Top pro-wrestling and MMA headlines at F4Wonline.com http://www.f4wonline.com Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:48:59 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7970/124/ Dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:Dave@wrestlingobserver.com) A note if you are not a subscriber, all both print and web site subscriptions that start today will include our special awards double issue that is coming out in a few weeks, which is traditionally our best selling issue of the year. With a feature on WWE booking leading to Wrestlemania, including current Smackdown plans for two of the key matches penciled in and looking at both sides of the arguments as to the title situation as well as coverage of UFC 92 and the Japanese New Year's Eve K-1 and Hustle shows are among the features in the two issues of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that will be out this week. We also have an article on the death of Justin Eilers and where every promotion is most popular both internationally and domestically. The first issue is already available to web site premium subscribers today and the second will be available later this week. We also have an update on Batista and questions regarding the booking when he is ready to return. The story on the first house shows with Jeff Hardy as champion, how he's been received, what the current plans going forward are including the wrestler not yet under contract who is being considered for a major Wrestlemania match. We look at how the booking at Wrestlemania always changes and what the key arguments on the Smackdown main event side are. We also talk about the realities of Darren Aronofsky's feeling that wrestlers should be part of the Screen Actors Guild and what steps would need to happen for that to be a reality. We also look at how the difference in the type of people in wrestling today as opposed to 20 years ago also affects this process. We look at a newcomer who has been pushed on TV and is already being soured on, as well as future of MVP, and just how big John Cena is and why a heel turn isn't being considered. We also have a look at a wrestler not yet in WWE who has told people he will debut at the Royal Rumble as well as what crackdown has been privately complained about by many in WWE and looking at the arguments on that crackdown. We also have full coverage of UFC 92, as well as what lessons and the long-term realities of MMA when it comes to generational stars. We look at what happened with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, including what may have been the cause for his poor performance. We look at what Frank Mir said to Brock Lesnar after his win and potential business of that match. We look at how the crowd reactions at weigh-ins differed from the live event. We look at plenty of other matches now being talked about coming off what happened at UFC 92. We look at future matches for Quinton Jackson and Chuck Liddell. We also have business notes from UFC 92 including some early indications on how the show did overall. We look at both the positives and negatives of the show, match-by-match coverage, base pay, bonuses and more. We also have a huge feature on the death of Justin Eilers, and the person that he was. We look at the circumstances, what led to the circumstances, and what charges are against the person who shot him. We've also got full coverage of the K-1 New Year's Eve show as well as notes on the biggest event in ROH history with the Final Battle card, including eye witness accounts of the Austin Aries incident with a fan. We've got a feature on the most popular performers in pro wrestling and MMA in 2008 based on web interest, which turned out to yield some very surprising results. We look at old guard like Hogan, Flair, Austin and Rock compared with the current stars like Cena, HHH and more, including a few major surprises on the list and being as high as they were. The story also looks at the differences in popularity level of wrestlers, boxers and MMA fighters in the U.S. We also look at UFC vs. WWE, where each is more popular when it comes to states and major cities, and how its similarities and lack of similarities with pro wrestling affect UFC's attempt to go national. We also look at the value of network vs. cable in 2008, what three WWE stars are under pushed, and what major drawing cards are not near the top 25 when it comes to popularity. We've also got a look at WWE house shows in what is traditionally the best week of the year to draw, the week after Christmas. In particular, we look at the Madison Square Garden show, and how it differed from other shows this past week. The Wrestling Observer ranges from 25,000 to 40,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA all over the world. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sites and has the most complete look at the business as a whole anywhere. The Observer is now in its 27th year of being the leading insider pro wrestling publication in the world. The biggest and most influential names in the pro wrestling industry as well as the MMA industry, from bookers, to promoters to Hall of Fame wrestlers and fighters to the biggest current names, both on camera, and behind the scenes, along with thousands of readers in all 50 states and 30 countries subscribe. Many have subscribed as long as 20 years or more straight. They get the most detailed and inside coverage of what is going on all over the world and an accuracy from having the most inside sources that can't be found on the web. Everyone from Wall Street to the major offices to the TV networks in U.S. and Japan turn to the Observer for what is going on in the business. If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today. With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today. Just send your Visa or Master Card order with your name, address, phone number, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:dave@wrestlingobserver.com) or you can order by faxing that information to 408-244-3402. You can also subscribe via paypal at www.paypal.com (http://www.paypal.com/) and using the dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:dave@wrestlingobserver.com) address or subscribe via check, cash or money order, as well as credit card, by mail, by sending to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228. We also have more awards including the biggest fan voting awards in Japan, so you can see who the Japanese audience felt was its MVP this year, as well as a listing of winners in previous years, as well as match of the year and other major awards. We also have a look at MMA's biggest television show and its awards for this year. We've got full coverage of the craziest promotion in wrestling, with Hustle Mania, a network prime time New Year's Eve special that went head-to-head with the K-1 show. We look at who were the key people on the network special, including how the two networks counter programmed their strong points against each other. We also have our regular features including all the TV ratings from the past week, results from the major league house shows and major TV show reviews. Also in this week's issues: --Coverage of Dragon Gate's year-end show including a longtime unit breaking up and a new champion being crowned --Winner of the Rikidozan award as Pro Wrestling NOAH's MVP --Who is expected to get a major push in NOAH next year --Update on Kenta Kobashi --Death of a wrestler in training in Japan --A look at the life of Rollin Hard --The miracle experience of a member of one of wrestling's most famous families --Update on trial of the doctor who treated Chris Benoit and which wrestlers he was said to be associated with --Mick Foley complains to Sports Illustrated about what was written about him in the article on The Wrestler --New match for Genesis --TNA PPV schedule for 2009 --Update on the UFC 95 lineup --Update on Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra --Update on UFC fundraising efforts coming from The Fight for the Troops show --Update on the next season of Ultimate Fighter --UFC headliner complains about fighter pay --Update on WEC plans for 2009 --Interesting idea Dana White has talked about for Satoshi Ishii --What market that UFC was planning on hitting in 2009 that looks to be out --What top star just did a fight while needing knee surgery and when he's getting it --Best selling MMA and pro wrestling DVDs --A look back at Hulk Hogan vs. Terry Funk --ECW getting a replay showing --Regal talks about a WWE star who needs work in the ring --Lance Storm talks about why C.M. Punk's matches are sometimes considered inconsistent and his thoughts --WWE signs some wrestlers let go in the past --A look at the movie Behind Enemy Lines 3 --Promotion making a major ticket price change that could be a big mistake --NWA and CMLL talk about the longtime NWA titles that have been based in Mexico --Former WWE star and U.S. indie guys get a look by an international promotion this past week --Two wrestlers miss AAA Christmas party in protest and their issues --Puerto Rico wrestling awards for 2008 --Note on Team 3-D in Japan --One of biggest indie events of the year --Promoter claims Hogan came to him for an idea of promoting Hogan led house shows --Update on Dwayne Johnson and his