Tag: batista

Daily Update: Raw fallout, Jericho/Batista, Cyborg

Posted on by F4W Staff

DAILY UPDATE

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F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: WWE’s WrestleMania main event decision

While the first women’s WrestleMania main event is all but official at this point, WWE still has a huge decision to make about who will be in it.

In a sense, WWE is playing with house money. Both options that they have are good ones. Whether the main event is Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship or a triple threat between Rousey, Lynch, and Charlotte Flair for the title, it will be the most heated match on the card and fully deserving of its place in the spotlight on WWE’s most important day of the year. 

WON NEWSLETTER: February 11, 2019: NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo review, more

I have no idea how this issue got done. I had surgery on my left little finger which was broken in three places on 1/30, and it seemingly went well.

NJPW – New Beginnings: The two nights together did 10,957 paid with one sellout up from 10,002 last year. Tanahashi & Okada as The Dream Team vs. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale did the same as Tanahashi vs. Suzuki did last year for the IC title but paid was much higher this year for Naito vs. Taichi in Taichi’s hometown than for Kenny Omega vs. Jay White for the U.S, title last year, although both were sellouts.

At Smackdown on Tuesday, several talents with contracts coming due were asked to sign new long-term deals after Dean Ambrose told the promotion he wasn’t going to sign a new contract. 

Ian Riccaboni signed a new contract with ROH to continue as their play-by-play announcer.

UFC held a press conference today. The big heat seemed to be between Tyron Woodley and Kamaru Usman, building up their Welterweight Title fight at UFC 235 on March 2nd. Jon Jones is facing Anthony Smith on that show.

Conor McGregor will not be fighting Donald Cerrone in April. Khabib still claims he is not fighting for a year.

Jose Aldo defeated Renato Moicano, 44 seconds into the 2nd round. First round was very close. But it was the “old Aldo”, just destroyed him. Aldo is still talking about retiring at the end of this year. 

Filthy Tom Lawlor is the new MLW champion defeating Low Ki at their super fight one hour Bein Sports TV special from the 2300 (ECW) Arena in Philadelphia.

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TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE

by Bryan Rose and Joseph Currier

WWE

  • SmackDown tonight will be held at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. It will be headlined by a gauntlet match between all six men competing in the Elimination Chamber to determine who will enter the match last. The Usos will also be on “McMiz TV.”
  • Tonight’s 205 Live has Noam Dar vs. Tony Nese in a no DQ match.
  • WWE put a number of videos on their YouTube page featuring Pedro Morales, who passed away today.
  • Sasha Banks & Bayley will be the first team to enter Sunday’s Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber match after losing to Nia Jax & Tamina and Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan on last night’s Raw.
  • Ronda Rousey furthered her storyline with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair via a post on Instagram about Vince McMahon claiming on Raw that Charlotte is replacing Becky at WrestleMania: “This isn’t what’s best for business. This isn’t what’s in demand. I have no idea what the hell this is. Vince McMahon doesn’t even believe in his own girl @charlottewwe – If he didn’t make us the main event of #SurvivorSeries he’s sure as hell not making us the main event of #WrestleMania. The #WomensEvolution was robbed tonight.”
  • Scott Dawson following the Revival’s tag team title win last night on Raw: “We’re changing it from the inside, out. Here’s to two best friends’ life long dream. Here’s to the people that wrote us off. Here’s to Tag Teams around the globe. Here’s to the sport of PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING”
  • Total Bellas on Sunday scored 396,000 viewers on the E! Network, a series low.
  • Booker T has filed a lawsuit against game publisher Activision, saying that the video game character Prophet from Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 bears a similar likeness to his GI Bro character.
  • NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa will be appearing at Chaotic Wrestling’s Cold Fury show in Haverhill, Massachusetts on Friday, March 15.
  • Daniel Bryan mentioned on Total Divas this week that his new contract with the WWE runs through 2021.

Pro Wrestling

  • Chris Jericho posted a photo with Dave Bautista on Instagram today: “Killer hang with my bro @davebautista today! Had a great chat and some amazing @4riverssmokehouse! #AnimalAndGOAT #alphahouse #lionsden”
  • Brandi Rhodes on Twitter mentioned that there will be more news involving the women’s division of AEW on the next episode of Road to Double or Nothing, which will drop at 7 p.m. Eastern.
  • PCO tweeted that he isn’t on NJPW and ROH’s Honor Rising shows later this month because he couldn’t get his visa for Japan in time.
  • The NWA uploaded video of the angle where Marty Scurll challenged Nick Aldis to an NWA title match at April’s Crockett Cup.
  • Jimmy Havoc will be a part of Starrcast II.

