Daily Update: Raw tonight, Jeff Hardy injury, WWE 2K18

THE ROUND-UP

The Latest from the F4W Staff

NEWS

Jeff Hardy to undergo surgery for torn rotator cuff
AUDIO: Dave Meltzer reviews WWE No Mercy on Live Audio Wrestling
Maria Kanellis-Bennett & Mike Bennett expecting first child
Cesaro visiting dental surgeon, expected back this week
Asuka to make her main roster debut at WWE TLC
NJPW reveals full card for King of Pro Wrestling
WWE No Mercy live results: Lesnar vs. Strowman; Cena vs. Reigns
ROH TV taping results: Fallout from Death Before Dishonor

AUDIO

WOL: No Mercy fallout, Strowman loss, Cena vs. Reigns, more! 9/25
Wrestling Weekly: Bobby Heenan, WWE No Mercy, mailbag 9/25
WOR: WWE No Mercy, New Japan, Bellator, tons of news and more! 9/25
B&V: WWE No Mercy 2017 PPV recap show! 9/24

Raw is from Ontario, CA. Neither Brock Lesnar nor John Cena are being advertised for Raw this week even though both will be in Southern California the night before. SmackDown has a house show tonight in El Paso, TX.

SmackDown and 205 Live will be taped Tuesday night in Glendale, AZ.

FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: Figure Four Weekly 9/18/2017: Remembering Bobby Heenan 

When someone passes away, whether it’s a celebrity or someone in our lives, a usual lament is that we didn’t appreciate them enough while they were alive. It’s typical human nature for us to not fully grasp how important someone is until they’re gone. But in the sadness that has surrounded the death of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, it’s clear that wasn’t the case with him.

Subscribers click here to continue.

WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: September 25, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: The deaths of Bobby Heenan and Otto Wanz 

It’s a double issue this week of the Observer with major stories on Bobby Heenan and his career as well as Heenan behind the scenes, a story on the WWE Network and behind the different ideas they’ve talked about, as well as lengthy pieces on historical figures Otto Wanz and Ruben Juarez.

Look at Henan’s different roles in wrestling, how he got started, the WCW era, the AWA years, leaving WWE and why he may have never been brought back by WWE full-time.

Find out all the different ideas thrown out in the recent WWE Network survey, as well as the viability of some of them.

With Otto Wanz, look at his AWA title, his biggest career matches, how he got started in boxing and wrestling, a story regarding he and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the heyday of the CWA and how it was different from every other promotion in the world and what made it such a great territory to learn in, and what made him famous as a celebrity in Austria.

This issue contains details on the Vince McMahon/Kevin Owens angle, WWE bringing back the Starrcade name, the sale of WCW to WWF in 2001, the legacy of Starrcade, the first Starrcade, how Vince McMahon destroyed Starrcade and helped drive Jim Crockett Promotions out of business, the new Starrcade show, the next NXT Takeover show, more on Ric Flair, Ronda Rousey in WWE notes, Nikki Bella on Dancing With the Stars, Chris Jericho’s cruise idea in detail, and a Shayna Baszler update

Get an update on the Impact promotion and its move of TV to Ottawa, looking at the plans, the GFW name, the building they are going to, the pros and cons of moving, the situation with Jim Cornette, what happens to the ATT angle, and much more.

This issues runs down of the CMLL 84th anniversary show, the two mask vs. mask matches and match-by-match coverage with star ratings.

Also look at the New Japan Destruction in Hiroshima show, the angles, why King of Pro Wrestling looks like one of the best shows of the year, new lineup for Destruction in Kobe and match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.

Subscribers clike 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: August 28, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Hall of Fame issue 

In our largest one year inclusion in history, seven new members were named to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in a balloting of performers, front office people, reports, historians and some well known wrestling experts. Four of the newcomers were voted on by the largest voting panel to date and three others were chosen largely by lobbying from historians providing research as to why they clearly belonged.

Subscribers click here to continue.

MONDAY NEWS UPDATE

Bryan and I will be back tonight covering Raw and the latest news. You can send e-mail questions to the show to [email protected]

The advance for Raw tonight is the lowest in recent memory. It’s well down from last week in San Jose, but won’t look as bad since tonight’s arena is smaller. It is above the SmackDown advances the last two weeks. Neither John Cena nor Brock Lesnar were advertised for the show tonight. Nia Jax vs. Bayley is scheduled. There will be a Miz IC title defense, which from last night’s show, could be against Jason Jordan but that’s not definite. One would think there will be a Braun Strowman rehab segment and they’ll start the set up for the next Raw PPV, which is TLC on 10/22 in Minneapolis. Neither Cena nor Lesnar are scheduled for the TLC show.

Jeff Hardy was diagnosed today with both a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum. He will be undergoing surgery on 10/3. The public story is that the injury took place last Monday on Raw, but he’s been hurt since July.

A Muay Thai promotion in Singapore called the Asian Fighting Championships did their first show on Saturday and one of the fights was a celebrity bout between an online celebrity named Steven Lim and a night club singer, Sylvester Sim, who is best known for placing second in the 2004 version of Singapore’s American Idol. Neither had any training or fighting experience. Sim then dropped out and was replaced by Pradip Subramaniam, a 32-year-old competitive bodybuilder who is now a promoter. They were to fight two two minute rounds.  Subrananiam was knocked down and the fight was stopped, and he died shortly after in the hospital. The preliminary cause of death was cardiac arrest. There is a lot of controversy because of the idea of non-fighters fighting and no regulation or medical testing done before the fight. (thanks to Kelvin Chen) Stories on this are at here and here.