next movies --Update on Perry Saturn --Lots more on the Wrestler including WWE private and public reaction --Business notes on the movie The Wrestler --Former tag champs open a wrestling school --Looking back at Wrestling with Shadows --Several wrestlers filming a movie in China including four ex-WWE performers --80s star talks boxing match he's scheduled in --Future of MMA on CBS and Showtime --Current biggest drawing fighter in Japan and it's a name virtually unknown in wrestling or MMA circles New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major story (ies) of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we'll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We've got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue. Our most requested issues in our history are: *November 17, 1997 (full details of everything leading to the most famous wrestling match finish of modern times at the Survivor Seriesplus a history of in-ring double-crosses) *December 21, 1998 (the complete Vince McMahon-Bret Hart conversation right before the Survivor Series match so you'll know exactly what was said--the conversation played in edited form both on the inaugural broadcast of Confidential as well as in Wrestling with Shadows, buteverything that was said between the two about the match that was going to take place that same night) *August 1, 1994 (the most detailed coverage anywhere of the Vince McMahon steroid trial, an issue praised in numerous newspaper articleand Sex, Lies and Headlocks) *March 26, 2001 (death of WCW and history of pro wrestling on the Turner networks) *October 22, 2001 (why the adult audience has left pro wrestling in such great numbers and what needed to have been done to save them)*July 8, 1991 (Ric Flair leaves WCW as world champion/Zahorian steroid trial) *February 8, 1993 (the life and times of Andre the Giant) *May 13, 2002 (the life story of the most incredible pro wrestling career ever, a look at Lou Thesz, in one of the largest issues of ourhistory) *January 27, 2003 (part one of the two-part series covering the career and life of The Sheik) *February 3, 2003 (Part two on The Sheik including thoughts from people who worked with him and where he stands historically) *March 24, 2003 (history of the WWWF title, inside behind the Sammartino, Backlund and Backlund era) *April 21, 2003 (history of WWF continues with the expansion nationally, the death of the regional territories and the rise of HulkHogan) *May 12, 2003 (The life and death of Elizabeth, and the rise of fall of Lex Luger) *June 9, 2003 (Part 1 of history of WWF vs. WCW wars and what many say was the greatest year in U.S. wrestling; plus a look at Fred Blassie) *June 16, 2003 (Freddie Blassie through the eyes of his biggest rivals and friends) *July 28, 2003 (Part 2 of the history of the WWF vs. WCW war and the plans to make new superstars in the early 90s, what happened, and thenight where the three biggest wrestling companies in the world combined for a joint show and what happened) *August 25, 2003 (2003 Hall of Fame issue with huge profiles on the controversial career of Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit as well ashistorical features on Earl Caddock and Francisco Flores) *September 22, 2003 (Part 3 of the history of the WWF vs WCW war with the seeds that caused the collapse of the industry in the 90s,Zahorian trial, Gulf War controversy, Flair leaves WCW while holding world title and much more) *October 27, 2003 (The fascinating life of Stu Hart plus the story of Road Warrior Hawk) *January 19, 2004 (2003 Awards issue) *February 2, 2004 (History of Toronto wrestling, Jack Tunney life story, Royal Rumble and Battle Royal history) *February 23, 2004 (History of Guerrero family with Eddy's win over Brock Lesnar) *March 1, 2004 (History of WWF continues with the period that brought the company down in early 1992, the mistakes, the real stories and how the business changed) *March 8, 2004 (History of Wrestlemania, its greatest matches and best and worst shows as voted both by wrestlers and non-wrestlers andWrestlemania history books) *July 5, 2004 (A look behind the scenes and Ric Flair's book and his background with Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan) *July 12, 2004 (A look at more on Ric Flair's book and his comments on Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart and Mick Foley) *August 16, 2004 (History of the Olympians in pro wrestling) *August 23, 2004 (2004 Hall of Fame issue and biggest issue of the year with huge profiles on Kazushi Sakuraba, Undertaker, Bob Backlund,Masahiro Chono, Ultimo Dragon, Kurt Angle and Tarzan Lopez--this counts as one issue if you are asking for a free issue, but orderedseparately, due to size, is $6 in North America and $7 overseas) *October 4, 2004 (the life and times of Big Bossman; as well as details of the life and times of one of the most influential men worldwide in pro wrestling history, Jim Barnett) *November 15, 2004 (the full story of what happened between Kurt Angle and Daniel Puder, plus coverage of the most important week in thehistory of TNA) *January 24, 2005 (2004 Awards issue, Rock and WWE part company) *March 14, 2005 (the 50 biggest money players in the history of WWF and a look at theirHall of Fame) *May 9, 2005 (the life and times of Chris Candido) *June 20, 2005 (The full story behind Paul Heyman and the death of ECW, as well as coverage of One Night Stand, Hardcore Homecoming andbehind the scenes of both shows) *July 18, 2005 (death of Shinya Hashimoto and his records with a look at the fall of New Japan, the Matt Hardy angle, tons of WWE firings,Cornette firing in detail as well as problems of a WWE developmental territory in our biggest news issue of the year which is adouble-sized issue and would be $6 on its own and $7 overseas) *August 24, 2005 (2005 Hall of Fame issue with career profiles of Paul Heyman, HHH and Freebirds plus debut of MMA Hall of Fame) *September 12, 2005 (History of Mid South Wrestling) *October 10, 2005 (Life and Times of the Ultimate Warrior) *November 21, 2005 (Life and Times of Eddy Guerrero and Crusher,double issue $6 on its own and $7 overseas) *December 5, 2005 (The Eddy Guerrero special issue, double issue $6 on its own, $7 overseas) *January 9, 2006 (The life and times of Superstar Billy Graham, plus New Year's Eve 2005 coverage) *January 16, 2006 (2005 Awards double issue, $6 or $7 overseas) *April 3, 2006 (Story of Ann Calvello and the history of Roller Derby--many called this the best issue of the Observer ever) *April 10, 2006 (Behind the scenes at the 2006 Wrestlemania/Hall of Fame week) *July 24, 2006 (The History of the Von Erichs and World Class Championship Wrestling--the most unreal story ever in wrestling) *September 4, 2006 (The Rise and Fall of Kurt Angle; 2006 Hall of Fame inductions of Eddie Guerrero, Paul Bowser, Masakatsu Funaki, Aja Kong and Hiroshi Hase including tons of wrestling history around the world from the 20s through the 60s, the evolution of working to not workingin Japan, and a look at Guerrero in hindsight, double issue $6 or $7 overseas) *October 9, 2006 (A look back nine years later at the life and legacy of Brian Pillman with tons of inside information about what made himtick as his real objectives) *November 15, 2006 (History of WCW part one, Eric Bischoff's book and how the industry was changed forever) *November 20, 2006 (History of WCW part two, Why Jim Ross left WCW, How Bischoff changed the company, signing of Hulk Hogan, Beginning of Nitro, Jesse Ventura, Brian Pillman, Chris Jericho and signing Wrestlemania planned celebrity away) *November 27, 2006 (History of WCW part three, When Bischoff challenged McMahon to fight; Truth and fiction around Bret Hartsigning with WCW and why it didn't click) *December 6, 2006 (details behind Pride's offers to sell promotion and Part four of History of WCW part four, Hogan-Goldberg match and whythere was no rematch, WCW loses NBC network deal in 1999 and the real reasons the company fell apart) *January 22, 2007 (2006 Awards issue, double issue $7 on its own, $8 overseas) *February 14, 2007 (Life and Times of Bam Bam Bigelow) *March 5, 2007 (WWE begins plans that will change the business) *March 12, 2007 (Life and Times of Mike Awesome) *March 19, 2007 (Life and Times of Ernie Ladd) *April 4, 2007 (Life and Times of Badnews Allen Coage--which many are calling one of the best issues in history) *July 2, 2007 (Part one of the Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 5, 2007 (Part two of the Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 10, 2007 (Part three of the Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 19, 2007 (Part four of the Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 23, 2007 (Part five of Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 25, 2007 (Part six of Benoit double murder-suicide) *August 15, 2007 (The legend of the God of Japanese wrestling and his influence on MMA, Karl Gotch) *October 15 (2007 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas including inductions of The Rock, Tom Packs and the originalStrangler Lewis) *November 12, 2007 (Life and times of Fabulous Moolah and history of U.S. women's wrestling) . *December 31, 2007 (History of Ric Flair and the heyday of wrestling at the Greensboro Coliseum) *January 21, 2008 (2007 Awards issue, double issue $7 on its own, $8 overseas) *March 17, 2008 (Life and times of Johnny Weaver) *March 24, 2008 (Life and times of Gary Hart) *April 10, 2008 (Farewell to Ric Flair; My thoughts, Shawn Michaels talks of Flair's meaning to him; Hall of Fame; Wrestlemania doubleissue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas) August 11, 2008 (Ric Flair leaves WWE; Updated history of pro wrestlers and MMA fighters who went to the Olympics) September 8, 2008 (2008 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas; part one of Killer Kowalski bio) September 15, 2008 (Life and Times of Evan Tanner) September 22, 2008 (The amazing career of Killer Kowalski, one of our most in-depth bios) You can also order any of these issues on their own for $4 in North America or $5 overseas. Rates are: For the United States, it is $12 for 4 issues, $29 for 12, $55 for 24, $91 for 40 and $118 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $13.50 for4, $33 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to moonsault@mediaplusint.com (mailto:moonsault@mediaplusint.com). For the rest of the world, rates are $15.50 for 4, $41 for 12, $78 for 24, $126 for 40 issues and $163 for52 . 