UFC/MMA

  • Cris Cyborg spoke to ESPN about the UFC removing the Featherweight division rankings off their website, saying that she wants to continue fighting. “This [elimination of the UFC’s female featherweight rankings] may try to erase my category, but it does not erase who I am,” she told them. People are with me wherever I go. Wherever I’m fighting, my star will shine like it has throughout my career.”
  • Cain Velasquez spoke to TMZ Sports, saying that he could beat Jon Jones.
  • Kelvin Gastelum’s agent Ali Abdelaziz says that Gastelum has been “taken care of” monetary wise following the UFC 234 title fight cancellation.
  • The UFC 234 prelims officially scored 1.339 million viewers on Saturday, placing it third for the night in the 18-49 demo.
  • Unless anything changes before showtime, the Alex Caceres/Kron Gracie bout that will take place on this weekend’s UFC on ESPN card will be the 5,000th fight UFC has put on.
  • Johnny Walker will face Misha Cirkunov at UFC 235, replacing Ovince Saint Preux.
  • Tyrell Fortune will face Ryan Pokryfky at Bellator 216 this Saturday.
  • Bobby Green has suggested he should face Lando Vannata after their split draw back in 2017.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Kazuchika Okada wins his first IWGP Heavyweight title

Ed in San Antonio presents the WRESTLEMANIAWeekend Events (more to be added):

  • Sunday, April 6th, at 12:00 pm: Lunch (all you can eat) at Churrascaria Plataforma ($90 per person), located at 316 W. 49th street in Manhattan. Purchase tickets here~!
  • Luxury Bus to MetLife Stadium for Wrestlemania: We will depart from the Hilton Midtown (site of Wrestlecon) located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas. Departure time is 4:00 pm and will return from MetLife approximately 30 mins after the event. Times are subject to change, and cost $67.00 per person for the round trip. Purchase tickets here~!

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Evolution to reunite at WWE SmackDown 1000

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE ramped up the promotional push for SmackDown 1000 today by announcing that Evolution will be appearing on the show.

Though they were on Raw during their time as a stable, Triple H, Batista, Randy Orton, and Ric Flair will be reuniting on SmackDown’s 1,000th episode. The show is taking place at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. on October 16.

Earlier this month, Batista responded to someone on Twitter who wanted to see him at SmackDown 1000. Batista wrote that he hadn’t been invited to the event: “Surprise surprise!! I wasn’t invited! And it’s in my hometown.! .. guess by now I shouldn’t be shocked anymore.”

Evolution were last featured on WWE television during Triple H, Batista, and Orton’s feud with The Shield in 2014.

As was announced in August, The Undertaker will also be making an appearance at SmackDown 1000. The episode comes 10 days after his match against Triple H at Super Show-Down.

Daily Update: WWE notes, Ortiz/Liddell, James Storm/MLW

Posted on by Bryan Rose

THE ROUND-UP

THE LATEST NEWS

THE LATEST AUDIO

F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Looking at Shawn Michaels potential return

While retirements in professional wrestling are almost always temporary, the direction that WWE went in on last Monday’s episode of Raw was still genuinely surprising. What seemed like it would be a by-the-numbers segment with Shawn Michaels promoting Triple H and The Undertaker’s match at WWE Super Show-Down, which is being billed as the last time they’ll ever face each other, turned into a full-blown tease of Michaels coming out of retirement.

WON NEWSLETTER: September 10, 2018 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: All In reviewed, HBK to return, more

The story of All In is the focus of this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Take the most detailed look at the business and ramifications of what is one of the most unique major events in pro wrestling history.

Examine the business of the show, the realities of the popularity level, the lessons of the show, the behind the scenes story of the NWA title promotion, wrestling vs. sports entertainment, the timing issues, the last famous show with a similar timing issue, the controversy regarding the Joey Ryan angle, and the story behind Chris Jericho being there.

Look at the Shawn Michaels-Undertaker segment, where things stand today about going forward, famous retirement stips and the angle on Raw leading to everything, as well as more on the show in Australia coming up next month.

Find out about Daniel Bryan’s WWE status, update Dave Bautista and his thoughts on wrestling again, notes on a taped December Raw show, Kevin Owens quitting, Evolution PPV business notes, Toni Storm update, new WWE signee proposes to girlfriend on stage right before coming to Orlando, NXT major star to Evolve, and Big Cass talks what got him fired.

Read notes on NOAH’s big show at Sumo Hall featuring Hideo Itami’s return to the promotion against Naomichi Marufuji.

