DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
UFC on ESPN+ 25 live results: Corey Anderson vs. Jan Blachowicz 2
WWE SmackDown ratings down slightly from last week
WWE SmackDown video highlights: Reigns & Bryan vs. Miz & Morrison
Tag match, Seth Rollins sermon set for WWE Raw
NXT Tampa live results: JD Drake appears, Tino Sabbatelli returns
WWE 205 Live results: Mike Kanellis returns
Bayley to defend WWE SmackDown Women’s title at Super ShowDown
Goldberg announced for next week’s WWE SmackDown
The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles planned for WWE WrestleMania 36
WWE SmackDown live results: Bayley vs. Carmella, Hogan appears
Latest Audio:
WOL: Why the bad SmackDown date was best for Otis 2/15
Portland Wrestlecast free show: The biggest crowds & shows in territory history 2/15
WON NEWSLETTER: WrestleMania 37 details, WWE financials, more
A look at next year’s WrestleMania in Los Angeles is the lead story in the new issue of the Observer. We look at the back story, regarding why the city wanted it in 2021 and WWE wanted it in 2022 and how the compromise was made. We note deals of the new stadium, attendance, the legit all-time company attendance record, , notes from the press conference and a look back at the previous WrestleMania in Los Angeles.
Also covered in the new issue:
2019 WWE business rundown in every category, what was up, what was down, how much the new television deals added in this year’s fourth quarter, why there is uncertainty about stock analysts about the company, and TV deals late in renewing,. We look at how badly the value of the company has dropped of late, what analysts are saying right now and what they are has to be done to get the company value back up.
Roster expansion, why production costs are so much higher, the decline over the past year in both network and PPV revenue, the arena business, the NXT house show business, merchandise, licensing, as well as a look at the company’s revenue and profits annually dating back to 1994.
More on the firing of Michelle Wilson and George Barrios from WWE, return of John Cena, Three more new members of WWE Hall of Fame, Becky Lynch talks pay, what wrestler looks to be leaving, future of MVP in WWE, UK ratings, most-watched shows on WWE Network and details of the weekend main roster and NXT arena events with business notes, results and highlights.
New Japan’s next show in Madison Square Garden, who are the key players and more dates for this year’s G-1 tournament.
Full coverage of New Beginning in Osaka, with business and creative notes, notes on all the upcoming title matches around the world, the latest angles, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.
XFL’s first week of television, the good, the bad, the TV deals and what it needs to stay at to be successful, plus live attendance and why the chances of survival are very different from the first time.
WWE Super Showdown, and Elimination Chamber shows.
Full coverage of UFC 247, with the background on the show, business notes, match-by-match coverage and poll results.
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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SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
Charly Caruso, Sam Roberts, and Mansoor will be the panel for tomorrow’s NXT TakeOver: Portland pre-show. The pre-show begins at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, with TakeOver starting a half hour later.
Mark Henry will be part of the panel for WWE Backstage on Tuesday. Keith Lee is the guest for the episode.
The WWE Performance Center’s YouTube channel uploaded the fourth and final part of their The Comeback documentary series on Tegan Nox’s return. Parts one through three are available here.
Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs. Brian Kendrick & Ariya Daivari in a no DQ tag match is set for next Friday’s episode of 205 Live. Kendrick & Daivari attacked Lorcan & Burch with steel chairs on last night’s show, then the episode ended with Lorcan & Burch getting revenged by doing the same to Kendrick & Daivari.
Joaquin Wilde will also face Raul Mendoza on 205 Live next Friday.
Ronda Rousey is partnering with Facebook Gaming to start a streaming channel. Her first stream will be on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Eastern time.
WWE’s latest Playlist video looks at the Best of Johnny TakeOver.
SmackDown wrestlers made their predictions for TakeOver: Portland.
Other Wrestling
Will Ospreay tweeted after winning the RevPro British Heavyweight Championship yesterday: “7 years put to rest. New British Heavyweight Champion. I will now officially make the jump and be competing in the Heavyweight division.”
On Twitter, AEW teased a match between Britt Baker and Shanna.
Sumie Sakai has been confirmed as the first entrant in ROH’s Women’s Championship tournament. The tournament will feature 16 wrestlers.
Delirious & Grizzly Redwood will face Dalton Castle & Joe Hendry at ROH Past vs. Present in Las Vegas on March 14.
Minoru Suzuki, Ken Shamrock & Tom Lawlor will team against Joey Ryan, Colt Cabana & Grado at Joey Ryan’s Penis Party in Tampa, Florida on April 4.
Allysin Kay has been added to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport III on April 2.
Nick Aldis will defend the NWA Worlds Heavyweight title “against an opponent of his own choosing” at the WrestleCon SuperShow on April 2.
Michael Elgin vs. Taurus is set for WrestleCon Worldwide on the afternoon of April 4.
Timothy Thatcher & Yuki Ishikawa will face WALTER & Daisuke Ikeda in a non-tournament match at night three of wXw 16 Carat Gold in Oberhausen, Germany on March 8.
Court Bauer announced that Kevin Ku has signed with MLW.
MMA
Alexey Oleinik vs. Fabricio Werdum is planned for UFC 250 in Sao Paulo on May 9.
Henry Cejudo told ESPN that he’s targeting fights against Jose Aldo and Alexander Volkanovski.
In a post on Instagram directed at Darren Till, Jared Cannonier announced that he’s undergoing surgery for a torn pec on Tuesday: “@darrentill2 I’m happy you found some courage and finally decided to accept the fight. On Monday. But only two days after I tore my left Pec completely. When it happened on Saturday 7th February, I was in Houston to talk about how you wouldn’t accept the fight. Now had you said yes when they offered, instead of dodging the fight presumably, I would have been in PHX gettin ready to beat yo ass. I’m not blaming you but I kinda am. Anyway, I’m gettin surgery on Tuesday. If you’re still around in the MW division, I’ll hit you up in the fall. P.S. tell your little minions to stop tagging me in your weird ass posts.”
Ray Borg issued a statement yesterday after missing weight for today’s UFC Fight Night show: “Wish I had an excuse but I don’t, my camp knows that this is the most disciplined I have ever been during camp, weight was good all camp and all week. I stayed in contact with the crew at the UFC PI all week and followed all their protocols. The more we started cutting the less that started to come off, we were dedicated to making the weight and took the extra hour they gave us and did what we could with it. We asked for more time with all the intentions in the world to make the weight but unfortunately they only allowed us an hour. We still have a fight to win tomorrow and all my focus is on that, I was so confident in my ability to make weight that I even vowed to retire if I missed weight again, which is a subject that currently is not on my mind at the moment . I will put on a good show for my home town tomorrow night, thank you to my team for all the help along with my manager and the rest of my crew that was apart of this camp. Sorry to my opponent and his Team for the unprofessionalism and hope to put on a good show tomorrow.”
Daily Pro Wrestling History: Eddie Guerrero wins WWE title at No Way Out 2004
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