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. We now have available personally autographed copies of Tributes II, our latest book, as well as a DVD that comes with it talking moreabout the subjects in the book. The book covers the life stories of Lou Thesz, Wahoo McDaniel, Elizabeth, Fred Blassie, Road Warrior Hawk,Andre the Giant, Curt Hennig, Johnny Valentine, Davey Boy Smith, Terry Gordy, Owen Hart, Stu Hart, Gorilla Monsoon, The Sheik and Tim Woods. To get all of those biographies as back issues of the Observer would be a $60 value today. This is a collection of some of the bestObserver articles of the past several years in a hardcover, full-color format that is 239 pages. There is also a foreword by Bret Hart. Thebook price is $12.95 plus $3.50 for shipping costs in the U.S., $10 for shipping costs to Canada and $12 for shipping costs outside NorthAmerica. You can order the book the same way you order the newsletter. News - Plugs Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:36:02 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7969/124/ Dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:Dave@wrestlingobserver.com) We're looking for reports on tonight's Raw event in New Orleans with the ECW results as well as dark matches and anything else not notable on the live show, as well as tonight's Smackdown brand house show in Alexandria, LA at dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:dave@wrestlingobserver.com) Some matches on Raw tonight include William Regal vs. C.M. Punk for the IC title, Miz John Morrison vs. Rey Mysterio Kofi Kingston, Goldust Melina vs. Santino Marella Beth Phoenix and Kelly Kelly vs. Jillian Hall. We're also looking for reports on the Raw show on Saturday night in Lake Charles and the Smackdown show yesterday in Bossier City. No TNA tapings this week, nor Smackdown tapings on Tuesday, so Raw is the last major event until next weekend. A note if you are not a subscriber, all both print and web site subscriptions that start today will include our special awards double issue that is coming out in a few weeks, which is traditionally our best selling issue of the year. With a feature on WWE booking leading to Wrestlemania, including current Smackdown plans for two of the key matches penciled in and looking at both sides of the arguments as to the title situation as well as coverage of UFC 92 and the Japanese New Year's Eve K-1 and Hustle shows are among the features in the two issues of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that will be out next week. We also have an article on the death of Justin Eilers and where every promotion is most popular both internationally and domestically. The first issue is already available to web site premium subscribers today and the second will be available later this week. We also have an update on Batista and questions regarding the booking when he is ready to return. The story on the first house shows with Jeff Hardy as champion, how he's been received, what the current plans going forward are including the wrestler not yet under contract who is being considered for a major Wrestlemania match. We look at how the booking at Wrestlemania always changes and what the key arguments on the Smackdown main event side are. We also talk about the realities of Darren Aronofsky's feeling that wrestlers should be part of the Screen Actors Guild and what steps would need to happen for that to be a reality. We also look at how the difference in the type of people in wrestling today as opposed to 20 years ago also affects this process. We look at a newcomer who has been pushed on TV and is already being soured on, as well as future of MVP, and just how big John Cena is and why a heel turn isn't being considered. We also have a look at a wrestler not yet in WWE who has told people he will debut at the Royal Rumble as well as what crackdown has been privately complained about by many in WWE and looking at the arguments on that crackdown. We also have full coverage of UFC 92, as well as what lessons and the long-term realities of MMA when it comes to generational stars. We look at what happened with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, including what may have been the cause for his poor performance. We look at what Frank Mir said to Brock Lesnar after his win and potential business of that match. We look at how the crowd reactions at weigh-ins differed from the live event. We look at plenty of other matches now being talked about coming off what happened at UFC 92. We look at future matches for Quinton Jackson and Chuck Liddell. We also have business notes from UFC 92 including some early indications on how the show did overall. We look at both the positives and negatives of the show, match-by-match coverage, base pay, bonuses and more. We also have a huge feature on the death of Justin Eilers, and the person that he was. We look at the circumstances, what led to the circumstances, and what charges are against the person who shot him. We've also got full coverage of the K-1 New Year's Eve show as well as notes on the biggest event in ROH history with the Final Battle card, including eye witness accounts of the Austin Aries incident with a fan. We've got a feature on the most popular performers in pro wrestling and MMA in 2008 based on web interest, which turned out to yield some very surprising results. We look at old guard like Hogan, Flair, Austin and Rock compared with the current stars like Cena, HHH and more, including a few major surprises on the list and being as high as they were. The story also looks at the differences in popularity level of wrestlers, boxers and MMA fighters in the U.S. We also look at UFC vs. WWE, where each is more popular when it comes to states and major cities, and how its similarities and lack of similarities with pro wrestling affect UFC's attempt to go national. We also look at the value of network vs. cable in 2008, what three WWE stars are under pushed, and what major drawing cards are not near the top 25 when it comes to popularity. We've also got a look at WWE house shows in what is traditionally the best week of the year to draw, the week after Christmas. In particular, we look at the Madison Square Garden show, and how it differed from other shows this past week. The Wrestling Observer ranges from 25,000 to 40,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA all over the world. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sites and has the most complete look at the business as a whole anywhere. The Observer is now in its 27th year of being the leading insider pro wrestling publication in the world. The biggest and most influential names in the pro wrestling industry as well as the MMA industry, from bookers, to promoters to Hall of Fame wrestlers and fighters to the biggest current names, both on camera, and behind the scenes, along with thousands of readers in all 50 states and 30 countries subscribe. Many have subscribed as long as 20 years or more straight. They get the most detailed and inside coverage of what is going on all over the world and an accuracy from having the most inside sources that can't be found on the web. Everyone from Wall Street to the major offices to the TV networks in U.S. and Japan turn to the Observer for what is going on in the business. If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today. With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today. Just send your Visa or Master Card order with your name, address, phone number, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:dave@wrestlingobserver.com) or you can order by faxing that information to 408-244-3402. You can also subscribe via paypal at www.paypal.com (http://www.paypal.com/) and using the dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:dave@wrestlingobserver.com) address or subscribe via check, cash or money order, as well as credit card, by mail, by sending to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228. We also have more awards including the biggest fan voting awards in