WWE’s Damian Priest has starred in a hype video for the New York Yankees ahead of their 2024 World Series appearance.
In a video posted to the Yankees’ digital media channels on Thursday, Priest stars as the narrator of a video hyping the Yankees ahead of their World Series matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The video was posted with the caption:
“Ready for Battle.”
A former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Priest was born in New York and spent some of his childhood living in The Bronx where Yankee Stadium is located.
The World Series kicks off with Game 1 on Friday with the Dodgers hosting the Yankees in the first game of the best of seven series. The Yankees are in the World Series for the first time since 2009, while the Dodgers return to the Fall Classic for the fourth time in the past eight seasons.
Both teams in this year’s World Series rank in the top three in player payroll according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts.
SmackDown will avoid being moved to FS1 this Friday due to a change to the MLB World Series schedule.
Due to rain, Game 3 of the World Series has been moved to tomorrow, going head-to-head with NXT. Game 4 will take place on Wednesday against AEW Dynamite, and Game 5 will go against Impact. Friday will be a travel day for the teams, meaning there will be no game that day on Fox.
Game 3 of the #WorldSeries has officially been postponed. Here is an updated look at the Series schedule: – Game 3: Tuesday – Game 4: Wednesday – Game 5: Thursday – Travel Day: Friday – Game 6 (If Necessary): Saturday – Game 7 (If Necessary): Sunday pic.twitter.com/a61nzKUBM5
If necessary, Game 6 and Game 7 will take place on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Last week’s SmackDown was moved to FS1 due to Game 1 coverage on Fox. That scored 835,000 viewers with a 0.23 rating, placing fifth for the night on cable behind NBA coverage.
Advertised for this coming Friday’s SmackDown is a no disqualification match between Sonya Deville and Liv Morgan and Gunther will also defend the Intercontinental title against Rey Mysterio. Mysterio won a number one contender’s match earlier this month to earn the title shot.
A look at the WWE draft is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer.
We look at the different moves made, why they were made, look at the depth charts with both brands to see what is and isn’t lacking, talk the return of talent, talent being kept apart, the whys behind some moves, and the rosters of both brands.
The new issue also covers:
The G1 Climax tournament, with match-by-match coverage of every show this past week, with star ratings and poll results. We look at the quality of shows, matches being built up, who have been the stars and best matches of the tournament.
The Cena wedding, how much Linda McMahon has donated to Trump’s campaign, lots of WWE injury updates, Lawsuit updates, Total Bellas notes, U.K TV ratings, new WWE documentary, how wrestling stacks up to other sports on TV, WWE filming an indie star for documentary, upcoming TV bouts, WWE market value, a new WWE book, and the most-watched shows on the WWE Network this past week.
Saturday’s UFC show from Abu Dhabi and the ramifications of the top matches.
A feature on Len Rossi, one of the biggest stars in Tennessee and Alabama from 1958 to 1972, his career in the ring, his life after wrestling, his tag team partners and most well-known angles. It’s a look back at a unique era of pro wrestling and how Rossi was a key to change in a unique time.
The indictment of the former Alberto Del Rio on a sexual assault and kidnapping case.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE
Bryan and I will be back tonight for Wrestling Observer Radio, covering Raw, next week’s UFC, Power Struggle and taking questions that you can send to [email protected]
Raw tonight goes against a Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals game. The first week after the draft should do better than usual. Announced thus far are Matt Riddle vs. A.J. Styles, Asuka vs. Lana for the women’s title, Keith Lee vs. Braun Strowman, a Firefly Fun House with Bray Wyatt, the Mustafa Ali interview on why he joined Retribution that was cut from last week’s show and an Elias concert.
We’ll talk more about it tonight, but New Japan is limiting the 11/7 Power Struggle show to six singles matches meaning that a ton of the talent will not be booked on what is traditionally the last major show of the year. This year because the Super Juniors and World Tag League are together, the biggest show for the remainder of the year would be in December at Budokan Hall. But the 1/4 main event spot comes out of Power Struggle with the Tetsuya Naito vs. Evil IWGP championship match winner facing the Kota Ibushi vs. Jay White briefcase winner.
We also have polls open for all three G-1 Climax shows at Sumo Hall, thumbs up, down or middle, best & worst match, plus overall G-1 Climax MVP and best match of the tournament to [email protected]
This week has an interesting situation since AEW & NXT on Wednesday and Smackdown on Friday all go against the World Series, with game two on Wednesday and game three on Friday. Smackdown moves to FS 1, which last year led to a giant audience decline. AEW has the most loaded show of the three with the first round of their world title contenders tournament with Penta El Cero M vs. Rey Fenix, Kenny Omega vs Joey Janela, Colt Cabana vs. Adam Page and Jungle Boy vs. Wardlow plus a four-way for a tag title shot with Young Bucks vs. Private Party vs. Butcher & Blade vs. Alex Reynolds & John Silver. Also on the show is a Britt Baker match and a Chris Jericho/MJF steak dinner segment.
