Nakamura, and Tanahashi. With WWE hiring like crazy for the roster split, one has to wonder if WWE is in his future or if he will return to TNA, where his ROH Generation Next team briefly reformed. New Japan would also be a fantastic match for his style, although one would think that if that was his goal, he would just continue with ROH.
Dave Meltzer & Bryan Alvarez will have more on this news on the Wednesday night edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.
Starting Wednesday July 13, the WWE will debut its newest creation, the WWE Cruiserweight Classic. It will be only availalble on the WWE Network and will air every Wednesday at 9 P.M. Eastern. The show will last for 10 weeks, and will basically be a 32 man tournament, culminating on September 14. Daniel Bryan and Mauro Ranallo will be the announcers, so that’s already a plus. Add to it some of the world’s best high flyers in the business, and it’s sure to be excellent. Whether or not it will end up being a “classic” is yet to be determined, especially following one of the most amazing NJPW Super Junior tournaments of all time. However, I’m sure this will be must see programming on the WWE Network, especially compared to Season 2 of Swerved.
The 10th annual Wrestling Observer/F4W convention in Las Vegas takes place during UFC’s International Fight Week from July 7 – 11.Ed in San Antonio has information up on Facebook, or you can email him at F4Wfan@hotmail.com. It’s always a fun time, so hurry up and make your plans to join Dave Meltzer, Bryan Alvarez (yes he’ll be there), Vinny, Granny, and the rest of the group in beautiful Las Vegas this July.
Our “lunch with Granny” is good-to-go at Johnny Rockets (in Excalibur), just like last year, on Saturday July 9th, at 11:30 a.m. local time. We have the “patio area” reserved for us. We’ve also been granted 10% discounts. Just tell the cashier that you’re a part of “Granny’s Gang!” And of course… the star of this event, Ms. Gladys Gibson, just has to show up and be her charming self, and she eats for FREE! See ya soon!
If you’ve ever wanted to WATCH our radio shows here on the site, check out our 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!
Figure Four Weekly 6/20/2016: Never trust Nigerian investors– Growing up as a way-too-hardcore-for-my-age wrestling fan, I looked forward to watching whatever flavor of wrestling from the Dallas Sportatorium was on ESPN and in syndication at the time. The ESPN show was perfect for kids who loved pro wrestling: It aired at 4 p.m. eastern time, so it was perfect for after-school viewing… Subscribers click here to continue reading.
This week’s Observer has a major story on the gamble of Brock Lesnar in UFC 200, the most in-depth look at the Ariel Helwani situation that you’ll find anywhere, full coverage of NXT Takeover, UFC 199, WWE Money in the Bank, and the details of TNA’s struggle to stay alive, its PPV and its future. There’s also a breakdown on the WWE cruiserweight classic, and monthly WWE and TNA business figures.
Take a look at Michael Bisping’s unlikely title win, all the ramifications of the Lesnar deal, what it shows about WWE, a look back at the last time WWE risked one of their stars against an outsider without scripting, how Ariel Helwani got to be a star reporter and how that played into what happened last week, and what aspects of the story that are really more important that haven’t been covered or have been overlooked, all covered in this week’s issue.
WWE looks at the possibility of adding PPV shows and the good and bad of that decision-making, and some economics of that decision.
A key WWE musician passes away, more on what Ali learned from pro wrestling, Bryan Danielson attends WWE event, Bobby Roode’s debut, notes on SummerSlam, new WWE executive hire, new WWE announcer, WWE looking for new members of creative, who is expected to return shortly, another animated WWE movie, update on Paul Heyman plus a full rundown on all the WWE & NXT live events this past week and business notes on the shows, in this edition.
Take a look at the background of the NXT Takeover show, the debut of Andrade Cien Almas and what did and didn’t work, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings.
For UFC 199, we look at the state of the middleweight title, how everything lines up, whom Michael Bisping wants next, as well as match-by-match coverage along with pay records for those on the show.