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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • Dave Bautista has yet to be invited to the 1000th episode of SmackDown. He tweeted: “Surprise surprise!! I wasn’t invited! And it’s in my hometown.! Guess by now I shouldn’t be shocked anymore.”
  • 21st Century Fox CFO John Nallen spoke to The Wrap about SmackDown coming to FOX in 2019: “It’s a 50 to 52-week-a-year sport with no repeats. It’s a new novella every week. For us to have that kind of appointment programming, that audience, every week of the year, is a really unique opportunity for us.”
  • WWE released a press release today announcing The World of The Rock, a comprehensive visual novel of The Rock’s WWE career. It will be out on October 2nd for $24.99, and will be published by DK.
  • A collection featuring the “biggest losers” in WWE history will reportedly be coming to the WWE Network on Monday. Curt Hawkins will be the host.
  • Roman Reigns will be appearing on ESPN’s College Gameday as their guest game predictor at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday morning.
  • Triple H is sending a custom WWE championship title to Jack Etienne, CEO of the London Spitfire who won the Overwatch League’s first finals.
  • Brie Bella spoke to Yahoo Sports about returning to the ring after giving birth last year. She also responded to the reaction to her botched suicide dive from Raw: “With any type of physical body change, it changes so much. Even last week on Raw when I did the suicide dive and it was less momentum than I should have had, I forgot that I’m 10 pounds heavier than what I was. Gravity doesn’t lie. That was a little different for me. I don’t mind if I fail or if I succeed. No matter what, I want to look back with no regrets. If I fail, last week for example, I went to sleep at night and I was kind of bummed out, but I learned something about myself. I learned where my body is at, where I am at.”
  • Ahead of him guest refereeing Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman at Hell in a Cell on Sunday, Mick Foley appeared on Busted Open Radio and said he hopes that he’ll get involved in the match in some way.
  • Washington City Paper spoke to the Velveteen Dream about his background, his work prior to WWE and becoming the Velveteen Dream.
  • Kassius Ohno (formerly known as Chris Hero) posted a tweet yesterday marking his 20th anniversary in pro wrestling.
  • Aiden English has started a YouTube show based on whiskey.

Pro Wrestling

  • Despite debuting at the last set of tapings, PWInsider is reporting that James Storm is already done with MLW. They also noted that MLW tried to book a show at Center Stage in Atlanta but were “told that the attempt was dropped at the request of another promotion using the venue.”
  • Tetsuya Naito vs. Chris Brookes has been added to Revolution Pro Wrestling’s Global Wars UK show at Brixton Recreation Centre on October 14.
  • Minoru Suzuki vs. Timothy Thatcher has been signed for Over the Top Wrestling’s Fourth Year Anniversary show. WALTER will also defend the OTT World title against Will Ospreay.
  • Impact Wrestling issued a press release saying that they have signed an agreement with COMDA Advertising Connections ahead of Bound for Glory.
  • Hart Foundation vs. Rich Swann, ACH and a mystery partner has been added to MLW’s television taping on October 4.
  • Dave Meltzer made a brief appearance on this week’s Art of Wrestling podcast with Colt Cabana, which covers Revolution Pro Wrestling’s TV tapings and Wrestling MediaCon. Dave’s appearance starts at 29:48.
  • Congratulations to Shane Strickland, who became engaged yesterday.

UFC/MMA

  • According to Brett Okamoto, Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz will be holding a press conference for their upcoming fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this Friday at 10 a.m..
  • Golden Boy Promotions has also released the poster for Liddell vs. Ortiz.
  • Melvin Guillard has been arrested in relation to him attacking people at a bar last week. He is also facing domestic violence charges for allegedly attacking his girlfriend back in April. In regards to the bar fight, he was charged with 2nd and 3rd degree assault, and is currently being held on $5,000 cash bond.
  • ESPN is reporting that Michael Chiesa is moving up to welterweight and is hoping for a bout in that weight class for UFC 232.
  • BJ Penn vs. Ryan Hall has been officially announced for UFC 232. The PPV is taking place at the T-Mobline Arena in Las Vegas on December 29.
  • FloCombat is reporting that a Gilbert Melendez vs. Arnold Allen bout is also being targeted for UFC 232.
  • Alistair Overeem talked to ESPN about moving to a new gym, as well as realizing that that end of his career is near. I’m 38 years old, and that’s important to note,” he said. “I fully realize the end of my career is coming. It’s just coming. You can’t fight forever. I’ve had a beautiful career. Twenty-one years … crazy. Twenty-one years of fighting. The end is coming, but I can still do this right now. And I can still go all in.”
  • DAZN, who is already set to stream Bellator content, has also signed a deal with Combate Americas to bring 13 fight nights a year to the distribution service. Their deal will start this weekend with a card from Phoenix, Arizona starting at 7 p.m. PT.
  • Bellator has signed bantamweight Weber Almeida to a multi-fight deal. He is a training partner of Lyoto Machida, who also recently signed with the promotion.
  • Alexander Shlemenko vs. Anatoly Tokov is set for Bellator 208.

Daily Professional Wrestling History: WCW Fall Brawl 1998

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