Japan, so you can see who the Japanese audience felt was its MVP this year, as well as a listing of winners in previous years, as well as match of the year and other major awards. We also have a look at MMA's biggest television show and its awards for this year. We've got full coverage of the craziest promotion in wrestling, with Hustle Mania, a network prime time New Year's Eve special that went head-to-head with the K-1 show. We look at who were the key people on the network special, including how the two networks counter programmed their strong points against each other. We also have our regular features including all the TV ratings from the past week, results from the major league house shows and major TV show reviews. Also in this week's issues: --Coverage of Dragon Gate's year-end show including a longtime unit breaking up and a new champion being crowned --Winner of the Rikidozan award as Pro Wrestling NOAH's MVP --Who is expected to get a major push in NOAH next year --Update on Kenta Kobashi --Death of a wrestler in training in Japan --A look at the life of Rollin Hard --The miracle experience of a member of one of wrestling's most famous families --Update on trial of the doctor who treated Chris Benoit and which wrestlers he was said to be associated with --Mick Foley complains to Sports Illustrated about what was written about him in the article on The Wrestler --New match for Genesis --TNA PPV schedule for 2009 --Update on the UFC 95 lineup --Update on Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra --Update on UFC fundraising efforts coming from The Fight for the Troops show --Update on the next season of Ultimate Fighter --UFC headliner complains about fighter pay --Update on WEC plans for 2009 --Interesting idea Dana White has talked about for Satoshi Ishii --What market that UFC was planning on hitting in 2009 that looks to be out --What top star just did a fight while needing knee surgery and when he's getting it --Best selling MMA and pro wrestling DVDs --A look back at Hulk Hogan vs. Terry Funk --ECW getting a replay showing --Regal talks about a WWE star who needs work in the ring --Lance Storm talks about why C.M. Punk's matches are sometimes considered inconsistent and his thoughts --WWE signs some wrestlers let go in the past --A look at the movie Behind Enemy Lines 3 --Promotion making a major ticket price change that could be a big mistake --NWA and CMLL talk about the longtime NWA titles that have been based in Mexico --Former WWE star and U.S. indie guys get a look by an international promotion this past week --Two wrestlers miss AAA Christmas party in protest and their issues --Puerto Rico wrestling awards for 2008 --Note on Team 3-D in Japan --One of biggest indie events of the year --Promoter claims Hogan came to him for an idea of promoting Hogan led house shows --Update on Dwayne Johnson and his next movies --Update on Perry Saturn --Lots more on the Wrestler including WWE private and public reaction --Business notes on the movie The Wrestler --Former tag champs open a wrestling school --Looking back at Wrestling with Shadows --Several wrestlers filming a movie in China including four ex-WWE performers --80s star talks boxing match he's scheduled in --Future of MMA on CBS and Showtime --Current biggest drawing fighter in Japan and it's a name virtually unknown in wrestling or MMA circles New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major story (ies) of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we'll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We've got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue. Our most requested issues in our history are: *November 17, 1997 (full details of everything leading to the most famous wrestling match finish of modern times at the Survivor Seriesplus a history of in-ring double-crosses) *December 21, 1998 (the complete Vince McMahon-Bret Hart conversation right before the Survivor Series match so you'll know exactly what was said--the conversation played in edited form both on the inaugural broadcast of Confidential as well as in Wrestling with Shadows, buteverything that was said between the two about the match that was going to take place that same night) *August 1, 1994 (the most detailed coverage anywhere of the Vince McMahon steroid trial, an issue praised in numerous newspaper articleand Sex, Lies and Headlocks) *March 26, 2001 (death of WCW and history of pro wrestling on the Turner networks) *October 22, 2001 (why the adult audience has left pro wrestling in such great numbers and what needed to have been done to save them)*July 8, 1991 (Ric Flair leaves WCW as world champion/Zahorian steroid trial) *February 8, 1993 (the life and times of Andre the Giant) *May 13, 2002 (the life story of the most incredible pro wrestling career ever, a look at Lou Thesz, in one of the largest issues of ourhistory) *January 27, 2003 (part one of the two-part series covering the career and life of The Sheik) *February 3, 2003 (Part two on The Sheik including thoughts from people who worked with him and where he stands historically) *March 24, 2003 (history of the WWWF title, inside behind the Sammartino, Backlund and Backlund era) *April 21, 2003 (history of WWF continues with the expansion nationally, the death of the regional territories and the rise of HulkHogan) *May 12, 2003 (The life and death of Elizabeth, and the rise of fall of Lex Luger) *June 9, 2003 (Part 1 of history of WWF vs. WCW wars and what many say was the greatest year in U.S. wrestling; plus a look at Fred Blassie) *June 16, 2003 (Freddie Blassie through the eyes of his biggest rivals and friends) *July 28, 2003 (Part 2 of the history of the WWF vs. WCW war and the plans to make new superstars in the early 90s, what happened, and thenight where the three biggest wrestling companies in the world combined for a joint show and what happened) *August 25, 2003 (2003 Hall of Fame issue with huge profiles on the controversial career of Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit as well ashistorical features on Earl Caddock and Francisco Flores) *September 22, 2003 (Part 3 of the history of the WWF vs WCW war with the seeds that caused the collapse of the industry in the 90s,Zahorian trial, Gulf War controversy, Flair leaves WCW while holding world title and much more) *October 27, 2003 (The fascinating life of Stu Hart plus the story of Road Warrior Hawk) *January 19, 2004 (2003 Awards issue) *February 2, 2004 (History of Toronto wrestling, Jack Tunney life story, Royal Rumble and Battle Royal history) *February 23, 2004 (History of Guerrero family with Eddy's win over Brock Lesnar) *March 1, 2004 (History of WWF continues with the period that brought the company down in early 1992, the mistakes, the real stories and how the business changed) *March 8, 2004 (History of Wrestlemania, its greatest matches and best and worst shows as voted both by wrestlers and non-wrestlers andWrestlemania history books) *July 5, 2004 (A look behind the scenes and Ric Flair's book and his background with Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan) *July 12, 2004 (A look at more on Ric Flair's book and his comments on Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart and Mick Foley) *August 16, 2004 (History of the Olympians in pro wrestling) *August 23, 2004 (2004 Hall of Fame issue and biggest issue of the year with huge profiles on Kazushi Sakuraba, Undertaker, Bob Backlund,Masahiro Chono, Ultimo Dragon, Kurt Angle and Tarzan Lopez--this counts as one issue if you are asking for a free issue, but orderedseparately, due to size, is $6 in North America and $7 overseas) *October 4, 2004 (the life and times of Big Bossman; as well as details of the life and times of one of the most influential men worldwide in pro wrestling history, Jim Barnett) *November 15, 2004 (the full story of what happened between Kurt Angle and Daniel Puder, plus coverage of the most important week in thehistory of TNA) *January 24, 2005 (2004 Awards issue, Rock and WWE part company) *March 14, 2005 (the 50 biggest money players in the history of WWF and a look at theirHall of Fame) *May 9, 2005 (the life and times of Chris Candido) *June 20, 2005 (The full story behind Paul Heyman and the death of ECW, as well as coverage of One Night Stand, Hardcore Homecoming andbehind the scenes of both shows) *July 18, 2005 (death of Shinya Hashimoto and his records with a look at the fall of New Japan, the Matt Hardy angle, tons of WWE firings,Cornette firing in detail as well as problems of a WWE developmental territory in our biggest news issue of the year which is adouble-sized issue and would be $6 on its own and $7 overseas) *August 24, 2005 (2005 Hall of Fame issue with career profiles of Paul Heyman, HHH and Freebirds plus debut of MMA Hall of Fame) *September 12, 2005 (History of Mid South Wrestling) *October 10, 2005 (Life and Times of the Ultimate Warrior) *November 21, 2005 (Life and Times of Eddy Guerrero and Crusher,double issue $6 on its own and $7 overseas) *December 5, 2005 (The Eddy Guerrero special issue, double issue $6 on its own, $7 overseas) *January 9, 2006 (The life and times of Superstar Billy Graham, plus New Year's Eve 2005 coverage) *January 16, 2006 (2005 Awards double issue, $6 or $7 overseas) *April 3, 2006 (Story