Finally, read how TNA saved its recent TV tapings and PPV, why they were close to not happening, where money came from, and what to look out for in the future. Plus, check out Slammiversary with match-by-match coverage and star ratings.
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.
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.
Yesterday, a Pennsylvania jury acquitted a 21-year-old man charged with aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, and related counts stemming from a May 2015 incident where he performed Undertaker’s Last Ride on an 18-month old, inadvertently causing fatal head injuries.
Also a friend of the site, Brandon Thurston passed along that on Tuesday, WWE CFO George Barrios revealed the status of his TV contracts during a presentation:
“So first on the renewal cycle: We have the dollars there through ’18. Our three largest deals, which are the U.S., U.K. and India — actually go through ’19. So the U.S. deal is — all three of them are five-year deals. The U.S. deal will go through third quarter of 2019, and then U.K. and India through the fourth quarter.”
The Fight Network announced they will start airing Halifax, Canada, based WrestleCentre on Wednesdays at 2 AM EST starting July 19th. It joins TNA and ROH as part of a growing wrestling block on the station. We were also told the AXS TV version of NJPW will begin there on July 7th.
Jake “the Snake” Roberts was on the latest episode of the Pancakes and Powerslams Show. Roberts discussed Dean Ambrose being compared to him, difficulty working with Sting, hating the overuse of finishers in today’s product, and much more.
Tickets are now on sale in the DGUSA.tv Store or by calling 267-638-6583 for EVOLVE on July 16th in Queens, NY, July 17th in Melrose, MA, August 19th in Joppa, MD and August 20th in Brooklyn, NY. Go to the DGUSA.tv Events section for more building and info.
The newest Creative Control podcast talks today’s wrestling scene, and although this was recorded before the big Roman Reigns suspension news dropped, they cover the Dean Ambrose title win, and what the future may hold for each of the former Shield members.
This podcast interviews an indy wrestler from Santa Cruz, and he tells a funny story about doing stand up comedy and being kicked out of the club.
UFC/MMA
Tickets for September’s UFC 203 in Cleveland featuring heavyweight champion and hometown boy Stipe Miocic vs. Alistair Overeem go on sale this Friday to the general public.
As a reminder, Spike TV airs the Kimbo Slice documentary this Friday at 7 PM prior to the next Bellator show featuring Rampage Jackson.
June 24 – ROH Best in the World from Concord, NC with Jay Lethal vs. Jay Briscoe for the ROH title
June 24 – Isao Kobayashi vs. Justin Lawrence will appear on Spike.com at the Bellator Dynamite show in St. Louis. This is a combo MMA & kickboxing show.
June 24 – Thrash Wrestling “Passion for Smashin” – Schubert Centre 3505 30th Avenue, Vernon, British Columbia V1T 2E6
June 25 – MCW Power Struggle in Brantford, ONT, with Cody Deaner, Rip Impact, Tyler Tirva, and more.
June 25 – PWA Night of Champions – Century Casino Showroom – 1010 42 Ave SE Calgary, Alberta
June 25 – Pure Wrestling Association, Wakas Community Hall, 180 Tsulquate Rd, Port Hardy, BC
June 25 – Great North Wrestling returns to the Pembroke Memorial Centre, featuring Nicolai Volkoff. Tickets available here.
June 25 – The UWC returns to Kelly’s Bar/Banquet Hall, 14 Railroad Avenue, Wrightstown, NJ 08562. More information here.
June 25 – Ultima Lucha tapings in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles at The Temple
June 25 – Capital City Championship Combat this Saturday in Ottawa with “Speedball” Mike Bailey, 2 Cold Scorpio, Space Monkey, “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams, and more.
July 1 – Pure Wrestling Association is proud to announce our 7th year as part of the Canada Day Celebration. Riverside Park Cambridge, Cambridge, Ontario N3H.