NXT has Tyler Breeze & Fandango vs. Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish for the tag titles.
For a comparison, the same week last year saw Smackdown do 888,000 viewers and 0.27 in 18-49, AEW did 963,000 and 0.45 and NXT did 698,000 and 0.21.
The death of Principe Aereo (Luis Angel Salazar) in a match on Saturday night in Nezahualcoyotl was due to a middle cerebral artery rupture. Salazar collapsed in the ring with no apparent reason as he hadn’t fallen the wrong way or taken a shot wrong. It was very similar to the Oro death a generation ago.
WWE
Ashley Fliehr (Charlotte Flair) has signed a management deal with VaynerSports, the first pro wrestler they have signed. The agency has a lot of big name MMA fighters including Stipe Miocic, Eddie Alvarez, Chris Weidman, Aljamain Sterling and Vitor Belfort.
There is a big issue with sports video game producers because of a conflicting legal situation. Sportico noted that Take Two won a case in Federal Court that their NBA 2K game could replicate player tattoos without paying the tattoo artist. However, in Illinois, a federal judge ruled the opposite in a case involving Randy Orton’s tattoo artist and WWE 2K.
Toni Storm turned 25 today.
Saraya Bevis aka Paige announced today that today marks two years of sobriety. Great for her.
UFC
Tecia Torres vs. Angela Hill has been added to the 12/12 PPV show. This is a rematch of a fight five years ago that Torres won.
Mason Jones, the 155 and 170 pound champion of the U.K. based Cage Warriors promotion, has signed here.
AEW
There is a giant episode of Dark tomorrow:
Shawn Spears vs. Christopher Daniels
Luchasaurus vs. Aaron Solow
Brandi Rhodes vs. KiLynn King
Colt Cabana vs. Bshp King
Matt Sydal vs Shawn Dean
Ivelisse & Diamante vs. Skyler Moore & Kenzie Paige
Jungle Boy vs. KTB
Frankie Kazarian vs. Jack Evans
Rey Fenix vs. Sonny Kiss
Penta El Cero M vs. QT Marshall
Butcher & Blade vs. Brian Pillman Jr. & Griff Garrison
Alan Angels vs. Adam Priest
Scorpio Sky vs. Fuego del Sol
Ricky Starks vs. David Ali
Alex Reynolds & John Silver & Preston Vance vs. Louis Valle & D3 & Baron Black
Wardlow vs. Vince Pacifico
MISCELLANEOUS
This is a show I did on the four Omega vs. Okada matches and their legacy. I also did a Best Matches of the career of Chris Jericho with a ton of insights and some back stories that haven’t been told in as much detail ever before on some of these matches for the book Alex Marvez is writing with the complete Jericho 30-year record covering every match of his career.
We also have a new 1997 Wrestling Observer Yearbook, covering the entire year in detail, every single major story in both pro wrestling and MMA is looked at plus all kinds of stats for the year. It’s available at Amazon.com in the U.S., Amazon.ca in Canada and www.WrestlingObserverBook.com in Europe.
In the lead up to Bound for Glory, AXS has Impact week. Tomorrow night has Impact at 8 p.m. with Eddie Edwards vs. Sami Callihan, Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows vs. Josh Alexander & Ethan Page, Rohit Raju & Chris Bey & Jordynne Grace vs. Trey Miguel & TJP & Willie Mack, Hernandez vs. Cousin Jake vs. Alisha Edwards vs. Rhino vs. Heath for the No. 20 spot in their Gauntlet. Also tomorrow at 10 p.m. is an Anderson & Gallows Talk’n’ Shop special. Thursday at 8 p.m. is the Bound for Glory preview show. Saturday at 7 p.m. is the Bound for Glory pregame show.
Masked Republic sent out a release noting new additions to their staff including Hector Rodriguez as the Director of Development; Gabriel Ramirez as Licensing and Brand Manager, Adrian Salas as Licensing Associate and Jerry Villagrana as Licensing and Creative Management.
Future Wrestling Australia on 11/5 in Sydney. Adam Brooks is booked on the show.
Toa Henare’s Warrior Wrestling debuts 10/24 in Auckland, New Zealand with Henare & Jamie Tagatese vs.TK Cooper & Dave O’Connor.
Henare was also a guest yesterday on Maori TV in New Zealand talking bout the New Zealand election results (thanks to Kevin Chiat)
