Sukeban is the new Japanese women’s promotion that debuted in America last week using some of the best freelancers available but working in new costumes and gimmicks.
Fumi Saito and I cover Sukeban in-depth including the roster, wrestler history, the characters, the matches, the presentation, the announcers, the ring announcer and commissioner Bull Nakano. Given Fumi’s deep knowledge of the history of Japanese women’s wrestling, you will find his observations and opinions interesting.
Plus, Chris Jericho returns to Japan but this time for the DDT promotion.
Enjoy this always educational and informative look at Japanese wrestling.
Sasha Banks and Naomi walking out of the WWE taping on Monday. What were the plans, where were things going, how did it go down, what was the reaction, what is the not talked about story that was the key to all of this
Dwayne Johnson and the XFL get an ESPN deal, what it means, what is their competition and also a look at ratings
Ric Flair returning to wrestle, a look at the situation, the match, others of his age wrestling, why Ricky Steamboat turned down the match
Cain Velasquez denied bail again, the man he was accused of shooting speaks, his lawyer speaks
AEW Double or Nothing and WWE Hell in a Cell as well as business notes for the week
Ticket sales for the WWE Clash at the Castle in Cardiff
Full coverage of Capital Collision, the New Japan show from Washington, DC
Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show
This past week’s ratings
Main event plans for the next four WWE PPV shows
More details on why Stephanie McMahon took a leave of absence
Update on Money in the Bank
Update on Young Rock
Streaming numbers
Freak accident ends a main event just three minutes in
Matt Jackson does video challenging for major world title
Five Star Grand Prix tournament
Update on Kota Ibushi
New Japan Strong tapings for the next month run down
Best of the Super Juniors update
Update on Tammy Sytch
Wrestler shot to death
Zachary Wentz talks about his Hitler photo
Former WWE stars announce new promotion featuring the wrestling debut of Alistair Overeem
Huge match between two of the top stars in the business set for Sunday
More on the Warner Discovery upfronts and what is going on at Warner Discovery
Tony Khan talks the creative process
Hikaru Shida gets upset
Toni Storm talks the original plan for the Charlotte Flair angle
AEW vs. WWE in New York and Chicago business update
International TV ratings
Sports franchise of the year
How much UFC CEO Ari Emanuel earned this past year
Ari Emanuel defends his ESPN PPV deal
Baseball legend on MMA promotion board of directors and a new investor
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Wednesday News Update
WWE
Bobby Lashley and Happy Corbin were guests on this week’s episode of The Bump. Starting on June 1, the show will start airing at 1 pm ET.
On last night’s NXT, a vignette aired for a new character named Giovanni Vinci.
Matches taped for Friday’s NXT Level Up include Andre Chase and Bodhi Hayward vs, Bryson Montana and Damaris Griffin, Amari Miller vs. Arianna Grace, and Trick Williams vs. Dante Chen.
The New York post covered Becky Lynch’s Seinfeld-inspired shirt from Monday night.
Last night’s season finale of Young Rock on NBC scored 2.359 million viewers, with 0.19 in adults 18-34.
AEW/ROH
Tony Khan has announced that media at the Double or Nothing scrum that will take place after the pay-per-view will be able to record and stream, reversing an earlier stance by AEW that had barred media from recording. “I’ve seen that some of the wrestling media are upset with our policy that they can’t record the post-ppv scrum onsite at Double or Nothing this Sunday,” he wrote. “No problem, we’ll change it. You can record. Media, be on the lookout for an email from @AEW PR. See you tonight @#AEWDynamite.”
The Las Vegas Sun has an article on AEW ahead of their events in Vegas this weekend.
Champs Sports has announced that a sneaker collaboration between Diadora and AEW will be released on champssports.com for $120 on May 26 at 10 am ET. The sneakers will be released in honor of Pride Month. Champs Sports will also be donating $25,000 to The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and crisis intervention group for LGBTQ+ young people.
A Double or Nothing media call with Tony Khan will take place tomorrow at 1 pm ET.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Rush expressed interest in working for AEW. “I want to wrestle in AEW,” Rush said. “I want matches against CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega. Everyone in AEW will learn, when you mess with the bull, you get the horns.”
In the same article, actor Jon Hamm spoke about his love for 80’s WWF: “I was a big Andre the Giant fan,” he said. “He made everything he did so interesting. And Hogan slamming Andre, that’s a moment you never forget. I’ll always be in awe of that ’80s era.”
PWInsider is reporting that Tammy Sytch was served with a lawsuit by Julian L. Lasseter’s estate on 5/13, when she was incarcerated. They had previously been unable to serve her the suits. She has yet to respond to the suit.
James F. Pente, Sytch’s boyfriend who was also named in the suit, did respond on 5/23, denying all responsibility for the incident and demanded that Lasseter’s estate bring “strict proof” for any proof of negligence and his liability.
The announce team for Impact’s upcoming all-women’s Knockouts Knockdown event has been set.