July 2 – Stars of Wrestling from Alameda, CA at the Alameda Point Gym has Bobby Lashley, Carlito and The Boogeyman appearing.
July 2 – NWA Cajun Heat in Morgan City, LA at the Municipal Auditorium with Jax Dane vs. Mustang Mike for the NWA title, and an appearance by Kevin Nash
July 7 – Rock Solid Wrestling runs in Sudbury, ON.
July 9 – Smash Wrestling in Fort Erie, ONT at the Native Friendship Center. Chris Hero will headline this fundraising event.
July 17 – Lucha by the Water ft Blue Demon Jr! – Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2G8, 3-6 pm. Tickets here.
July 17 – Premier Wrestling at the IFDES Lodge and Portuguese Hall in Gilroy, CA with Joe Graves vs. Gabriel Gallo for the Premier. Tickets at www.premierwrestle.com.
July 22 – Ignite Wrestling in Fort Pierce, FL at the National Guard Armory on a show with Lince Dorado, Mr. 450 Hammet, Lio Rush, Martin Stone, Los Ben Dejos, and more
July 22 – AIW runs on 7/22 in Cleveland, OH, with Ethan Page vs. Josh Prohibition vs. Josh Alexander, and Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae vs. Ethan Carter III & Karlee Perez
July 22 – The Lou Thesz Hall of Fame weekend show in Waterloo, IA, featuring Ricochet vs. Sami Callihan, Wes Brisco, B. Brian Blair, Jessika Havok, Tessa Blanchard, a steel cage match and more – This is the weekend Dave Meltzer will be honored.
July 23 – AAW in Merrionnette Park, IL, with Sami Callihan vs. Pentagon Jr., Zack Sabre Jr., Marty Scurll; Tommaso Ciampa; Fenix; Johnny Gargano, and plenty more. Here’s what you missed on their last show.
July 23 – Masters of Ring Entertainment in Wilmington, NC, as part of Pro Wrestling Fan Expo 3 will feature Jeff Jarret vs. ECIII vs. James Storm, announced by Jarrett in this video.
July 24 – Fenix vs. Pentagon Jr. headlines for Lucha Libre New York at Club LaBoom in Queens, NY
Big pop for Truth. Goldust hit his normal drop to the knees, punch to the face spot a couple of times. The heels worked over Truth until the hot tag to Goldust. Goldust with a spinning suplex for the win.
– Enzo and Cass def. The Ascension
Konnor is back after his 60-day break due to a wellness policy violation. Usual opener by Enzo and Cass, ripping the heels by asking them where their pads were and if their mommy was bringing them so they (Ascension) could go and play pee wee football after the match. Heels worked over Enzo until the hot tag to Cass. Enzo with a splash, assisted by Cass, ends the night for the Ascension returning from suspension.
– Baron Corbin def. Sin Cara
Corbin played football for the Arizona Cardinals but the fans did not know this as he was soundly booed. Fans tried to get behind Sin Cara with the “Lucha” chants as Sin Cara tried to attack the legs of Corbin with kicks. Corbin kept the action on the ground and finished Sin Cara with The End of Days.
– US Champion Rusev (with Lana) def. Zack Ryder
Lana had her hair down instead of the usual bun. Ryder and Rusev locked up and then went into a series of amateur wrestling moves. Eventually, Rusev overpowered Ryder and started stalking him around the ring dealing out punishment. Ryder, however, is like a college hoops team that is the ultimate underdog. They hang around long enough to throw a scare into the opponent. Rusev botched a climb up the ropes when he tried to knock Ryder down. Ryder had a couple of near falls teasing a title change and eventually fell to the Accolade.
Smackdown —
– Seth Rollins opened the show with a promo, talking about the three-way match* at Battleground.
He railed about no one outworking him and how unfair it was that he did not have the belt. He issued an open challenge to anyone in the back for the night’s main event. Challenge accepted by Sami Zayn. At first, Rollins scoffed at Zayn but then decided that Zayn was a perfect choice.
