Challenges were issued and statements were made during this morning’s Power Struggle event.
After Chris Jericho successfully defended the IWGP Intercontinental title against EVIL, Tetsuya Naito made the save for his fellow LIJ memeber after Jericho jumped him. Naito issued a challenge to Jericho, who quickly retreated to the back. In a backstage interview, Jericho refused the challenge, saying there would be no match anywhere.
Jay White also formally challenged Kazuchika Okada to a singles match after their tag match, where Beretta picked up the shock win over Bad Luck Fale. Okada said that he wanted the match now and motioned for White to enter the ring. White pretended to accept the challenge, but then closed the gate and walked away.
Meanwhile, Roppongi 3K won the Super Junior Tag League for the second year in a row, defeating El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Shingo Takagi & BUSHI in a three way bout, with SHO pinning Desperado with the Shock Arrow. SHO issued the challenge to the Jr. tag team champions after the match, saying that they would have a fair and clean match.
Taiji Ishimori also made it clear to KUSHIDA that he was next in line for a IWGP Jr. title shot. After taking the fall in a tag match against Bullet Club members, KUSHIDA was jumped by Ishimori, taken out by a crutch Ishimori was using as he’s recovering from an ankle injury that took him out of the 11/1 show.
The finals of NJPW’s Super Junior Tag League will be a three-way match.
The last match before the finals took place at this morning’s Road to Power Struggle event in Shizuoka. SHO & YOH defeated KUSHIDA & Chris Sabin, which means that there’s a three-way tie for first place. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kaemaru, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI, and SHO & YOH all finished at 10 points with a 5-2 record.
Desperado & Kanemaru hold the tiebreaker over Takagi & BUSHI, SHO & YOH hold the tiebreaker over Desperado & Kanemaru, and Takagi & BUSHI have the tiebreaker over SHO & YOH. Because of that, it will be Desperado & Kanemaru vs. Takagi & BUSHI vs. SHO & YOH at Power Struggle in Osaka on Saturday. If Desperado & Kanemaru don’t win, the winning team could be in line for a title shot at Wrestle Kingdom 13.
Here’s the updated card for Power Struggle:
IWGP Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho defending against EVIL
RevPro British Heavyweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii defending against Minoru Suzuki
Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
NEVER Openweight Champion Taichi defending against Hirooki Goto
Hiroshi Tanahashi & David Finlay vs. Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi
Kazuchika Okada & Beretta vs. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale
El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI vs. SHO & YOH in the Super Junior Tag League finals
As the Super Junior Tag League enters its final stretch, Los Ingobernables de Japon faced ACH & Ryusuke Taguchi at this morning’s Road to Power Struggle show.
Shingo Takagi & BUSHI defeated ACH & Taguchi in this morning’s Super Junior Tag League tournament match. Takagi & BUSHI finish with a 5-2 record and 10 points, which currently places them second behind IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru due to Desperado & Kanemaru holding the tiebreaker.
The two teams with the most points will meet in the Super Junior Tag League finals at Power Struggle in Osaka on November 3. If Desperado & Kanemaru don’t win the tournament, the winning team will likely be in line for a title shot against them.
There are only two Super Junior Tag League matches left. Taiji Ishimori & Robbie Eagles vs. Volador Jr. & Soberano Jr. is set for Wednesday and Sho & Yoh take on KUSHIDA & Chris Sabin on Thursday. Sho & Yoh have eight points. Sho & Yoh would hold the tiebreaker over Kanemaru & Desperado if they win their next match, but Takagi & BUSHI would have the tiebreaker over Sho & Yoh.
We’re looking for reports on tonight’s Raw show in Bangor, ME and NXT show in St. Augustine, FL to [email protected].
NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS TOURNAMENT FROM HIROSHIMA ON NEW JAPAN WORLD (Up on tape delay today)
Tiger Mask & Jushin Liger vs. Bushi & Shingo Takagi
ACH & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Desperado
NEW JAPAN WORLD PRO WRESTLING ON AXS TV TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. EASTERN TIME
Hirooki Goto vs. Taichi for Never Open weight title
Tetsuya Naito vs. Minoru Suzuki
MLW FUSION ON BEIN SPORTS TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. EASTERN
Barrington Hughes & Kotto Brazil vs. Samu & Lance Anoa’i
El Hijo de L.A. Park vs. Sammy Guevara
Shane Strickland vs. Tom Lawlor
CMLL FROM ARENA MEXICO AT 9:30 P.M. EASTERN TONIGHT ON THE MARCO CLARA FACEBOOK PAGE
Pegasso & Stigma vs. Cancerbero & Coyote
Diamante Azul & Mistico & Valiente vs. Dark Magic & Felino & Negro Casas
Copa Halcon Suriano Cibernetico match: Angel de Oro, Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Niebla Roja, Stuka Jr., Dragon Rojo Jr., Espanto Jr., Luciferno, Misterioso Jr. and Templario
Blue Panther & Black Warrior & Euforia & Panterita del Ring vs. Cuatrero & Forastero & Mascara Ano 2000 & Sanson
Caristico & David Finlay & Penta 0M vs. Rush & Cavernario & El Terrible
PWG TONIGHT FROM THE GLOBE THEATER IN LOS ANGELES
Flamita vs. Rey Hours vs. Puma King
Brody King vs. Timothy Thatcher
Trevor Lee vs. Darby Allin
Rey Fenix vs. Bandido
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hechicero
Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz vs. LAX for PWG tag titles
Walter vs. Jeff Cobb for PWG title
We’re looking for reports on Saturday’s WWE Super show in Hartford, CT (all the Smackdown crew, plus Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, Ronda Rousey, Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns and Alexa Bliss) and the Raw show in Portland, ME (headlined by Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler), as well as the NXT show in Venice, FL to [email protected].
NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS FROM EHIME ON SATURDAY ON NEW JAPAN WORLD
Chris Sabin & Kushida vs. Soberano Jr. & Volador Jr.
Sho & Yoh vs. Robbie Eagles & Taiji Ishimori
PFL MIDDLEWEIGHT AND WELTERWEIGHT PLAYOFFS SATURDAY ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK AT 9 P.M. EASTERN TIME
Middleweight bouts: Abusupiayn Magomedov vs. Gasan Umalatov, Bruno Santos vs. Sadibou Sy, John Howard vs. Shamil Gamzatov, Louis Taylor vs Rex Harris
Welterweight bouts: Ray Cooper III vs. Jake Shields, Rick Story vs. Handesson Ferreria, Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Pavel Kusch, Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Bojan Velickovic
Sunday has a Super show in Boston with the entire Smackdown crew including Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton and Rey Mysterio, plus Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman, Ronda Rousey and Alexa Bliss.
Raw is Monday from Providence, RI. There is also a Smackdown house show Monday night in White Plains, NY.
NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS ON MONDAY FROM SHIMANE ON NEW JAPAN WORLD
Volador Jr. & Soberano Jr. vs. Taiji Ishimori & Robbie Eagles
Jushin Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Sho & Yoh
Tuesday has Smackdown, 205 Live and Mixed Match Challenge from Newark, NJ with MMC bout of Bobby Roode & Natalya vs. Finn Balor & Bayley and Jimmy Uso & Naomi vs. Miz & Asuka plus 205 Live bouts with Mike Kanellis vs. Lince Dorado and Hideo Itami vs. Mustafa Ali in a falls count anywhere match.
NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS ON TUESDAY FROM TOTTORI ON NEW JAPAN WORLD
Robbie Eagles & Taiji Ishimori vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Desperado
WWE’s deal with Saudi Arabia has always been a bet that the overwhelming financial rewards would outweigh the inevitable public relations damage that it brings. With it so overtly going against the women’s evolution messaging that the company is promoting, WWE entered into the 10-year agreement with the knowledge that there would be backlash. But that was a controversy that would mostly exist inside the wrestling bubble.