of Ann Calvello and the history of Roller Derby--many called this the best issue of the Observer ever) *April 10, 2006 (Behind the scenes at the 2006 Wrestlemania/Hall of Fame week) *July 24, 2006 (The History of the Von Erichs and World Class Championship Wrestling--the most unreal story ever in wrestling) *September 4, 2006 (The Rise and Fall of Kurt Angle; 2006 Hall of Fame inductions of Eddie Guerrero, Paul Bowser, Masakatsu Funaki, Aja Kong and Hiroshi Hase including tons of wrestling history around the world from the 20s through the 60s, the evolution of working to not workingin Japan, and a look at Guerrero in hindsight, double issue $6 or $7 overseas) *October 9, 2006 (A look back nine years later at the life and legacy of Brian Pillman with tons of inside information about what made himtick as his real objectives) *November 15, 2006 (History of WCW part one, Eric Bischoff's book and how the industry was changed forever) *November 20, 2006 (History of WCW part two, Why Jim Ross left WCW, How Bischoff changed the company, signing of Hulk Hogan, Beginning of Nitro, Jesse Ventura, Brian Pillman, Chris Jericho and signing Wrestlemania planned celebrity away) *November 27, 2006 (History of WCW part three, When Bischoff challenged McMahon to fight; Truth and fiction around Bret Hartsigning with WCW and why it didn't click) *December 6, 2006 (details behind Pride's offers to sell promotion and Part four of History of WCW part four, Hogan-Goldberg match and whythere was no rematch, WCW loses NBC network deal in 1999 and the real reasons the company fell apart) *January 22, 2007 (2006 Awards issue, double issue $7 on its own, $8 overseas) *February 14, 2007 (Life and Times of Bam Bam Bigelow) *March 5, 2007 (WWE begins plans that will change the business) *March 12, 2007 (Life and Times of Mike Awesome) *March 19, 2007 (Life and Times of Ernie Ladd) *April 4, 2007 (Life and Times of Badnews Allen Coage--which many are calling one of the best issues in history) *July 2, 2007 (Part one of the Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 5, 2007 (Part two of the Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 10, 2007 (Part three of the Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 19, 2007 (Part four of the Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 23, 2007 (Part five of Benoit double murder-suicide) *July 25, 2007 (Part six of Benoit double murder-suicide) *August 15, 2007 (The legend of the God of Japanese wrestling and his influence on MMA, Karl Gotch) *October 15 (2007 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas including inductions of The Rock, Tom Packs and the originalStrangler Lewis) *November 12, 2007 (Life and times of Fabulous Moolah and history of U.S. women's wrestling) . *December 31, 2007 (History of Ric Flair and the heyday of wrestling at the Greensboro Coliseum) *January 21, 2008 (2007 Awards issue, double issue $7 on its own, $8 overseas) *March 17, 2008 (Life and times of Johnny Weaver) *March 24, 2008 (Life and times of Gary Hart) *April 10, 2008 (Farewell to Ric Flair; My thoughts, Shawn Michaels talks of Flair's meaning to him; Hall of Fame; Wrestlemania doubleissue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas) August 11, 2008 (Ric Flair leaves WWE; Updated history of pro wrestlers and MMA fighters who went to the Olympics) September 8, 2008 (2008 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas; part one of Killer Kowalski bio) September 15, 2008 (Life and Times of Evan Tanner) September 22, 2008 (The amazing career of Killer Kowalski, one of our most in-depth bios) You can also order any of these issues on their own for $4 in North America or $5 overseas. Rates are: For the United States, it is $12 for 4 issues, $29 for 12, $55 for 24, $91 for 40 and $118 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $13.50 for4, $33 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to moonsault@mediaplusint.com (mailto:moonsault@mediaplusint.com). For the rest of the world, rates are $15.50 for 4, $41 for 12, $78 for 24, $126 for 40 issues and $163 for52 . 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. We now have available personally autographed copies of Tributes II, our latest book, as well as a DVD that comes with it talking moreabout the subjects in the book. The book covers the life stories of Lou Thesz, Wahoo McDaniel, Elizabeth, Fred Blassie, Road Warrior Hawk,Andre the Giant, Curt Hennig, Johnny Valentine, Davey Boy Smith, Terry Gordy, Owen Hart, Stu Hart, Gorilla Monsoon, The Sheik and Tim Woods. To get all of those biographies as back issues of the Observer would be a $60 value today. This is a collection of some of the bestObserver articles of the past several years in a hardcover, full-color format that is 239 pages. There is also a foreword by Bret Hart. Thebook price is $12.95 plus $3.50 for shipping costs in the U.S., $10 for shipping costs to Canada and $12 for shipping costs outside NorthAmerica. You can order the book the same way you order the newsletter. --If you're looking at reading hundreds of pages of often serious and often humorous interviews with Vince McMahon, Dixie Carter, Linda McMahon, Stephanie McMahon-Levesque, Dr. David Black and other documentation regarding drug use in pro wrestling it's at http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2298 (http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2298) --We have an unconfirmed report from New Orleans saying Christian arrived at the arena with Sean Morley. If it's the case, it wasn't hidden and in front of fans who say they saw him. I don't know if this is accurate because it is not a regular correspondent reporting it. (thanks to Scott Williams, but not the Scott Williams) --We'll be doing Observer radio late tonight after Raw. If you've got any questions on MMA or pro wrestling you can send them to dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:dave@wrestlingobserver.com) and we'll answer as many as we can. --The only UFC on TV this week will be tomorrow and Wednesday. Tomorrow has a Chuck Liddell special at 9 p.m. showing fights with Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture and Vernon White, and a second house with Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine, Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Jon Koppenhaver, Thiago Silva vs. Antonio Mendes and Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida. Wednesday will have a tape of a live special from a few years back at 9 p.m., followed by a Rich Franklin special (airing matches with Edwin Dewees, Evan Tanner and Ken Shamrock) at 10 p.m. --Dean Lister is gone from UFC. David Loiseau has been signed by UFC. Loiseau was a top middleweight contender who even starred in a Xyience commercial until a string of losses and boring fights put him out of the show. --Alex Davis, the manager of Antonio Silva, was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission until his license expires in California on 7/23 and fined $2,500 for negotiating Silva's fight yesterday with Yoshihiro Nakao on the Sengoku show. --TNA on Thursday did a 1.0 rating --Behind Enemy Lines comes out on DVD tomorrow. Expect Mr. Kennedy on tonight's show in some form pushing it. --Chris Kanyon announced yesterday on his 39th birthday that he is coming out of retirement. It's been 21 months since his last match. He's only taking bookings in a 250 mile radius from New York City at www.myspace.com/chriskanyon (http://www.myspace.com/chriskanyon) and mark the message Booking for Chris. His first match back is a 2/28 charity show in Scranton, PA at the Dunmore Community Center --A group called Doomsday Wrestling is doing a comedy show based on wrestling in Houston at Fitzgerald's on 2/7 --Sports Illustrated reporter L. Jon Wertheim's book, Blood in the Cage, a story of the history of MMA based on the career of Pat Miletich, is now out. It's well written and there's a good deal of insight into the Miletich camp and an interesting perspective of someone from the outside learning the game and being supposed to hate it, but liking it. --Greatest heel of all-time poll Ric Flair 36.8% The Sheik 19.8% Roddy Piper 13.8% Fred Blassie 6.9% Buddy Rogers 6.0% Killer Kowalski 4.7% Terry Funk 4.6% Abdullah the Butcher 3.1% Ray Stevens 1.3% Johnny Valentine 1.0% Superstar Billy Graham 1.0% Hans Schmidt 0.9% --Who wins Fedor vs. Arlovski Fedor 83.5% Arlovski 16.5% --Irv Muchnick on the release of the government documents at http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/GuestColumn/2009/01/04/7916471.html (http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/GuestColumn/2009/01/04/7916471.html) --This has been getting a lot of play about a nine-year-old in Bakersfield who saved a little girl from a pit bull attack and choked out the dog, from learning the choke at a BJJ class. Believe it or not, Ralph Gracie of the famous Gracie family, got his nickname the Pit Bull, because he choked out a pit bull, not because of his fighting style. The girl being attacked was trying to save her small dog from being attacked. The small dog ran away after the attack, but was found three days later. Story is at http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/37069754.html (http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/37069754.html) --CHIKARA