Daily Update: Best of the Super Juniors, GSP, Frank Deford
July 16, 2020 | News | No Comments
THE ROUND-UP
The Latest from the F4W Staff
NEWS
Ronda Rousey part of ABC’s ‘Battle of the Network Stars’ revival
WWE Macon, GA, live results: Jinder Mahal vs. AJ Styles
WWE Raw video highlights: Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins
WWE Raw live results: Go-home show for Extreme Rules
Mixed tag match set for WWE Extreme Rules
AUDIO
WOL: RAW, Alexa and Bayley, psychology in matches, more! 5/30
WOR: Frank Deford, RAW, Best of the Super Juniors, more! 5/30
JNPO Classic: UFC 130 preview, extended Rick Story interview 5/29
We’re looking for reports from the Impact tapings in Mumbai, India on Tuesday and Wednesday to [email protected].
NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS ON WEDNESDAY FROM OSAKA AT 5:30 A.M. ON NEW JAPAN WORLD FOR A BLOCK FINALS
ACH & Volador Jr. vs. Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
War Machine & David Finlay vs. Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa & Yujiro Takahashi
Jushin Liger vs. Taichi
Dragon Lee vs. Taka Michinoku
Ricochet vs. Marty Scurll
Hiromu Takahashi vs. Will Ospreay
Kazuchika Okada & Gedo vs. Kenny Omega & Bad Luck Fale
NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS ON THURSDAY FROM NAGOYA AT 5 A.M.EASTERN TIME ON NEW JAPAN WORLD FOR THE B BLOCK FINALS
Jushin Liger & Hirai Kawato vs. Taka Michinoku & Taichi
Juice Robinson & Ricochet & Dragon Lee vs. Seiya Sanada & Evil & Hiromu Takahashi
Ray Rowe & Hanson & David Finlay vs. Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa & Yujiro Takahashi
Tiger Mask vs. Bushi
Ryusuke Taguchi vs. ACH
Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Desperado
Kushida vs. Volador Jr.
Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay & Jado vs. Kenny Omega & Bad Luck Fale & Marty Scurll
FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: 5/22/2017: Jinder Mahal is actually WWE Champion
Even after having over a month to prepare for the possibility, it’s hard to believe that Jinder Mahal is actually WWE Champion. Title wins like Mahal beating Randy Orton at Backlash aren’t really supposed to happen in pro wrestling. When you have the ability to control wins and losses, challengers are theoretically built up over time and have enough credibility when they win a championship that the result is either obvious or hardly surprising.
Subscribers click here to continue.
WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: May 29, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE weekend show reviews, CMLL drama, plus tons of news
A detailed look at why Jinder Mahal got the WWE title, the strange situation of NXT Takeover blowing away the main roster PPV, and what the audience for all the U.S. shows that aren’t Raw and Smackdown say about what fans want from extra hours of wrestling are all part of the current issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
A look at the business and interest levels of WWE Backlash and NXT Takeover, plus what happened with ticket sales when the Backlash card was announced, the Jinder Mahal push, and how to judge it, and how something like this has never been done and look at other tries to make lower card guys into champions quickly and the result.
Upcoming big shows, plans for a major match coming up soon that hasn’t been hinted at, as well as full coverage of Backlash & NXT Takeover with match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.
Updates on SummerSlam ticket sales, Dwayne Johnson’s week and how Saturday Night live did with him as host, updates on a lawsuit regarding WWE Network royalties, a storyline change, plans for a special Smackdown, updates on WWE injuries, more on the WWE women’s tournament, update on different wrestlers talking to WWE, rugby star may be signing with WWE, the three most-watched wrestling matches in the history of cable television, plus business notes and show highlights from all the WWE events this past week.
One of the craziest stories ever, with the Alvarado family’s destruction of Ultimo Guerrero’s car, how it happened, why it happened, the story behind CMLL firing two of its champions, who didn’t get fired, how the athletic commission is handling this and politics behind what happens next.
Subscribers click here to continue.
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.
WON BACK ISSUE: May 8, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF Backlash review, Sakuraba defeats Gracie, tons more
Mark Coleman was the big winner but Kazushi Sakuraba came out as the big hero in the highest profile MMA show in history on 5/1 at the Tokyo Dome. Coleman defeated Akira Shoji, got what amounted to a forfeit win over New Japan’s Kazuyuki Fujita and became the first man in nearly five years to tap out Igor Vovchanchin, who went into the tournament as the top rated heavyweight in the world, before 38,000 fans (ticket prices ranged from $950 for ringside down to $57 for the upper deck so the gate was several million dollars).
