DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
UFC flyweight title fight undergoes change due to missed weight
Updated list of entrants for ROH Pure and Women’s title tournaments
Goldberg appearance confirmed for WWE SmackDown
AEW and NXT ratings down this week, Dynamite wins every demo
Latest Audio:
WOL: WWE Super Showdown, Goldberg as champion, WrestleMania, more! 2/28
Wrestling Weekly: Road to Wrestlemania, AEW Revolution 2/28
WOR: WWE Super ShowDown, Goldberg’s win, AEW Revolution preview 2/28
We’re looking for dark match reports from Smackdown tonight in Boston as well as reports from ROH in Nashville and NXT in Largo, FL to [email protected]. We have two weekend polls, on WWE Super Showdown and AEW Revolution, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]
Benavidez vs. Figueiredo was to be for the vacant flyweight title. So if Benavidez wins, he gets the championship. If Figueiredo wins, the title remains vacant since he missed weight. He also has to forfeit 30 percent of his purse to Benavidez. Figueiredo cramped up while cutting weight today. Dawson, who missed weight by 3.5 pounds, also has to forfeit 30 percent of his purse to Minner.
Tonight’s Smackdown in Boston built around the return of John Cena isn’t sold out, but it is one of WWE’s biggest crowds so far this year.
Tomorrow has WWE Raw in College Park, PA, WWE Smackdown in Elmira, NY, NXT in Jacksonville and ROH in St. Charles, MO. We’re looking for reports on those shows to [email protected]
Sunday has Raw in Salisbury, MD and Smackdown in Syracuse, NY. Raw on Monday will be at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Brock Lesnar and Beth Phoenix are on the show. They are locally advertising Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton, Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens and Kabuki Warriors vs. Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch for the tag titles. That doesn’t mean any of those matches are actually happening.
Arena Mexico tonight has both the finals of the Parejas Increibles tournament with Caristico & Forastero vs. Volador Jr. & Cavernario, and the first round of the three-week tournament to crown new Mexican national tag team champions. The show airs at 9:30 p.m. on the CMLL YouTube page.
Combate Americas runs tonight at midnight on Univision and 10 p.m. Eastern on AXS TV from Fresno, CA with Adrian Guzman vs. Alejandro Martinez as the main event.
WON NEWSLETTER: March 2, 2020 Observer Newsletter: NJPW cancels show due to coronavirus, WM 36 card update
An update on the WrestleMania card after Super Showdown with 11 currently decided upon matches and five or six others in discussion is covered in the current issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The lead story updates how the coronavirus has affected Japanese pro wrestling as well as Japanese culture. We talk about sports and entertainment cancellations, the shows new Japan Pro Wrestling has canceled, the prospects for this year’s New Japan Cup, an update on Stardom,DDT,Dragon Gate, All Japan, NOAH and other Japanese companies on what shows are on and off. We look at if New Japan can still save the New Japan Cup, history of New Japan Cup winners vs. G-1 winners taking the IWGP title, an a breakdown of the original tournament plans.
The new issue also covers:
Plans and background of the coming WrestleMania, as well as Super Showdown coverage with match-by-match coverage with star ratings.
A feature on Manabu Nakanishi’s career and coverage of his retirement show this past week. We look at the difference between Nakanishi and Jushin Liger, Nakanishi’s amateur wrestling days, Nakanishi’s shoot fighting days, Nakanishi in WCW, the Nakanishi heyday and the past decade. We note the major surgery that nearly ended his career ad slowed him down, and some of the all-time greats comment on Nakanishi.
The major matches in the New Japan ring over the past week.
WWE television deals, WWE Network price change, XFL ratings, Samoa Joe suspension, New WWE international signing, WWE injury updates, Canadian TV ratings, Ric Flair’s 71st birthday, how much Raw has fallen in four yeas, Edge’s return,NXT Takeover notes, Evolve news for WrestleMania week with WWE talent, Australia tour, stock value, most-watched shows on the WWE Network as well as a look at every WWE arena event over the past week with business notes and highlights.
A preview of the AEW PPV and full coverage of the UFC show in Auckland, New Zealand.
Regarding the Wednesday numbers, we’ve got full details, demos that each side won, how every segment did and what match ended up as the difference maker.
Full coverage of all the WWE and AEW television shows from the past week.
In-depth looks at the ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE
70s star Killer Tim Brooks, 72, who has been battling cancer for years, has entered hospice care. Brooks was a top star in a number of territories and was best known in his native Texas, but headlined pretty much everywhere he worked.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has once again changed the result of the 12/7 Tito Ortiz vs. Alberto El Patron Rodriguez fight. Ortiz is back to having a win. The result of the match was overturned because a drug test revealed Ortiz had failed for a non-PED. Ortiz was furious, stating that he had told the commission ahead of time he was using the substance and it was approved. After the TDLR spoke with Ortiz’s physician who had prescribed the medication to him, the Ortiz win was reinstated. Really, they couldn’t have waited to overturn the decision until after they had spoken with his doctor?
AEW Revolution will begin tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Eastern with Best Friends vs. Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky on the Buy In show and the actual PPV starts at 8 p.m.
Cody announced that on tomorrow’s show they will announce the return of an old school match concept that will upset some people.
There may be as many as four Elimination Chamber matches on 3/8 in Philadelphia as they’ve hinted at a Smackdown women’s Chamber match, plus the arena announced a tag team title match in the chamber with John Morrison & The Miz, New Day, Usos, Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler, vs. Heavy Machinery vs. Lucha House Party.
NHK, one of the major networks in Japan, did this one hour show on New Japan President Harold Meij.