King of Trios is back from 3/27 to 3/29 with three shows at the Alhambra in Philadelphia. There will be 16 trios competing. --In honor of Black History Month, WWE is featuring Bobo Brazil, The Rock, JYD, Tony Atlas, Rocky Johnson, Ernie Ladd, James Dudley, Koko Ware, Kamala, Abdullah the Butcher, Ahmed Johnson, Badnews Brown, Ron Simmons, Butch Reed, Haiti Kid, Harlem Hat and Mark Henry on 24/7 --PWA from yesterday in Hamilton, ONT: Eddie Osbourne b Easy E, Adam Cordero b Sabrina Kyle, Lak Siddartha b Mr. Atlantis, Jessy Jones b Tommy Ryder, Super Kamikaze b Scotty O'Shea, Ethan Page b Moondog Buddy, Reggie Marley b Geza Kalman-DQ --The San Francisco Bay Bombers vs. Orlando Thunder skate old school Roller Derby at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco on 1/24 as a TV taping. Sean Atkinson, who was one of the stars of RollerJam, will head the Thunder team. --You may have had enough of these by now, but another interview with Darren Aronofsky, and a good one, is at http://thehollywoodinterview.blogspot.com/2008/12/ (http://thehollywoodinterview.blogspot.com/2008/12/) --Barry Bull Buchanan turns 41 today. --Rich Tate's Atlanta wrestling nostalgia 121 years ago today (seriously) -- John Muhler won 2/3 falls from Greek George at Concordia Hall 88 years ago: Rolando Heracle beat former world champion Charlie Cutler in a 2/3 fall match and the first fall lasted 67 minutes 81 years ago: Future promoter Paul Jones went to a draw with Jim Browning 47 years ago: Eddie Graham Dick Steinborn retained the U.S. tag titles beating The Assassins 41 years ago: Alberto Enrique Torres won the Southern tag team titles over Stan Butcher Vachon 36 years ago: Bob Armstrong beat Sputnik Monroe in a Texas death match and Buddy Colt went to a no contest with Mad Dog Vachon 35 years ago: On the TV show, Les Thatcher lost to Mr. Wrestling II and Jerry Lawler beat Robert Fuller 35 years ago in Griffin: Lou Thesz beat Jerry Lawler in a prelim while Wrestling II beat Robert Fuller in the main event 33 years ago in Augusta: Bob Armstrong beat Georgia champ The Spoiler via DQ and Abdullah the Butcher beat Dick Slater via DQ --wXw on 1/10 in Oberhausen, Germany at the Turbinenhalle has Bad Bones vs. Steve Douglas for their title with nobody being brought in from overseas --NWS on 1/23 in Sayreville, NJ at the Knights of Columbus Hall has Giant Silva and Julio Dinero as headliners --The Wrestler will be screening at the Queen's Film Theater in Belfast, Ireland from 1/16 to 1/29 --GOUGE on Friday night at Vintage 21 in Raleigh --NWA Anarchy TV tapings from Saturday night in Cornelia, GA before 143 fans: Shadow Jackson b Brody Chase, Vain Adonis b TK Cross Bo Newsome, Azrael b Malachi, Kimo b Billy Buck, Jeff Lewis Mike Molsey Jay Clinton b Don Matthews Hollywood Brunettes, Truitt Fields b Seth Delay, Adrian Hawkins b Caleb Konley, Shatter b Hayden Young, New Wave b Technicians to keep tag titles. Next tapings are 1/17 --BWO on 1/17 in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ at the Bodyslam U School of wrestling News - WWE Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:33:41 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7968/124/ Royal Rumble Special Special-$64.95* USD (Canada/USA) or $109.95**(International) The 15 issues included in this special are the ones covering the first 15 Royal Rumble (PPV events started in 1990) events which are: February 1’88, January 23 ’89, February 1’90, January 28’91, January 27’92, February 1’93, January 31 ’94, January 30’95, January 29’96, January 27’97, January 26’98, February 1’99, January 31 ’00, January 29 ’01, January 28 ‘02 *Regular selling price for USA/Canada $75, a $10 savings. **Regular selling price for International $120, a $10 savings. Includes airmail shipping. All payments can be made by money order in US Funds (US Postal money Orders MUST BE PEACH international ones) and mailed to Grant Zwarych 151 Hart Ave Peterborough, Ont K9J 5C5 Canada Or paid via paypal to grantsindex@nexicom.net (paypal orders please add $2 for paypal fees) Enjoy!! 1988 Feb. 1 (10) Complete coverage of the promotion’s 1/24 head to head events- Nassau Coliseum’s Bunkhouse Stampede finals vs Hamilton’s Royal Rumble Mike George wins WWA World title tournament in Kansas City Fujinmai Kengo Kimura win IWGP belts from Fujiwara Yamazaki 1989 Jan. 23 (8) Dusty Rhodes leaves NWA WWF Royal Rumble 1/15 card coverage AWA Jarrett Promotions split Bam Bam Bigelow history in NWA Chris Benoit wins Commonwealth mid-heavyweight belt from Davey Boy Smith 1990 Feb. 1 (8) Titan signs Mike Tyson as special ref for Hogan vs Savage Royal Rumble 1/21 card coverage AJPW NJPW going to work together for 1st time in more than a decade Akira Maeda does job for Nobuhiko Takada 1/16 in Tokyo NWA booking committee trimmed down 1991 Jan. 28 (10) WWF Royal Rumble 1/19 card coverage-Sgt Slaughter wins WWF title Observer Research Reveals Vince’s Baldness Fetish At what point does bad taste cross the line Transcript of column sent to The National re the war angle Vader wins IWGP title from Fujinami 1/17 Diamond Dallas Page debuts in WCW 1992 Jan 27 (10) Joel Goodhart declares bankruptcy WWF Royal Rumble 1/19 card coverage- Flair wins WWF title More Wrestling Observer award winners Strange story, Bret Hart loses IC title to The Mountie who loses to Roddy Piper WCW debuts Jesse Ventura at the Clash 1993 Feb 1 (10) Royal Rumble 1/24 card coverage Flair still not signed by WCW Jim Cornette to return to TBS Kerry Von Erich apprehended on drug charge WWF Superstars 1/25 taping hilights Number of wrestlers finishing up in WWF 1994 Jan 31 (10) Dusty Rhodes resigns as WCW booker Royal Rumble 1/24 card coverage Arn Anderson files suit against Sid Vicious over England stabbing incident UWA EMLL wrestling union break up London tabloid has story on Dynamite Kid Lots of commission problems in Washington Oregon 1995 Jan 30 (12) Royal Rumble 1/22 card coverage Jeff Jarrett wins IC title from Razor Ramon 123 Kid Bob Holly win tag belts over Bam Bam Bigelow Tatanka Angle to bring Ric Flair back to be at the 1/25 Clash Woody Strode passes away Ray Stevens hospitalized Nu Jack of The Gangstas arrested Weekly Pro Wrestling awards 1996 Jan 29 (12) The Monday night war-how it’s changed wrestling Royal Rumble 1/21 card coverage-Goldust wins IC tiotle from Razor Ramone Clash of Champions XXXII 1/23 card coverage Buddy Fuller passes away-quick career recap Extreme Fighting was subject on Phil Donahue show Stan Hansen Gary Albright win double tag titles from Kawada Taue Speculation of Atsushi Onita return Jerry O passes away 1997 Jan 27 (12) More UFC problems-this time New York Royal Rumble 1/19 card coverage- Shawn Michaels wins WWF title WCW sets company record 1/20 in Chicago Mitsuhara Misawa wins triple crown from Kenta Kobashi Toshiaki Kawada Akira Taue win double belts from Williams Johnny Ace Clash of Champions XXXIV 1/21 card coverage Request TV confirms ECW PPV for 4/13 Major news concerning meeting with Giant Baba Atsushi Onita John Lober defeats Frank Shamrock 11/17 in Honolulu World Vale Tudo 1/19 San Paolo results-the debut of Mark Kerr in MMA 1998 Jan 26 (16) Will Tyson vs Austin be the most publicized match ever? Bobo Brazil passes away Royal Rumble 1/18 card coverage Champions roll call for 1997 along with top drawing cards A lot of craziness in Portland revolving around Matt Borne Mark Kerr legal situation up in the air The Quebecers debut in WWF 1999 Feb 1 (18) WCW vs WWF business trends over the years Royal Rumble 1/24 card coverage- Rock regains WWF title vs Mankind Kawada suffers broken wrist in triple crown win over Misawa UFO 12/30 card coverage Some controversy in refereeing of Bas Rutten vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka match 2000 Jan 31 (18) WCW gives releases to Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko, Saturn, Douglas Konan Royal Rumble 1/23 card coverage-Jericho wins IC title Al Costello passes away-career retrospect Bobby Duncum Jr Raul Reyes pass away WWF pulls developmental territory deal in Memphis from Randy Hales Rings 12/22 card coverage Multifacetico killed by gang in Mexico City 2001 Jan 29 (12) Royal Rumble 1/21 card coverage-Jericho wins IC belt from Benoit Kenta Kobashi blows out knee Saturday Night magazine has lengthy story on the Hart family problems Scott Steiner arrested Much talk on potential shut down and relaunch of WCW under WWF banner Main event draws 2002 Jan 28 (12) NJPW in chaos-Muto, Ishizawa Kojima give notice Imminent arrival of Hall Nash teased on Raw Royal Rumble 1/20 card coverage-William Regal wins IC title from Edge Tradition of Memphis wrestling on WMC-TV returns Hilights of Jim Ross press conference News - WWE Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:30:07 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7967/124/ These are the known events which have taken place or aired on this date. For more information, visit http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com (http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/). Graham Cawthon WWWF @ Philadelphia, PA – January 5, 1966Johnny Valentine defeated Steve StanleeJohnny Valentine defeated Angelo SavoldiTarzan Tyler defeated Arnold SkaalandTarzan Tyler defeated Pete SanchezBulldog Brower defeated Arnold