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Subscribers can now listen to Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez’s live Q&A edition of Wrestling Observer Radio from Starrcast II, recorded on May 24, 2019.
Thanks to Fite.TV and Starrcast for making this audio available.
If you’re heading to Chicago for All Out weekend, you can attend another live Q&A session on August 31st taking place at the Hyatt in Schaumburg, IL, starting at 11 AM local time. Get your tickets before they sell out.
Due to health issues regarding heart surgery that was scheduled to take place today, Ric Flair will not be able to appear in Las Vegas this weekend for Starrcast.
Flair was going to appear on a panel discussion with Ricky Steamboat talking about their legendary series of matches, dating back to the Carolinas in the late 70s, and because they were nationally broadcast, their most famous series outside the Carolinas that took place in 1989. There was also going to be a Flair celebrity roast at Caesar’s Palace.
TMZ reported that Flair would not be healthy enough to go to Las Vegas on Friday. Those close to Flair confirmed that situation to us.
Flair was said to be in good spirits going into surgery and talking with people on the phone.
Flair was scheduled for surgery last week but health complications led to him having to be treated early and surgery was postponed until today.
Image: ESPN
‘Left My Wallet’ returns with the man behind Starrcast and who bleeds Alabama crimson, Conrad Thompson.
We start our discussion about the disappointing showing for Alabama in the BCS championship game, how much the loss hurt, his thoughts on Dabo Sweeney, Kyler Murray’s NFL prospects, the ten Alabama players drafted in last week’s NFL Draft, and more.
The talk then tuns to Starrcast II as part of AEW Double or Nothing weekend. The man behind the all-around wrestling experience tells what made him decide to do a second Starrcast, what changes he’s made for the second, what he learned to do and not do, the impetus that made him decide to run again, and all the amazing experiences and shows he’s bringing to to Caesars Palace during the weekend.
Finally, he talks about his newest podcast endeavor with Jim Ross and what makes the reformatted podcast improved and unique.
It’s a quick and easy listen on wrestling, football, and podcasting with the 22-year Observer subscriber and the man responsible for so many polarizing podcasts today.
The day after it was revealed that he quit WWE, Dean Malenko was confirmed for Starrcast II.
Starrcast announced today that Malenko will be appearing at their convention next month: “This Superstarr is known as The Man of a 1000 holds!! He’s held championships all over the world… #Starrcast II is proud to welcome DEAN MALENKO to Las Vegas, Memorial Day Weekend! Appearing Friday 1-4pm at Caesars Palace Meet & Greets on sale now.”
Sports Illustrated reported on Thursday night that Malenko had quit WWE. Their report was confirmed by our Dave Meltzer.
Malenko worked as a producer for WWE, joining the company in a behind-the-scenes role after retiring from in-ring competition in 2001.
Arn Anderson, fellow Four Horsemen member and former WWE producer, will also be appearing at Starrcast. Anderson was fired from WWE in February.
Starrcast is taking place in Las Vegas from May 23-26, with AEW Double or Nothing being held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 25.
One of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time has been added to next month’s Starrcast convention.
It was announced this morning that Kenta Kobashi will be appearing at Starrcast II. This will be Kobashi’s first appearance in the United States in almost 14 years. He wrestled for Ring of Honor twice in October 2005, which included his match against Samoa Joe at the Joe vs. Kobashi event in New York City.
In his interview with Sports Illustrated about WWE pulling The Undertaker and Kurt Angle from Starrcast, Conrad Thompson had noted that he was working on bringing a Japanese wrestling legend to the convention.
David Crockett, LAX (Santana & Ortiz), and AEW tag team Private Party (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy) have also been confirmed for Starrcast today.
Starrcast is taking place at Caesars Palace and the Tuscany Suites & Casino in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend (May 23-26). AEW Double or Nothing will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, May 25.
The Undertaker and Kurt Angle have both been pulled from Starrcast II.
The news was revealed in an interview that Sports Illustrated did with Starrcast’s Conrad Thompson. The article stated that Undertaker and Angle not appearing at the event is “due to the burgeoning war between All Elite Wrestling and WWE, with the first battle centered around Starrcast.”
Undertaker was announced for Starrcast on February 14, while Angle was added on April 1. Starrcast and AEW Double or Nothing are taking place in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend. Starrcast isn’t officially an AEW event, but it will feature AEW wrestlers and events related to Double or Nothing.
“The announcement went wide and viral. I was told it had gotten WWE’s attention and that Vince McMahon texted The Undertaker about the appearance,” Thompson told Sports Illustrated. “’Taker’s representation, which is a company called Get Engaged, called to tell me, ‘WWE says he can’t do it.’”
The deposit that Thompson paid for Undertaker’s appearance was returned to him by Get Engaged.
“I had a friend discuss the situation with Vince McMahon, and I was assured the ‘heat’ wasn’t on me or my event but rather that The Undertaker shouldn’t be doing personal appearances outside of WWE,” Thompson said. “I was assured that damages would be covered, a suitable replacement offered, or some sort of compromise to make everyone happy.”