Both men were interrupted by the Lunatic Fringe as the new champion hit the ring. He called for the set people and the workers rushed the ring to set up an impromptu Ambrose Asylum complete with Mitch The Plant. Rollins was angered, but Zayn was excited. Ambrose played the part of a host behind the scenes asking if everyone was ready and if they needed anything like water. Rollins ad-libbed and said that he was parched before catching himself and telling Ambrose to shut up. Zayn goaded Rollins to fight immediately, and Rollins dropped the mic and left in a huff.
*All references to the title match at Battleground were for a three-way match, so the main event seems to be continuing with Reigns in it. None of the interviews acknowledged anything about Reigns.
– Cesaro beat Alberto Del Rio
Good, hard hitting match between the two. Del Rio started fast and went after Cesaro’s arm. Cesaro sold the beating and eventually fought back with a string of uppercuts. Del Rio hit the Backstabber and went for the Tree of Woe stomp which Cesaro countered. Cesaro climbed up and jumped off the ropes which Del Rio countered into an attempted cross arm breaker. This was countered by Cesaro who hit Del Rio with a pump handle slam and abruptly ended the match. Cesaro climbed onto the announcer’s table and bowed to the crowd to a large pop.
– Sheamus beat Apollo Crews via countout
Rematch from MITB with Sheamus all over Crews at the beginning while the rookie looked timid. Eventually Crews fought back but did not hit many aerial spots other than a sunset flip off of the ring apron. Sheamus pulled the steel steps into a vertical position and kicked Crews into them for the countout victory.
– The Usos returned, and did an angle backstage with Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson & A.J. Styles. This set up Styles vs. Jimmy.
– A.J. Styles pinned Jimmy Uso
Jey was ringside and played the role that Cena did on Monday, watching the back for signs of the club. AJ seemingly had a counter for Jimmy’s moves and mocked the Uso with his Phenomenal gesture. When it looked like Jimmy finally had caught AJ and had him in trouble, the Club came through the crowd to attack Jey. Jimmy jumped over the ropes and bowled the club over only to eat a Phenomenal Forearm onto the concrete floor. AJ rolled Jimmy back into the ring and hit another Phenomenal Forearm for good measure.
– WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day over The Vaudevillains
The heels worked over Kofi as Big E could only watch. Xavier Woods took the night off and just played the trombone. The heels worked together to isolate Kofi until he could make the hot tag to Big E. Big E preceded to suplex everyone many times and the heels could not even hide outside of the ring as Kofi stalked the outside and splashed anyone hanging around outside the ring. Big E with the pinfall. The celebration was cut short by a Wyatt family promo in which Bray promised to bring pain to the New Day and that they would fall.
– Dana Brooke beat Becky Lynch
This was over in about a minute after Charlotte interfered, allowing Dana to take advantage and pin Becky. Charlotte entered the ring to add injury to insult when Sasha Banks’ music hit to a huge pop. Sasha sauntered down to the ring in her inimitable fashion and removed her bling. It looked like Charlotte was going to engage but then she ducked out the ring and laughed at Banks. Brooke tried a sneak attack but was stopped by the Banks Statement.
– Seth Rollins pinned Sami Zayn with a pedigree
Rollins toyed with Zayn at first, slapping him, countering his moves, and resting on the turnbuckle while Zayn recuperated. Eventually Zayn started hitting his spots. The two went back and forth in an entertaining match. Zayn took a power bomb fling into the turnbuckle but hit Rollins with an “Undertakeresque” walk up the ropes into a hurrincanrana.
Both men had near falls. Rollins went for the pedigree but Zayn reversed it into a tornado ddt. Rollins bailed from the ring and Zayn did a flip over the ropes onto Rollins. Rollins staggered back into the ring and surprised Zayn with a pedigree as Zayn re-entered the ring.
Rollins gave Ambrose a cheap shot and Ambrose chased him through the ring. Ambrose laid out the belt in the ring motioning for Rollins to come back but Rollins stayed at the top of the ramp.
