We now know how WWE’s new Women’s World Champion will be decided.
During a commercial that aired on SmackDown, it was revealed that there will be a battle royal on Raw this Monday to crown a new Women’s World Champion. The title was vacated by Rhea Ripley earlier this week due to a shoulder injury. Ripley said she will be out of action for “quite a few months.”
Images of the following wrestlers were shown in the commercial, indicating them as potential battle royal entrants:
Ripley was champion for more than a year before having to vacate the Women’s World Championship. She had just retained against Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 40. On the Raw after WrestleMania, Ripley injured her AC joint in a “total fluke.”
The injury happened during a brawl between Ripley and Liv Morgan. Ripley has blamed Morgan for her injury in storyline. Officials had to keep Ripley and Morgan from brawling again on Raw this past Monday.
An extensive story on the death of Hana Kimura is the focal point of this week’s double issue of the Wrestling Observer.
The story covers numerous aspects, from cyber bullying to the realities of reality shows, comments from those who knew her well, pro wrestling and much more. We look at everything from legislation being introduced, similar things with two reality stars in South Korea, and what happened on the show and after the show.
We look at why she was on Terrace House, her life as the daughter of a wrestler, her reality show story, what Terrace House is, what is and isn’t real, her death, the immediate reaction to her death in wrestling, cast members talk about the show, story of what happened the night of her death, reactions from wrestlers, reactions from politicians, as well as a look at her career in the ring.
The new issue also covers:
AEW Double or Nothing show, PPV numbers, poll results, what this says about PPV, wrestling in the previous depression, Stadium Stampede background, match-by-match coverage with star ratings and more.
More on WWE’s COVID-19 procedures at the last tapings, Matt Riddle to Smackdown, changes regarding usage of NXT talent on Raw or Smackdown, behind Drew Gulak signing new deal, what’s up with Nigel McGuinness, A.J. Styles to Smackdown, IC title tournament, Kairi Sane injury, Samoa Joe health update, Ric Flair talks new deal, highest sports ratings of the week, Canadian pro wrestling ratings, Ronda Rousey update, Drew McIntyre has words with Colby Covington, Next week’s TV, Seth Rollins talks Austin Theory, Becky Lynch update, value of WWE, and the most watched shows of the past week on the WWE network.
The ability of foreign wrestles and fighters to get into the U.S.
Safety precautions for the UFC shows in Las Vegas, what Nevada is mandating, as well as how the other major companies around the world are handling the situation.
AEW’s angle with Mike Tyson, the good and bad of it as well as notes on the coverage.
An update on the XFL bankruptcy and Vince McMahon.
Update the financial issues with DAZN.
WWE’s decision to follow AEW and use wrestlers as fans for the empty arena shows this pas week.
More on the death of Shad Gaspard and his memorial service.
Circumstances surrounding the death of Owen Hart including clearing up a lot of misconceptions that have been spread over the last 20 years.
WWE and AEW television shows from the past week.
Ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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SUNDAY NEWS UPDATE
Our weekend show with Garrett Gonzalez and I talking all the latest news is up on the site right now.
As far as Google searches go, UFC was No. 3 in the U.S. yesterday with 500,000. Given what was happening in the U.S. yesterday that’s kind of amazing. Plus, in the previous period, a weak Fight Night would hardly do low level PPV numbers. Conor McGregor was No. 10 on Thursday with 200,000. Neither Mike Tyson or Jon Jones cracked the top 20 this week.
The peak number of AEW’s Battle Royal on Wednesday topped 1 million total viewers and 500,000 in 18-49 from the point of Orange Cassidy coming in and the finish. Tony Khan came up with the storyline for the match of Cassidy getting destroyed early, disappearing and coming back at the end. Cody and Khan came up with the detail work on the match and the producers were Christopher Daniels, Colt Cabana and Billy Gunn. The Battle Royal actually beat the Mike Tyson segment.
The number being listed for Friday’s Smackdown show of 2,150,000 viewers could be misleading. Fast nationals cover all FOX stations in the time slot. Some stations pre-empted Smackdown for coverage of the riots, which obviously would do far more viewers. They are counted in the fast nationals as Smackdown. How significant that changes the actual number won’t be known until tomorrow at the earliest.