A detailed look at how the problems with Saudi Arabia affect WWE’s 11/2 show is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Read about the crowd reactions, John Layfield’s television appearance, the different stages of reaction, the profit margin of the shows this year and next, and reaction of some senators.
Look at the issues with UFC and Khabib Nurmagomedov coming after UFC pulled Nurmagomedov’s teammate off the company’s next show, as well as where Nurmagomedov stands in popularity, and what is next for him.
Find out about the NXT U.K. television deal and how it went down, Kevin Owens injury update, ticket sales for Evolution, next PPV cards from WWE as well as major house show cards, and what FOX is looking for out of the wrestling product.
Also look at the WrestleMania main event, what happen at Smackdown, WWE signs 7-foot-3 basketball player, WWE cuts three wrestlers, this week’s schedule as well as a look at the most-watched shows on the WWE Network.
Find out about Eddie Alvarez signing with ONE and their financial information.
Look at the game changing team DAZN signed with Canelo Alvarez and how this changes the economics and culture of fight sports.
This issue has a huge feature on the life and times of Don Leo Jonathan, his legacy, his biggest matches, his title history around the world, his world titles, shoots, comparisons to modern wrestles, praise from other wrestlers and more.
Read full coverage of both the good and the bad of Bound for Glory, with business and other thoughts on the show, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results. Also look at surprises for the show that fell through.
ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer, or by using PayPal directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $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 [email protected]. 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 choose one free classic issue or two free classic issues with a 40-issue subscription.
FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
Saudi Arabia state media has confirmed the death of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who wrote for the Washington Post. They said that an altercation between Khashoggi and those who met him inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey led to his death. Crown Jewel is scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh.
Today’s Super Junior Tag League matches in Hiroshima had Tiger Mask & Jushin Thunder Liger (2-1) defeat Shingo Takagi & BUSHI (2-1) and ACH & Ryusuke Taguchi (1-2) defeat El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru (1-2).
Here is the poster for the Pro Wrestling All Stars Battle on February 19. It will feature a retirement ceremony for Abdullah the Butcher, who hasn’t wrestled since 2010. Stan Hansen will also be in attendance as a special guest.
ROH has begun announcing matches for next month’s Global Wars tour. Jay Lethal, KUSHIDA, Chris Sabin & Jonathan Gresham vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI) is set for Lewiston, Maine on November 7, The Young Bucks vs. KUSHIDA & Sabin vs. Lethal & Gresham vs. The Kingdom (Vinny Marseglia & TK O’Ryan) will be taking place in Lowell, Massachusetts on November 8, KUSHIDA vs. Gresham vs. Flip Gordon vs. BUSHI is set for Buffalo, New York on November 9, and Lethal will defend his ROH World Championship against Kenny King in Toronto on November 11.
David Starr vs. Tomohiro Ishii has been added to the 11/9 Rev Pro Uprising event in York Hall. The match was made after Starr issued a challenge to Ishii.
The Rock’s Jungle Cruise movie has been pushed back to July 24, 2020.
Dana White on if he would want to rebook a Nate Diaz/Dustin Poirier bout: “I’m not interested in making a Diaz fight until Diaz is just absolutely dying to fight. When he’s ready to fight he’ll let us know.”
Speaking of Poirier, he mentioned on his Twitter account that he will not need surgery and will recover in three weeks.
Nate Diaz on Poirier: “This guy mysteriously pulls out [with] no injury and it’s crickets from from the whole roster? I’m going back out on tour till the game mans up .. Shoutout to @GamebredFighter hes down respect.”
White also mentioned in an interview with ESPN that if Georges St-Pierre wants to challenge Khabib Nurmagomedov, he’d have to go through a ranked contender first.
MSG Networks announced this morning that a three-part series called “Weidman’s World” will air on their network. It will feature his training prior to his 11/3 UFC 230 bout, which was originally supposed to be against Luke Rockhold.
Jorge Masvidal had some words for Leon Edwards, who he will face on the 12/29 UFC show.