SkaalandBill Miller defeated WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino via count-out WWWF @ Washington DC - National Arena - January 5, 1967Television taping:Ricky Sexton defeated Johnny RodzLuke Graham defeated Pete SanchezSpiros Arion defeated Frank HickeyTank Morgan defeated Angelo SavoldiBull Ortega defeated Arnold Skaaland Miguel Perez in a handicap matchAntonio Pugliese defeated Tony Nero WWWF @ Johnstown, PA - January 5, 1971 WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino Dominic DeNucci defeated Jos LeDuc Baron Mikel Scicluna WWA @ Indianapolis, IN - Exposition Convention Center - January 5, 1974 (8,000)Clem Turner defeated Bo BrownCora Combs vs. Baby DollIvan Koloff defeated Prince PullinsBobby Heenan defeated Raul GuzmanTony Romano defeated Gilbert GuerreroPepper Gomez defeated Baron Von RaschkeWWA Champion Bob Ellis fought Ivan Koloff to a drawJimmy Johnny Valiant defeated WWA Tag Team Champions Dick the Bruiser WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino to win the titles WWWF @ Brooklyn, NY - January 5, 1977 Doug Gilbert defeated Johnny RodzTor Kamata defeated Mark TendlerPete Sanchez defeated Rocky TomayoBaron Mikel Scicluna defeated Manuel SotoWWWF Tag Team Champions Chief Jay Strongbow Billy Whitewolf defeated the Executioners via disqualification WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - January 5, 1979Ted Adams fought Pete Reeves to a drawMark Tendler defeated Tony RussoJohnny Rodz defeated Steve KingSD Jones defeated Pierre the Lumberjack via disqualificationDavey O'Hannon defeated Mark PolePeter Miavia defeated Chief Jay Strongbow via count-outGorilla Monsoon defeated Baron Mikel SciclunaIvan Putski fought Ivan Koloff to a double disqualification WWWF @ North Attleboro, MA - Witschi's Sports Arena - January 5, 1979Dave Darrow defeated Moose MonroeStan Stasiak defeated Frankie WilliamsWWWF Tag Team Champions Tony Garea Larry Zbyzsko defeated Victor Rivera Stan Stasiak (sub. for Spiros Arion) WWF @ Fall River, MA - January 5, 1980Sylvano Sousa defeated Fred MarzinoDave Darrow defeated Joe CrugnaleRene Goulet defeated Jose EstradaWWF IC Champion Pat Patterson defeated Johnny RodzWWF World Champion Bob Backlund defeated Hussein Arab WWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - January 5, 1980Johnny Rodz defeated Angelo GomezDavey O'Hannon defeated Paul FigueroaTor Kamata fought Steve King to a no contestGorilla Monsoon fought Joe Mascaro to a drawKen Patera defeated WWF World Champion Bob BacklundLarry Sharpe defeated Mike MastersAndre the Giant fought Hulk Hogan to a draw WWF @ Allentown, PA - Agriculture Hall - January 5, 1982Championship Wrestling taping:Jesse Ventura defeated Jeff CraneyMr. Fuji Mr. Saito defeated Dominic DeNucci Lee WongSteve Travis defeated Pete MitchellLaurent Soucie defeated Jose EstradaTony Atlas, Rick Martel, Tony Garea defeated Capt. Lou Albano, Mr. Fuji, Mr. Saito1/16/82:WWF IC Champion Pedro Morales defeated Hans Schroeder at 3:41Greg Valentine defeated Charlie Brown at 3:48Steve Travis defeated Pete Mitchell at 3:28Dominic DeNucci fought Larry Sharpe to a double disqualification at 3:11Killer Khan defeated Tony Colon at 3:54Laurent Soucie defeated Jose Estrada at 8:44Ivan Putski defeated Ron Shaw at 3:411/23/82:Steve Travis defeated Jose Estrada at 6:20Adrian Adonis defeated Jeff Craney at 4:57Tony Garea Rick Martel defeated Davey O'Hannon Johnny Rodz at 7:52Killer Khan defeated Jerry Johnson at 3:11Mr. Fuji Mr. Saito defeated Charlie Brown Barry Hart at 4:37Charlie Fulton defeated Victor Mercardo at 3:49Tony Atlas defeated Billy Coleman at 3:28 WWF @ Hamburg, PA - Fieldhouse - January 5, 1983All Star Wrestling taping:Dark match after the taping: Chief Jay Jules Strongbow vs. the Wild Samoans WWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - January 5, 1985George Wells fought Buddy Rose to a drawDavid Sammartino defeated the Spoiler via count-outBob Orton Jr. defeated Salvatore BellomoBarry Windham Mike Rotundo defeated the MoondogsTony Atlas defeated the Iron Sheik via disqualificationWendi Richter defeated Judy MartinJimmy Snuka King Tonga defeated Roddy Piper Paul Orndorff WWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - January 5, 1985Bret Hart defeated Pete Doherty (sub. for Mr. Fuji)Brutus Beefcake defeated Swede HansonWWF Tag Team Champions Adrian Adonis Dick Murdoch defeated Jack Jerry BriscoTito Santana defeated WWF IC Champion Greg ValentineDon Muraco defeated SD JonesBlackjack Mulligan defeated David SchultzBig John Studd Ken Patera defeated Andre the Giant the Junkyard Dog via disqualification NJPW @ Isezaki, Japan – January 5, 1985 (5,600)Keiichi Yamada defeated Keiji Muto via submission with a Boston CrabKim Su Hong pinned Hirokazu HataDavid Morgan pinned Naoki SanoSamula pinned Makoto ArakawaAnoaro Atisanoe pinned Tatsutoshi GotoUmanosuke Ueda Hiro Saito defeated Kantaro Hoshino Shunji Kosugi when Ueda pinned KosugiSeiji Sakaguchi Kengo Kimura defeated the Strong Machines when Strong Machine #2 was disqualifiedKing Kong Bundy pinned Tiger ToguchiIWGP Champion Antonio Inoki, Tatsumi Fujinami the Cobra defeated WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan, Kerry Brown the Black Tiger when Inoki pinned Brown WWF @ Amarillo, TX - Civic Center - January 5, 1986Included Terry Funk WWF @ Columbus, OH - Ohio Center - January 5, 1986 (4,000)Danny Spivey defeated Steve LombardiB. Brian Blair Jim Brunzell defeated Terry Gibbs Iron Mike SharpeAdrian Adonis defeated Tony Atlas via count-outDon Muraco defeated Ricky SteamboatWWF Women's Champion the Fabulous Moolah defeated Susan StarrWWF IC Champion Tito Santana defeated Randy Savage WWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - January 5, 1986Pedro Morales defeated Moondog SpotJose Luis Rivera defeated Rene GouletHercules defeated Lanny PoffoScott McGhee fought Tiger Chung Lee to a drawWWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeated WWF Tag Team Champion Brutus BeefcakeThe Junkyard Dog defeated Greg Valentine via count-outCpl. Kirchner King Tonga fought Nikolai Volkoff the Iron Sheik to a no contest WWF Prime Time Wrestling 1/5/87:- Greg Valentine Brutus Beefcake (w/ Johnny V) defeated the Islanders when Beefcake pinned Tama at 13:13 after Valentine dropped Tama crotch first on the top rope behind the referee’s back; during the match, Johnny V briefly joined Monsoon and Hayes at ringside (11/24/86; Madison Square Garden)- Jake Roberts fought Tito Santana to a time-limit draw at 17:25; the bell rang as Santana had the figure-4 applied and Roberts grabbed for his snake bag while the hold was applied (11/26/86; Houston, TX; Summit)- King Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) pinned Sivi Afi at the 37 second mark with the cradle suplex (WWF Superstars - 12/9/86; Phoenix, AZ; Veterans Memorial Coliseum)- Adrian Adonis, Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Mike Rotundo, Danny Spivey, SD Jones at 3:34 when Jones submitted to Adonis' sleeper as the other four men were battling in the ring (Wrestling Challenge - 12/10/86; Tucson, AZ; Community Center)- Hillbilly Jim defeated Don Muraco (w/ Mr. Fuji) via disqualification at 7:06 when Fuji interfered as Jim had the bearhug applied on Muraco and attacked Jim with his cane, while ripping his overalls at the same time; Muraco came to the ring wearing a kilt and to Roddy Piper's music (Best of the WWF Vol. 11) (11/24/86; Madison Square Garden) WWF @ East Rutherford, NJ - Meadowlands - January 5, 1987 (15,826; announced at 17,980)WWF Superstars taping:Prime Time Wrestling - 1/14/87: Billy Jack Haynes defeated King Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) via disqualification at 9:40 when Heenan interfered as Haynes had the full nelson applied; after the bout, Haynes applied the hold to Heenan until Race made the savePrime Time Wrestling - 1/14/87: Sivi Afi pinned Frenchy Martin at 6:50 with a sunset flip over the top ropeWWF World Champion Hulk Hogan Ricky Steamboat defeated WWF IC Champion Randy Savage (w/ Miss Elizabeth) the Honkytonk Man (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification at around the 11-minute mark after Savage threw the referee out of the ring after bringing the timekeeper's bell into the ring; Steamboat then grabbed the bell away, forcing Savage Elizabeth backstage; moments later, Hogan brought Hart into the ring, with Hogan Steamboat then sending Honky Hart to the floor1/17/87 - featured a Piper's Pit with WWF President Jack Tunney, WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan, and Andre the Giant in which Hogan was presented with a trophy for being world champion for 3 years:Ricky Steamboat pinned Barry O with the flying bodypress at 2:37 (Steamboat’s return bout)Kamala (w/ Kimchee) pinned Don Driggers with a splash off the top at the 33-second mark; Driggers was taken out on a stretcher after the matchDemolition (w/ Johnny V) defeated Salvatore Bellomo Mario Mancini when Ax pinned Mancini after the Decapitation at 2:22 (Demolition's debut; Randy Culley aka Moondog Rex played the role of Smash until being replaced by Barry Darsow)Hercules (w/ Bobby Heenan) defeated Jim Parks via submission with the full nelson at 1:27; after the bout, Heenan challenged Billy Jack Haynes to break out of the hold but, after coming to the ring, Haynes was