After the cameras stopped rolling…
Suddenly AJ’s music hit and the Club came out to the top of the ramp. AJ told Rollins that the Club was planning on hurting Ambrose and that he could join them if he (Rollins) wanted to. Rollins agreed and the four heels headed to the ring. Zayn rolled back into the ring to help Ambrose but they were quickly overwhelmed. The crowd was chanting for Cena but it was the Usos for the save. The faces cleared the heels out of the ring and Ambrose grabbed the mic and challenged the heels to an 8 man tag team match.
The Club w/ Seth Rollins vs. WWE Champion Dean Ambrose, Sami Zayn, and the Usos.
This match was quick with the heels isolating Jey at the outset. A hot tag to Ambrose brought the house down as each man entered the match and hit his spots that he was known for. Eventually Anderson ate Dirty Deeds and was pinned. The faces stayed around and celebrated with fans. Ambrose stayed around for at least ten minutes signing autographs, taking selfies with fans and letting kids hold his belt.
The big news of the day, if you haven’t heard is WWE’s suspension of Roman Reigns for a wellness violation. It is a 30 day suspension, which would be just in time for a possible return at WWE’s next PPV, Battleground. Bryan and Dave discuss the situation on today’s Break News Wrestling Observer Radio, check it out!
The 10th annual Wrestling Observer/F4W convention in Las Vegas takes place during UFC’s International Fight Week from July 7 – 11.Ed in San Antonio has information up on Facebook, or you can email him at F4Wfan@hotmail.com. It’s always a fun time, so hurry up and make your plans to join Dave Meltzer, Bryan Alvarez (yes he’ll be there), Vinny, Granny, and the rest of the group in beautiful Las Vegas this July.
Our “lunch with Granny” is good-to-go at Johnny Rockets (in Excalibur), just like last year, on Saturday July 9th, at 11:30 a.m. local time. We have the “patio area” reserved for us. We’ve also been granted 10% discounts. Just tell the cashier that you’re a part of “Granny’s Gang!” And of course… the star of this event, Ms. Gladys Gibson, just has to show up and be her charming self, and she eats for FREE! See ya soon!
If you’ve ever wanted to WATCH our radio shows here on the site, check out our 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!
Figure Four Weekly 6/20/2016: Never trust Nigerian investors– Growing up as a way-too-hardcore-for-my-age wrestling fan, I looked forward to watching whatever flavor of wrestling from the Dallas Sportatorium was on ESPN and in syndication at the time. The ESPN show was perfect for kids who loved pro wrestling: It aired at 4 p.m. eastern time, so it was perfect for after-school viewing… Subscribers click here to continue reading.
This week’s Observer has a major story on the gamble of Brock Lesnar in UFC 200, the most in-depth look at the Ariel Helwani situation that you’ll find anywhere, full coverage of NXT Takeover, UFC 199, WWE Money in the Bank, and the details of TNA’s struggle to stay alive, its PPV and its future. There’s also a breakdown on the WWE cruiserweight classic, and monthly WWE and TNA business figures.
Take a look at Michael Bisping’s unlikely title win, all the ramifications of the Lesnar deal, what it shows about WWE, a look back at the last time WWE risked one of their stars against an outsider without scripting, how Ariel Helwani got to be a star reporter and how that played into what happened last week, and what aspects of the story that are really more important that haven’t been covered or have been overlooked, all covered in this week’s issue.
WWE looks at the possibility of adding PPV shows and the good and bad of that decision-making, and some economics of that decision.
A key WWE musician passes away, more on what Ali learned from pro wrestling, Bryan Danielson attends WWE event, Bobby Roode’s debut, notes on SummerSlam, new WWE executive hire, new WWE announcer, WWE looking for new members of creative, who is expected to return shortly, another animated WWE movie, update on Paul Heyman plus a full rundown on all the WWE & NXT live events this past week and business notes on the shows, in this edition.