WWE
Variety reported that Image Artist Management has signed a rep deal for Daria Berenato (Sonya Deville). Image Artist Management was launched in July by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard.
NXT will be doing a rare Tuesday night television tapings at Full Sail University on 4/7 That would be WrestleMania week, the day after Raw in Tampa.
Sasha Banks was training today at the New England Pro Wrestling school.
The Bella Twins will be on Tuesday’s edition of “The Talk” on CBS promoting their new autobiography.
Rhea Ripley talks about her match with Charlotte Flair.
UFC
Weigh-in results from tomorrow’s UFC show in Norfolk, VA. The entire show is on ESPN+ and starts at 5 p.m. Eastern
Ismail Naurdiev (170) vs. Sean Brady (170)
Aalon Cruz (145.5) vs. Spike Carlyle (145.5)
Jordan Griffin (145) vs. TJ Brown (145.5)
Luis Pena (154.5) vs, Steve Garcia (155)
Marcin Tybura (246) vs. Serghei Spivac (234)
Brendan Allen (185.5) vs. Tom Breese (185)
Gabriel Silva (135.5) vs. Kyler Phillips (135.5)
Grant Dawson (149.5) vs. Darrick Minner (145.5)
Megan Anderson (145) vs. NoramDumot Viana (146)
Ion Cutelaba (204.5) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (204.5)
Felicia Spencer (145) vs. Zarah Fairn dos Santos (146)
Joseph Benavidez (124.5) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (127.5)
ESPN 2 will be airing the Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone PPV show on Sunday at 10 p.m., as well as the UFC Countdown for Adesanya vs. Romero (yes these are still on the air at 1 a.m.) late Sunday night.
Marlon Vera vs. Eddie Wineland has been added to the 3/28 show in Columbus, OH.
UFC announced the signing of undefeated bantamweight Umar Nurmagomedov (12-0), the cousin of Khabib.
Jennifer Maia vs. Viviane Araujo for a 6/27 show in Austin, TX.
AEW
This is a really great story on how the mind of Kenny Omega works.
The Sporting News spoke to Jon Moxley about Chris Jericho and talks about tomorrow’s AEW title match.
The New York Post has an interview with Chris Jericho. (thanks to Barry Werner)
Jim Ross talks Missouri wrestling and Harley Race.
The Sporting News talks to the Young Bucks
TSN has an interview with Cody.
A lot of stats on AEW are at www.vizelite.com.
BetOnline has odds for Revolution:
Jon Moxley -140 vs. Chris Jericho -100
Nyla Rose -200 vs. Kris Statlander +150
Young Bucks -250 vs. Kenny Omega & Adam Page +170
MJF -180 vs. Cody +140
Jake Hager -300 vs. Dustin Rhodes +200
MISCELLANEOUS
With no shows this week, New Japan World will be replacing two long interview segments with Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi on Tuesday and Wednesday.
KSW announced its 3/21 main event from the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland with top draw Mariusz Pudzianowski (13-7) vs Qutentin Domingos (5-1). There will also be a welterweight title fight on that show with Roberto Soldic (17-3) vs. former Dream champion Marius Zaromskis (22-9).
Announced for the 4/2 Mark Hitchcock Memorial Super show by High Spots is Arez vs. Aramis vs. Laredo Kid vs Black Taurus. They will likely tear down the house.
D Sports has announced an Impact Sacrifice show for Impact + that will be taking place in India.
Wrestling Ontario Iron Cup on 4/25 in Burlington, ONT at 664 Spring Gardens Rd.
Britt Baker has been announced for the 6/13 to 6/15 World Series Wrestling tour of Australia (thanks to Kevin Chiat)
SKM on 3/27 in Hagersville, ONT at the Community Centre.
All Star Wrestling tomorrow night in Vancouver, BC at the Maritime Labour Centre with Vance Nevada vs. Thunder.
UCW Pro Wrestling on 3/7 in Halifax, Nova Scotia at the Spryfield Loins Rink.
North Pro Canadian Wrestling on 3/14 in Riverview, New Brunswick at the Coverdale Centre featuring Too Cold Scorpio.
North Pro Canadian Wrestling tomorrow night in Sackville, Nova Scotia at the Sackville Heights Community Centre.
Pro Wrestling Unleashed on 3/6 at the Propeller Arcade in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Pro Wrestling Unleashed on 3/15 in Amherst, Nova Scotia at the Amherst Curling Club.
ECPW on 3/28 at the Reserve Mines Fire Hall in Reserve Mines, Nova Scotia.
Crossfire Wrestling on 3/21 for a 4 p.m. show at the Merritton Community Centre.
Thrash Wrestling tomorrow in Merritt, BC at 1701 Coldwater Ave.
All Star Wrestling on 4/24 in Langley, BC at the West Langley Community Hall headlined by Tyson Dux.
Pacific Pro Wrestling on 3/14 in Abbotsford, BC at the Abbotsford Arts Centre headlined by Vance Nevada.
All Star Wrestling on 3/7 in Surrey, BC at Sullivan Hall headlined by Randy Myers vs. Braydon Goss and Nicole Matthews vs. Bambi Hall.
Pro Wrestling Phoenix from last night in Omaha, NE: JC Slater b Omar Pachecco, K-Dos b Mack Riggs, Lars Metzger b Purple, Donnie Peppercricket & Con Artiest b Tony Cortez & Pat Powers-DQ, Paul & Joey Daniels b Set Kobara & Tim Boston in a body bag match, Brett Bishop b Nicky Scent, Jack Darling & Uncle Ricky b Duke Cornell & Moonshine Russell. Next show is 3/26 at the Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: Eddie Gilbert and Rick Steiner win NWA US Tag Team Titles
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