WWE
When appearing in the Battle Royal on Friday night, it was Dolph Ziggler’s 500th televised match as a singles wrestler since November 2006. He became the first person to have that many singles matches on television since that time. Randy Orton and The Miz are the only other two who have topped 400 (thanks to John Finnegan)
The WWE Network released “Sting: The Lost Tape” with some 1995 backstage footage from WCW today.
Louis Dangroor of WrestleTalk had mentioned Dominik Dijakovic coming up to the main roster on Thursday before we noted he’d be coming to Raw on last night’s show.
AEW
A match with Clutch Adams was removed from AEW Dark by Cody after someone dug through Adams’ social media and found that seven years ago, when he was 19, he wrote two homophobic stupid remarks about Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys
MISCELLANEOUS
Regarding last night’s show and the 1968 Olympics, Tommie Smith, John Carlos, Lee Evans and Australian Peter Norman were the guys who held up the gloves in the protest that was the brainchild of Dr. Harry Edwards. (thanks to Duncan Hope)
Canadian Wrestling Elite last night in Winnipeg ran a show that was witnessed by 1,800 fans live streaming for the Straight out of Quarantine tag team tournament: A.J. Sanchez & Kevin O’Doyle b Adrien Burton & Cory Diamond, EZ Ryder & Dick Blood b Mike Mission & Tyler James-DQ, Mentallo & Johnny Malibu b Danny Duggan & Kevy Chevy, Rob Stardom & Bobby Collins b Samuel & Zamil, Kevin Cannon b Wildman Firpo, Rob Stardom & Bobby Collins b EZ Ryder & Dick Blood, A.J. Sanchez & Kevin O’Doyle b Mentallo & Johnny Malibu, Dragnell b Chad Daniels, Rob Stardom & Bobby Collins b Kevin O’Doyle & A.J. Sanchez to win the tournament. They are running a show in front of a live crowd on 6/12 in Winnipeg at Rookie’s Sports Bar.
DDT has announced five shows from 6/14 to 6/28 with limited seating for fans at the shows. The first show is 6/14 in Itabashi.
A battle royal has been announced for next week’s AEW Dynamite.
It was announced prior to the main event of tonight’s show that a battle royal will take place on next week’s show with the winner receiving a TNT title match in two weeks on the June 3rd Dynamite.
The first TNT champion will be crowned at Saturday’s Double or Nothing and Mike Tyson will present the winner of Cody vs. Lance Archer with the championship. The two had a brawl on last week’s Dynamite as Cody attacked Archer after Archer’s manager, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, put a snake on Brandi Rhodes.
Archer ended up laying out Cody, but was stopped by Roberts before any more damage was taken.
Roberts, as well as Cody’s head coach Arn Anderson, appeared this week on Dynamite and exchanged words regarding the match. The segment ended when Anderson threatened to give Roberts a spinebuster at Double or Nothing.
A new NXT women’s champion was crowned, a new contender for the Raw women’s championship was established and this year’s Mae Young Classic winner was crowned tonight at WWE Evolution.
In the battle royal, Nia Jax last eliminated Ember Moon to win a future title match. After throwing Zelina Vega to the outside on Tamina, Moon tried to eliminate Jax but to no avail, as Jax tree slammed her then eliminated Moon to win the match. After Ronda Rousey successfully defended the Raw women’s title at the end of the night, Jax was seen backstage watching Rousey celebrate on a nearby monitor.
The NXT women’s championship was the sole title to change hands tonight. The finish had Sane back body drop Baszler into a crowd of NXT women wrestlers, including Shayna Baszler’s friends Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke. Both got involved, with a second cheap shot by Duke allowing Baszler to get the submission win with the kirifuda clutch. With the win, Baszler becomes the first ever two time NXT women’s champion.
In the Mae Young Classic finals, Toni Storm defeated Io Shirai to win this year’s tournament. Shirai kicked out of the Storm zero (tiger bomb). Shirai went for a moonsault, but Storm got the knees up and hit a second Storm zero for the win.