Take a look at the background of the NXT Takeover show, the debut of Andrade Cien Almas and what did and didn’t work, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings.
For UFC 199, we look at the state of the middleweight title, how everything lines up, whom Michael Bisping wants next, as well as match-by-match coverage along with pay records for those on the show.
Finally, read how TNA saved its recent TV tapings and PPV, why they were close to not happening, where money came from, and what to look out for in the future. Plus, check out Slammiversary with match-by-match coverage and star ratings.
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The RAW replay on SyFy Friday night did 413,000 viewers, on par with what it’s been doing. As usual, it was the highest rated show for the night on that network.
Saturday’s UFC on FS 1 did 964,000 viewers. That’s up from the last few shows but still down from the year to date average. The prelims, which aired on FS 2, did 369,000 viewers, one of the better numbers in the history of that station.
Bellator 156 on Spike TV did just 482,000 viewers on Friday night — the lowest number of the year and the lowest since a September 2013 show, which did 437,000. The Rampage Jackson special that aired immediately afterward did 206,000 viewers
UFC launched the first episode of Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra today. Their first guest should be no surprise: Dana White. Also no surprise, he buried Ariel Helwani and didn’t back off anything he did suspending Helwani and several other MMAFighting.com staffers.
WSOF 31, which ran head to head with Bellator on NBC Sports Network did just 126,000 viewers, also a year to date low for them. The last WSOF show that did a worse number was a December 2013 show, which did 94,000 viewers.
Victory FC 51 airs Thursday evening on UFC Fight Pass, headlined by two title fights featuring fighters with UFC experience. In the main event, Rob Emerson and Shawn West square off for the vacant featherweight title, while Mike Rhodes takes on Rakim Cleveland for the vacant middleweight title in the co-main. Former WSOF featherweight champion Rick Glenn is also on the show. Paul Fontaine has a more in-depth look at the show here, which starts at 6 pm eastern on Thursday.
In a refreshing change from the way fighters usually handle these things, UFC featherweight Chad Mendes has owned up to his recent USADA violation. Via Twitter on Monday: “I didn’t do my homework and that was a big mistake. I own it and I’m going to pay for it”. No suspension has been announced of yet but the standard penalty for a first offense is 2 years.
Add Georges St. Pierre to the list of fighters who want the first crack at new middleweight champion Michael Bisping. He hinted at that in an interview yesterday on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.
Invicta FC announced their next show for July 29th in Kansas City. The show will be headlined by a strawweight title fight between Alexa Grasso and Jodie Esquibel. Former UFC fighters Jessamyn Duke and Peggy Morgan will each fight in undercard matches on the show, which will be airing on UFC Fight Pass.
SUMMER EVENTS CALENDAR
June 24 – ROH Best in the World from Concord, NC with Jay Lethal vs. Jay Briscoe for the ROH title
June 24 – Isao Kobayashi vs. Justin Lawrence will appear on Spike.com at the Bellator Dynamite show in St. Louis. This is a combo MMA & kickboxing show.
June 24 – Thrash Wrestling “Passion for Smashin” – Schubert Centre 3505 30th Avenue, Vernon, British Columbia V1T 2E6
June 25 – The United Wrestling Coalition returns to Kelly’s Bar/Banquet Hall in Wrightstown, New Jersey for UWC Fan Appreciation Night!
June 25 – PWA Night of Champions – Century Casino Showroom – 1010 42 Ave SE Calgary, Alberta
June 25 – Pure Wrestling Association, Wakas Community Hall, 180 Tsulquate Rd, Port Hardy, BC
June 25 – Great North Wrestling returns to the Pembroke Memorial Centre, featuring Nicolai Volkoff. Tickets available here.
June 25 – The UWC returns to Kelly’s Bar/Banquet Hall, 14 Railroad Avenue, Wrightstown, NJ 08562. More information here.