Impact announced on social media this afternoon that Melissa Santos will be the ring announcer for the event. Mickie James will be the color analyst, and Veda Scott will be calling the play-by-play action. Scott has previously done work as a commentator during AEW Women’s Tag Team Cup tournament last year. Mickie James also was in charge of an all-women’s card recently, holding NWA’s EmPower event last month.
Gail Kim and Christy Hemme announced Knockouts Knockdown this past Monday on a live Facebook stream. Wrestlers set to take part in the event include Lady Frost, Renee Michelle, and Mercedes Martinez. Additionally, Deonna Purrazzo will defend the Knockouts title against an unnamed opponent. A Monster’s Ball match will also be held in memory of Daffney, who along with Taylor Wilde were the first women to compete in such a match back in 2009.
Knockouts Knockdown will be taping this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee and will air October 9 on the Impact Plus streaming service.
Submitted by Craig Russell from Chicago, IL (Friday)
– Veda Scott vs Nixon Newell
Good opener. Nixon is pretty good and Veda is solid at this point. Veda earns extra heel points by sucking up to referee Andy Long, who the fans still boo because of the last Shimmer weekend. Scott wins with a Northern Lights/German Suplex.
– Shayna Baszler vs Rhia O’Reilly
Baszler wins with a TKO on O’Reilly for the pin. Baszler is already decent in the ring and holds her own. O’Reilly worked the crowd over by taunting Baszler whenever she would get Baszler in a wrestling hold.
– Vanessa Kraven vs Shazza McKenzie vs LuFisto vs Kellie Skater
Kraven and LuFisto fight to the back, and Skater pins McKenzie after a neck breaker/kick to the head combo (Skate and Destroy finisher). Kraven and LuFisto at one point in the match play a game of “one up” on Skater and McKenzie with chops and running cannonballs.
– Viper vs Jessica Havok
Viper pins Havoc with a slam. It might have been a running powerslam, but she did not get far with the running part. This was a good match with the girls taking each other’s moves and coming back with their own response. Viper is indeed already over in the states with the same crowd support as she got at Shine 35.
– Yumi Ohka and Melanie Cruise vs Mia Yim and Kay Lee Ray
Yim and Ray’s tag team is called FlyingHighWDSS (a nod to Pokemon). Ohka and Cruise work really well together. This was a very good match in which everyone hit everything. At the end, Ohka tried to use her Cat O’ Nine Tails Whip to interfere, but then Cruise missed a top rope splash. Ray then hits her senton on Cruise, followed by Yim hitting Cruise with a 450 Splash for the pin. Again, outstanding match.
– Arisa Nakajima vs Nicole Matthews
Nakajima has her JWP title belt with her. Another good match. Nicole is a pro and can work with anyone at this point. Nakajima has a good selection of kicks which she put to good use. Finish came as Nakajima pinned Matthews with a bridging German suplex.
– KC Spinelli vs Ruo Mizunami
Good hard hitting match. KC is very good at getting the crowd into the match and she did it here. Mizunami has a new outfit that is more Lucha inspired (complete with a mask). Mizunami over Spinelli with a top rope leg drop.
– Heart of Shimmer Champion Nicole Savoy vs Crazy Mary Dobson
Solid match. Dobson played the aggressor to Savoy’s moves, which then Savoy would counter would a different one. End came with Savoy pinning Dobson with a Tiger Suplex.
– Shimmer Tag Team Champions The Kimber Bombs (Kimber Lee and Cherry Bomb) vs Team Slap Happy (Evie and Heidi Lovelace)
Possibly match of the night along with Ohka/Cruise vs Yim/KLR. Lots of action and double team moves. The Kimber Bombs were the obvious heels in this match. Cherry Bomb’s voice is as high pitched and squeaky as ever. Finish came as Team Slap Happy were setting up for their finisher (Lovelace does a frog splash off of Evie’ shoulders), but Cherry Bomb interferes, sending Evie to the floor. Cherry Bomb then throws Kimber Lee a title belt which she used to hit Lovelace with. Kimber Lee then pins Lovelace.
– Shimmer Champion Madison Eagles vs Courtney “Rosemary” Rush
During the match, Eagles and Rush fight on the floor and Eagles gets the upper hand. She then runs back into the ring where she produces two cans of salt which she used to make a “barrier” around the ring apron. Courtney is a “demon” and therefore cannot break a salt barrier. She almost gets counted out but she drags the referee over the salt line to break it so she can get back into the ring. Eagles also tried to tape two forks together and use it as a cross to ward off Rush (screaming “the power of Christ compels you” line from “The Exorcist” while doing so).
All antics aside, this was a very good match for the belt. At one point, Rush had Eagles on the floor again (all happening in front of the Empire’s own Ed in San Antonio I might add!) in which Courtney throws Eagles into the barricade at least 5 times. Eagles eventually pins Rush with the Hellbound (shoulder bomb onto the knee) and retains the title.
After this match, Arisa Nakajima comes out to challenge Eagles for Saturday. They hold up each other’s title belts to each other and the show concludes.
