While all of the UFC 230 main card fights are official for Saturday night, two fighters missed weight Friday including one woman who was briefly slotted for the main event at one point.
Sijara Eubanks hit 127.2 on the scale, 1.2 pounds over the flyweight limit for her FS1 fight against Roxanne Modaferri. As the UFC searched for a main event for this Madison Square Garden return, Eubanks was tabbed to face Valentina Shevchenko for the vacant women’s flyweight title. However, they chose to go in another direction and Eubanks lost her opportunity.
Eubanks also didn’t make weight for her fight against Nicco Montano in the TUF finale for the then-newly created flyweight title. The Modaferri fight will go on, but Eubanks loses 20% of her fight purse.
Bantamweight Brian Kelleher also missed weight for his fight with Montel Jackson, coming in two pounds over. That fight will also go on as scheduled but with Kelleher giving up 20% of his fight purse.
On a positive note, everyone else made weight for the event. UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier notably came in at a career high 251.2 pounds for his fight against Derrick Lewis (264.6 pounds). Both men are coming in on short notice for the fight.
What should have been a fairly innocuous six-woman tag match on last Monday’s Raw ended with Liv Morgan having suffered a concussion and with a social media controversy that has yet to fully die down. The Riott Squad faced The Bellas & Natalya on last week’s Raw as part of the build to Ruby Riott, Morgan & Sarah Logan vs. Ronda Rousey & The Bellas at Super Show-Down in Melbourne, Australia.
Headed up with a major history piece on the 30-year history of Ted Turner’s involvement with pro wrestling and coverage of a week of so many major events, it’s a double issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter this week.
Preview UFC 229 and why it is expected to be the biggest non-boxing PPV in history. Look at projections, some real numbers, some comparisons, and why Dana White says it wasn’t in Madison Square Garden.
The big story looks at Ted Turner and how he first got connected to pro wrestling in 1972, the role of Ray & Ann Gunkel, the wrestling war in Georgia that led to the two hour Saturday night block, the roles of Jim Barnett and Ole Anderson, and the first-ever Omni sellout.
Also look at the decision made by UFC and USADA to no longer announce drug test failures and why it wasn’t well thought out, as well as the reputation of USADA taking such a hit and the sad ironies of this.
Look at WWE Super Show-Down, ticket sales and ramifications.
Read the update on the 1,000th episode of Smackdown, WWE plans for NXT and ideas that have been talked about, major execs selling WWE stock.
Look at the big questions facing Bellator as they try and build their brand, as well as surprising notes of the Bellator brand vs U.S. pro wrestling companies and Saturday’s show in particular.
This issue has full coverage of ROH’s Death Before Dishonor with match-by-match coverage, business notes, polls and star ratings for the show.
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TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
From Dave Meltzer: “The angle last night with Bobby Lashley and Kevin Owens was a cover because Owens needs knee surgery. While reports are out that it will be minor surgery and he will be back shortly, in actuality they won’t know the severity of the knee problems until he goes into surgery and that will determine the seriousness of the surgery. There is no estimated time back because it is based on the severity of the injury and nature of the surgery.”
Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair’s SmackDown Women’s Championship rematch will kick off tonight’s SmackDown from the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The stipulation for the match is that if Lynch gets disqualified, Charlotte wins the title.
Commenting on a promo that she cut, Lynch mentioned that she’s working with a cracked jaw.
Speaking of Lynch, she will be a guest on MTV’s Ridiculousness tomorrow.
Braun Strowman & Ember Moon vs. Finn Balor & Bayley and AJ Styles & Charlotte Flair vs. R-Truth & Carmella are this week’s Mixed Match Challenge matches.
WWE uploaded a Raw fallout video where The Bellas explained the reason for the storyline where they attacked Ronda Rousey last night. Brie Bella accused Rousey of taking their spotlight, and Nikki Bella said they’re here to remind everyone that this is a “Bellalution.”
Rousey also continued the angle in a post on Instagram: “Dante’s Inferno says the innermost circle of hell is reserved for betrayers… That each of Lucifer’s three heads gnaw on the greatest sinners of human history …. Believe me, @thenikkibella @thebriebella you’ll prefer a relaxing break in the devil’s mouth over what’s coming for you at Evolution. #RondaVsBella #Evolution #WWEevolution”
She also spoke to TV Insider ahead of the return of Total Divas tomorrow evening.
Maryse, Lana and other WWE stars will be on USA Network’s Talk Stoop program this week.
Today would have been Eddie Guerrero’s 51st birthday.
During his appearance on the Today Show this morning, John Cena said he grew out his hair for the movie that he’s filming in China.
Pro Wrestling
Willie Mack vs. Jay Bradley vs. Mike Parrow vs. Ricky Starks and Sammy Guevara vs. Colt Cabana vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Sam Shaw are the two four-way elimination matches that will be taking place at the NWA’s 70th Anniversary Show in Nashville, Tennessee on October 21. The winners will advance to a singles match later in the night to crown a new NWA National Champion.
Tracy Williams is the first participant announced for this year’s ROH Survival of the Fittest, where the winner will receive a future ROH title shot. This will take place on November 4.
Adam Birch, better known as Joey Mercury, is scheduled to be arraigned in Orange County court in Florida tomorrow morning in relation to two cases that led to his arrest last month during All In weekend. He is accused of Fraudulent Use or Possession of Personal Identification Information, Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card to obtain more than $100 in value, Grand Theft Third Degree and Petit theft in the first case and Identity Theft, Conspiracy to commit credit card fraud over $300, Use or Possession of Personal Identification Information and Petit Theft in the second case. Birch claimed in response that he was out of the country during the time the crimes allegedly took place. He is waiving his preliminary appearances and is demanding a jury trial.
Tammy Sytch has been released from Carbon County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania today. She had been in jail since March after failing to appear in court for two DWI arrests.
Mick Foley will be a part of OVW’s 1000th episode on October 10. Jim Cornette, Danny Davis, Al Snow, Ken Anderson, ODB and Victoria have also been announced.
Sijara Eubanks is not happy about her title match against Valentina Shevchenko being cancelled next month in favor of Daniel Cormier vs. Derrick Lewis. “Put me under card. Put me co main. I don’t care” she wrote on Twitter. “But put me in for the Flyweight title shot! @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 I’VE EARNED MY SHOT. THIS IS MY TIME. Quit running this thing like a circus.”
Duke Roufus, Sergio Pettis’ coach, on Twitter mentioned that will be moving back to bantamweight for his next fight.
John McCarthy talks about Chael Sonnen and Fedor Emelianenko ahead of their Heavyweight Grand Prix match this weekend.