June 25 – Ultima Lucha tapings in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles at The Temple
June 25 – Capital City Championship Combat this Saturday in Ottawa with “Speedball” Mike Bailey, 2 Cold Scorpio, Space Monkey, “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams, and more.
July 1 – Pure Wrestling Association is proud to announce our 7th year as part of the Canada Day Celebration. Riverside Park Cambridge, Cambridge, Ontario N3H.
July 2 – Stars of Wrestling from Alameda, CA at the Alameda Point Gym has Bobby Lashley, Carlito and The Boogeyman appearing.
July 2 – NWA Cajun Heat in Morgan City, LA at the Municipal Auditorium with Jax Dane vs. Mustang Mike for the NWA title, and an appearance by Kevin Nash
July 7 – Rock Solid Wrestling runs in Sudbury, ON.
July 9 – Smash Wrestling in Fort Erie, ONT at the Native Friendship Center. Chris Hero will headline this fundraising event.
July 17 – Lucha by the Water ft Blue Demon Jr! – Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2G8, 3-6 pm. Tickets here.
July 17 – Premier Wrestling at the IFDES Lodge and Portuguese Hall in Gilroy, CA with Joe Graves vs. Gabriel Gallo for the Premier. Tickets at www.premierwrestle.com.
July 22 – Ignite Wrestling in Fort Pierce, FL at the National Guard Armory on a show with Lince Dorado, Mr. 450 Hammet, Lio Rush, Martin Stone, Los Ben Dejos, and more
July 22 – AIW runs on 7/22 in Cleveland, OH, with Ethan Page vs. Josh Prohibition vs. Josh Alexander, and Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae vs. Ethan Carter III & Karlee Perez
July 22 – the Lou Thesz Hall of Fame weekend show in Waterloo, IA, featuring Ricochet vs. Sami Callihan, Wes Brisco, B. Brian Blair, Jessika Havok, Tessa Blanchard, a steel cage match and more
July 23 – AAW in Merrionnette Park, IL, with Sami Callihan vs. Pentagon Jr., Zack Sabre Jr., Marty Scurll; Tommaso Ciampa; Fenix; Johnny Gargano, and plenty more. Here’s what you missed on their last show.
July 23 – Masters of Ring Entertainment in Wilmington, NC, as part of Pro Wrestling Fan Expo 3 will feature Jeff Jarret vs. ECIII vs. James Storm, announced by Jarrett in this video.
July 24 – Fenix vs. Pentagon Jr. headlines for Lucha Libre New York at Club LaBoom in Queens, NY
The hot Raw show and the match to determine the top contender in the third hour proved that if the show is good and has a strong main event, the audience will largely stick with it.
Raw did its best numbers since April 11, eight days after WrestleMania, doing 3.47 million viewers, up from the seasonal lowest mark since 1997 of 2.96 million the week before, a 17 percent increase over the week.
Among the reasons for the increase was lack of television competition, with no major sports and nothing on network TV that did more than 7.1 million viewers. Raw had been hurt in recent weeks particularly by the NBA playoffs and to a lesser extent the NHL playoffs, and Dancing With the Stars. Raw ended up third for the night on cable behind Rizzoli & Isles and Major Crimes on TNT and second in the 18-49 demo behind Love & Hip Hop Atlanta.
The three hours were:
8 p.m. 3.42 million viewers 9 p.m. 3.56 million viewers 10 p.m. 3.42 million viewer
Growing up as a way-too-hardcore-for-my-age wrestling fan, I looked forward to watching whatever flavor of wrestling from the Dallas Sportatorium was on ESPN and in syndication at the time. The ESPN show was perfect for kids who loved pro wrestling: It aired at 4 p.m. eastern time, so it was perfect for after-school viewing.
It’s hardly a surprise that the 5/10 edition of Raw, with Nitro pre-empted due to an NBA playoff double-header, would break all existing Monday night ratings marks. Still, when the numbers came out, nearly everyone had to be floored.