Thompson said he suggested Vince McMahon, Triple H, or Stephanie McMahon as Undertaker’s replacement, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Connor’s Cure and Thompson matching that with a personal donation.
Thompson was told that WWE wouldn’t allow any replacements from the main roster. The article states that Thompson then set his sights on Shawn Michaels, who was “originally set to be booked for the event, but backed out before signing because of the close proximity of Starrcast and AEW.”
“I asked to keep Kurt Angle and announce Shawn Michaels as the replacement for The Undertaker,” Thompson said. “I offered to book everyone ‘through the office.’ I wanted to play by the rules but I felt like I already had, since each of these guys were actively marketing themselves for outside appearances via booking agents or their own social media. I have checked in daily for a week now and nothing is changing.”
It was noted that Undertaker and Angle signed new WWE contracts, with WWE exercising its right to withhold talent from events that aren’t deemed to be in the company’s best interest.
Inside the Ropes announced earlier this month that Undertaker won’t be able to participate in the Q&A portion of their Rise of the Taker tour shows on April 29, April 30, and May 1. Undertaker will still be appearing at the meet and greet portion of the events, and Mick Foley will be doing the Q&A and talking about Undertaker’s career and their rivalry.
Undertaker made a surprise appearance on Raw the night after WrestleMania 35 and interrupted Elias.
Angle had his farewell match at WrestleMania 35, losing to Baron Corbin. On the Raw after WrestleMania, there was an angle where Angle put Corbin in the ankle lock but was laid out by Lars Sullivan.
With The Undertaker beginning to make non-WWE personal appearances, he’ll be taking part in May’s Starrcast Convention.
Sports Illustrated announced today that The Undertaker will be appearing at Starrcast II. The convention is taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada during the same weekend as All Elite Wrestling’s Double or Nothing show.
“I know people might assume this is an AEW event, but that is not true,” Starrcast’s Conrad Thompson told Sports Illustrated. “We have wrestlers appearing from every promotion from all over the world, and Starrcast isn’t just for All Elite Wrestling fans, it’s for all wrestling fans.”
The convention will begin on Thursday, May 23 and end on Sunday, May 26. Starrcast bracelets will go on sale to the general public at noon Eastern time tomorrow (February 15). Sports Illustrated’s article noted that Undertaker’s event will go on sale later this month.
“The Undertaker experience is its own standalone experience at Starrcast,” Thompson said. “We are so proud to bring The Undertaker experience to fans this Memorial Day weekend at Starrcast II.”
Starrcast’s graphic lists him as “Mark Calaway aka The Undertaker.”
Dave Meltzer reported earlier this month that “one person attempting to book [Undertaker] said he is charging $25,000 per hour for appearances within the U.S. But he’s not taking regular bookings until the summer.”
Undertaker’s most recent in-ring appearance was at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia this past November, where he teamed with Kane against Triple H & Shawn Michaels. Undertaker also faced Triple H at Super Show-Down in Australia last October to set up the tag match.
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F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch win Royal Rumbles
For the second straight year, WWE went with two fan-pleasing choices as their Royal Rumble winners. WWE followed up on Shinsuke Nakamura and Asuka’s wins from last year by having Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch win their respective Rumble matches on Sunday night. The results were entirely predictable, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t the right choices. While there are other stories that WWE can tell, top babyfaces beginning their road to WrestleMania by winning the Royal Rumble will pretty much always work.
WON NEWSLETTER: January 28, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Future of Ronda Rousey, Royal Rumble preview, more
A quick note that the format of this issue is different due to the fact I messed up my left hand in a bicycle crash on 1/24 making typing extremely difficult.
This issue has complete Royal Rumble and NXT results with eliminations, stats, and facts, plus Dave’s comments. It also includes star ratings, NXT awards, and notes on the post show angle.
Roman Reigns is going to be in the Rock’s new movie. There were some photos of Roman Reigns last week from where he’s been filming the new sequel of the Fast and the Furious franchise, which had been kept kind of quiet. Reigns is playing Rock’s character Hobbs’ brother…
AEW released a short video with Cody Rhodes talking about signing Jungle Boy and the announcement that on February 7th, there is a Ticket Announcement Party at the MGM from Las Vegas. Brandi teased announcing more women at that event. There is a lot of talent expected at that event. CIMA is likely going to be there…
NJPW is very confident that it will not be an issue by the time the MSG G1 Supercard show comes up, with it being several months away…
From reports of the Dallas, TX Road to G1 Supercard show, Shibata’s students, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks, and Alex Coughlin are all seemed as really good in the technical aspect, with all their basics down, as they’re being trained with the Japanese New Japan Dojo mentality. Shibata, who is the lead trainer in the US Dojo, has interpreters with him at all time during training…
Matt Sydal’s contract with Impact Wrestling ended January 1st. He should be ready in a couple of months from a minor knee surgery he got last week…
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