Subscribers click here to continue.
TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
Along with more build to Money in the Bank, SmackDown tonight has a fatal five-way elimination match to determine Naomi’s challenger at the pay-per-view. Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina will be in the match.
A Sasha Banks appearance is advertised for tonight’s 205 Live. She’ll be teaming with Rich Swann in a mixed tag match against Alicia Fox & Noam Dar at Extreme Rules on Sunday.
Dar will be wrestling for ICW on July 29th at Shug’s Hoose Party 4 night one. He’ll team with Sha Samuels against Grado & Joe Coffey.
NXT will be touring the Pacific Northwest in July. The first NXT show in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada will take place on July 13th. A return to Seattle, Washington is set for the 14th and it will conclude with a stop in Portland, Oregon on the 15th.
ESPN posted a profile on Jinder Mahal after his title win. Despite questions about his physique, Mahal points out that he’s taken plenty of drug tests and has never failed one.
Cody Rhodes responded to someone who called Goldust a jobber on Twitter: “3 time intercontinental champ, 3 time world tag team champ…replace ‘jobber’ w/’future hall of famer’ and kiss my ass while you’re at it”
Randy Orton uploaded a video of him RKO’ing his stepson into a pool over Memorial Day weekend.
Austin Aries is releasing a book on his vegan lifestyle and rise in wrestling.
The Knoxville News Sentinel has an article on Glenn Jacobs’ mayoral bid. He’s running to become the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.
Summer Rae is featured on Maxim’s Hot 100 list.
John Cena is part of an ad campaign for Tapout body sprays.
WWE.com ran an article on a “lost season” of NXT that never came to fruition.
Brie Bella shared a photo of her and Daniel Bryan’s newborn daughter.
Pro Wrestling
The A Block finals of the Best of the Super Juniors will take place overnight in Osaka. The show airs live on New Japan World. Will Ospreay, Dragon Lee, Hiromu Takahashi, Ricochet, and Taichi all have eight points and are still alive in the tournament. Marty Scurll, Taka Michinoku, and Jushin Thunder Liger are out of contention.
Tetsuya Naito teased getting rid of the IWGP Intercontinental Championship if he retains against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Dominion.
There will be a public reveal for the upcoming Fire Pro Wrestling game in Japan tonight.
Tickets for ROH’s War of the Worlds UK tour shows in London on August 18th and Liverpool on the 19th are now on sale for Ringside Members.
This year’s AIW JT Lightning Invitational Tournament is available to purchase to stream online.
UFC/MMA
Georges St-Pierre made an appearance on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani today. He said that the UFC knew that he had an eye injury and wouldn’t be ready to fight Michael Bisping by the summer when they did the initial press conference for the fight. St-Pierre also said that he’s hoping the fight with Bisping will still work out and that he may retire after his next loss.
The UFC posted the first and second episodes of Embedded for UFC 212.
Cody Garbrandt talked about the potential Demetrious Johnson vs. TJ Dillashaw fight.
Leslie Smith vs. Lina Lansberg is set for UFC Fight Night 113 on July 16th in Glasgow.
The UFC is partnering with Samsung to stream events in virtual reality.
Roy Nelson discussed his decision to sign with Bellator.
Bellator announced Andrey Koreshkov vs. Chidi Njokuani and Brennan Ward vs. Fernando Gonzalez for their show on August 25th in Verona, New York.
Miscellaneous
To honor Frank Deford after his passing, Sports Illustrated posted a collection of 10 of the best stories that he wrote for them. The Bill Russell story that Dave Meltzer mentioned on last night’s episode of Wrestling Observer Radio is among those articles. NPR also uploaded some of Deford’s commentaries that he had chosen as his favorites before retiring. Subscribers should also check out the February 4th, 1991 issue of the Observer where Dave wrote about trying to cover WrestleMania VII and the controversy surrounding the event for Deford’s The National.
Today in Professional Wrestling History (5/30): Terry Gordy becomes first UWF Heavyweight Champion
Pro Wrestling Tees is now carrying our latest line of F4W shirts. Support the Empire~! Grab yours today!
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