WWE
2K announced that WWE 2018 is currently in development for Windows PC and will be available on the same launch day as the versions for PS 4 and Xbox One.
Tonight’s NFL game opposite Raw is the Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals. Nikki Bella is also in week two of Dancing with the Stars. Raw should be up coming off the PPV, at least in theory.
Charlotte Flair was on SportsCenter today promoting the release of “Second Nature,” a dual Ric & Charlotte Flair autobiography that has just come out.
WWE Story Time will air on the network after Raw tonight.
Steve Austin was referenced on Rick & Morty, the sci-fi cartoon on Cartoon Network. On last night’s episode, Rick’s daughter started talking all tough and Rick started sarcastically calling her Stone Cold Steve Austin, and they later posted his picture on the Rick & Morty Facebook page. (thanks to Jake Koch)
A Steve Austin interview from today is here:
If there can be another era as red hot as the Attitude Era:
“I would love to see another moment in they call sports entertainment these days, but I would love to see a period of time where things just ramp up and become as hot as they were back in the day, and I hope that would be the case. Do I think that will happen? Man, with the trends and even how people watch football or go to stadiums is changing. Everybody that’s watching anything on TV is either streaming it or changing the way they watch or consume it. So, it’s just a different world.”
If Cena and Reigns’ reactions show a shift in the heel/face dynamic in wrestling:
“I think it’s just the way those people take those characters. I think heels and faces are still heels and faces…Here’s the thing everybody loves and respects John Cena whether they are hating on him or loving him. That guy has had an unbelievable career. Roman because I think people think that he was shoved down there throat for so long have a tendency to want to boo him. He’s got a ways to go he’s still learning and developing, but Cena you look at the career that guy’s had, it’s been flat out amazing. People appreciate and respect that guy I don’t care what they say.”​

A Raw show was announced for 12/4 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Sneaker shopping with New Day and Wale is here.
MISCELLANEOUS
Evolve from Saturday night in Summit, IL: Cedric Alexander b Fred Yehi, Fred Yehi b ?, Jason Kincaid b Anthony Henry, Austin Theory b James Drake, Stevie Fierce won four-way over Bryce Benjamin, Matt Knicks and GBA for the Freelance title Darby Allin b DJZ, Chris Dickinson & Jaka b ACH & Ethan Page, Zack Sabre Jr. b Keith Lee to keep the Evolve title, Matt Riddle b Tracy Williams in an anything goes match to keep the WWN title (thanks to Sam Fain)
There is an event at the former Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa tomorrow night, now the Bryan Glazer Jewish Community Center. Kevin Sullivan, J.J. Dillon , Brian Blair and others will be attending and there is also a private dinner with Sullivan and Dillon and a Q&A session. Jody Simon (Joe Malenko) and Jonard Solie, the son of Gordon Solie. are among the organizers.  Joe Malenko, now 61, will be wrestling in a tag team match tomorrow. A camera crew will be there shooting a documentary:  “Lords of the Ring:  The History of Championship Wrestling from Florida.” A story on that is here.
Black Label Pro from Saturday night in Crown Point, IN before 200 fans: Simon Grimm (Simon Gotch) won over B-Boy, Space Monkey and Kevin Lee Davidson, Dasher Hatfield won over Joe Gacy and Mordecai, Sammy Guevara b Keith Lee-DQ, Ethan Page b Ernest the Cat Miller-DQ, Tom Lawlor b Matt Riddle, Dominic Garrini won over Leva Bates, Rory Gulak, GSP and Donovan Danhausen, Darby Allin b Super Crazy, Sandman b ?, Tom Lawlor won over Darby Allin, Dominic Garrini, Sammy Guevara, Simon Grimm and Dasher Hatfield.  The next show is in November with Meng & Barbarian vs. Nick Gage & ? (thanks to Fraser Coffeen)
IPW from Saturday night in Auckland, New Zealand: Charlie Roberts b Devin Lockheart, Curtis Castlewood b Liam Fury, FIST won tag team gauntlet, Mr. Burns b Alex Savage, Ashlee Spencer b Frankie Quinn, Book Duncan b Dave O’Connor, Rueben de Jong b Vinny Dunn. Next show is 10/14 (thanks to Steve Ogilvie)
A story about a college class being offered in the subject of pro wrestling history in Pittsburgh is here.
Anarchy Wrestling from Saturday night in Cornelia, GA: Lazz b Torque Chris Crunk b Mikey Spencer, Alex Rudolph b Jake Garvin, Jacob Ashworth b Kyle Hammer, Markus Cross b Griff Garrison, AJ Gray won three-way over Billy Buck and Jeremy Foster, Crystal Rose b Rahne Victoria, Brad Cash b KT Hamill, Hate Junkies b Team TAG and Lynch Mob, Cyrus the Destroyer b Gunner Miller-COR. Next show is 10/14 (thanks to Matt Griffin)

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