attacked by Hercules and had the hold applied on him after pushing HeenanB. Brian Blair Jim Brunzell defeated Terry Gibbs Iron Mike Sharpe when Blair pinned Gibbs after the dropkick from Brunzell at 5:32; referee Danny Davis showed favoritism to Sharpe Gibbs and refused to count at one point when he thought the Bees illegally switched with their masks on, when they didn’t 1/24/87 - included a Piper's Pit with WWF President Jack Tunney, WWF World Champion Hogan and Andre in which Andre was presented with a trophy for being the only undefeated man in WWF history; after Hogan came to the set during the segment, Andre walked off:Paul Orndorff (w/ Bobby Heenan) pinned Paul Roma with the piledriver at 2:29Koko B. Ware pinned Steve Lombardi with a missle dropkick at 3:32; prior to the bout, Lombardi threw an injured Roma out of the ring after his bout with OrndorffRick Martel Tom Zenk fought Don Muraco Bob Orton Jr. (w/ Mr. Fuji) to a double disqualification at 3:57 when all four men began brawling in the ringWWF IC Champion Randy Savage (w/ Miss Elizabeth) pinned Randy Sharpe with the flying elbowsmash at the 45-second mark; Savage wrestled the bout with his sunglasses on while Sharpe was not able to remove his shirt before the match beganBret Hart Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Scott McGhee Tony Garea when Bret pinned McGhee after the Hart Attack at 2:43Danny Spivey, Mike Rotundo, Blackjack Mulligan defeated Ron Bass, Jimmy Jack Funk, the Gladiator when Mulligan pinned the Gladiator with a flying back elbow at 3:331/31/87 - included a Piper's Pit segment in which Jesse Ventura said he would have Andre the Giant on the set the following week if Roddy Piper could produce Hulk Hogan:Tito Santana Pedro Morales defeated the Iron Sheik Nikolai Volkoff (w/ Slick) via disqualification when Slick interfered and hit Santana with his cane at 3:12; after the match, Santana chased Slick into the ring and bodyslammed him; Butch Reed then came to ringside and carried Slick backstageKing Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) pinned Greg Vance with the cradle suplex at 1:23Jacques Raymond Rougeau defeated Al Navarro Tiger Chung Lee when Raymond pinned Navarro after a double team move from the top at 3:01; during the bout, Dino Bravo came to ringside and walked around the ring before leaving to join the French commentary teamAdrian Adonis (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Jack Kruger via submission with the sleeper at 1:17Greg Valentine (w/ Johnny V) defeated Haku via disqualification at 3:03 when Tama tripped up Valentine from the outside, even though Brutus Beefcake had done the same thing earlier to Haku which went unnoticed by referee Danny Davis; Beefcake Tama joined their partners at ringside midway through the boutJake Roberts pinned Jerry Allen with the DDT; the bout began during the commercial break WWF @ Huntsville, AL - Von Braun Civic Center - January 5, 1988 (8,500)WWF Superstars taping:Sam Houston pinned Danny Davis; after the bout, Houston was attacked by Bad News Brown (Brown's WWF return)Butch Reed defeated Don Muraco via disqualification when Muraco hit referee Dave Hebner; after the bout, Muraco was attacked by the One Man GangJim Duggan Jake Roberts defeated Ted Dibiase Virgil via disqualification when Virgil hit Duggan with a chairWWF World Champion Hulk Hogan Randy Savage (w/ Miss Elizabeth) defeated WWF IC Champion the Honkytonk Man, Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart) in a handicap match when Hogan pinned Honky with the legdropPrime Time Wrestling - 1/18/88: B. Brian Blair, Jim Brunzell, the Junkyard Dog, George Steele defeated the Conquistadors, Nikolai Volkoff, Boris Zhukov (w/ Slick) at 10:03 when JYD pinned a Conquistador with the powerslam; all the babyfaces wore Killer Bee masks for the duration of the bout1/16/88:WWF Tag Team Champions Tito Santana Rick Martel defeated Dusty Wolfe Iron Mike Sharpe at 3:30 when Sharpe submitted to Santana's figure-4Greg Valentine (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Van Van Horne via submission with the figure-4 at 2:37Bam Bam Bigelow (w/ Oliver Humperdink) pinned Tiger Chung Lee at 1:23 with the slingshot splash into the ringRon Bass pinned Rex King with the Pedigree at 1:47; after the bout, Bass attacked his opponent with his whip - Miss BetsyDavey Boy Smith the Dynamite Kid defeated Gino Carabello Brian Costello at 3:19 when Dynamite pinned Carabello with a back suplex from the middle turnbuckle; after the bout, Bobby Heenan appeared at the interview stage and said that the Islanders had been reinstated from their suspension and that the Bulldogs should go backstage and speak to WWF President Jack Tunney to find out where Matilda isDon Muraco pinned Dave Wagner at 3:15 with the tombstoneTed Dibiase (w/ Virgil) pinned Brady Boone at 2:38 with a back elbow off the middle turnbuckle1/23/88:Randy Savage (w/ Miss Elizabeth) pinned Barry Horowitz with the flying elbow drop at 2:31Butch Reed the One Man Gang defeated WG Wellington Ricky Hunter at 3:01 when Gang pinned Wellington with the front suplexKen Patera Billy Jack Haynes defeated Iron Mike Sharpe Joe Mirto at 3:09 when Mirto submitted to Haynes' full nelsonBret Hart, Jim Neidhart, Danny Davis (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Sam Houston, Rex King, Van Van Horne at 2:55 when Davis pinned Houston after Houston received the Hart Attack behind the referee's backJim Duggan pinned Steve Lombardi with the running clothesline at 2:08King Harley Race, Rick Rude, Hercules (w/ Bobby Heenan) defeated Jerry Allen, Scott Casey, Lanny Poffo at 2:25 when Allen submitted to Hercules' backbreaker1/30/88:WWF IC Champion Honky Tonk Man (w/ Jimmy Hart Peggy Sue) pinned Omar Atlas with the Shake, Rattle, Roll at 1:58The Ultimate Warrior pinned Terry Gibbs at 1:18 with the gorilla press slamDino Bravo (w/ Frenchy Martin) pinned SD Jones at 2:19 with the side suplexThe Islanders (w/ Bobby Heenan) defeated Scott Casey Lanny Poffo at 2:35 when Tama pinned Poffo with the splash off the topBad News Brown pinned Brady Boone at 1:35 with a clothesline; after the match, Brown threw his opponent out of the ring (Brown's TV return after being gone several years)Demolition (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Outback Jack Jerry Allen at 2:04 when Ax pinned Allen following the DecapitationJake Roberts pinned Dusty Wolfe with the DDT at 2:43 WWF @ Nashville, TN - Auditorium - January 5, 1989Brutus Beefcake vs. Ron BassKing Haku vs. Harley RaceRon Garvin vs. Greg ValentineWWF Tag Team Champions Demolition vs. the Powers of PainBret Hart Jim Neidhart vs. Jacques Raymond RougeauJake Roberts vs. Andre the Giant WWF @ Fargo, ND - Civic Memorial Auditorium - January 5, 1989Included Mr. Perfect WWF @ Montgomery, AL - Garrett Coliseum - January 5, 1989Included Dino Bravo NWA @ Raleigh, NC - Dorton Arena - January 5, 1990 (4,300)Mike Rotunda pinned Brad ArmstrongThe Samoan Savage pinned Ranger RossEddie Gilbert Tommy Rich defeated Jack Victory Rip Morgan when Gilbert pinned VictoryBrian Pillman Tom Zenk defeated Michael Hayes Jimmy Garvin via disqualificationBobby Eaton Stan Lane defeated Shane Douglas Johnny AceNWA World Champion Ric Flair, Arn Ole Anderson defeated the Great Muta, Buzz Sawyer, the Dragon Master when Arn pinned the Dragon MasterSting fought NWA US Champion Lex Luger to a double count-out WWF @ Des Moines, IA - Veterans Auditorium - January 5, 1990 (4,900)Earthquake pinned Paul Roma with the sit-down splashThe Powers of Pain defeated Shawn Michaels Marty Jannetty when the Barbarian pinned Michaels after Mr. Fuji interferedHercules defeated Iron Mike Sharpe via submissionWWF IC Champion the Ultimate Warrior pinned Dino Bravo after a number of clotheslines; after the bout, Earthquake interfered with a chair before the Warrior eventually fought off both menRick Martel pinned Brutus BeefcakeTito Santana pinned Frenchy Martin (sub. for Barry Windham)Jake Roberts pinned Ted Dibiase with the DDT; Virgil was barred from ringside for the duration of the match WWF @ Cornwall, Ontario - January 5, 1990Bad News Brown defeated Nelson Veilleux WWF @ Halifax, Nova Scotia - January 5, 1990 WWF Superstars Taped 12/11/90; Tampa, FL; Sundome1/5/91 - included Hulk Hogan as a guest of the Brother Love Show, discussing his participation in the Royal Rumble match; featured an 'Update' segment focusing on the Ultimate Warrior / Sgt. Slaughter WWF Title match at the Royal Rumble, with footage of Gene Okerlund interviewing the Warrior about the match and comments from Randy Savage about the match; included the previous week's interview conducted by Okerlund of Sgt. Slaughter Gen. Adnan, shown in full; featured a Royal Rumble Report with highlights of last year's confrontation between WWF World Champion Hogan and WWF IC Champion the Warrior from last year's Royal Rumble match; during the segment, a vignette from Ted Dibiase Virgil was shown where they were in Texas; Dibiase was wearing a cowboy hat, hrew it to the floor and stomped on it; after he got his shoes dirty, he made Virgil wipe the dirt off:Kerry Von Erich pinned Tom Stone at 1:46 with the Tornado PunchThe Warlord (w/ Slick) defeated Donny Steele via submission with the full nelson at 1:40; during the bout, the Warlod Slick cut an insert promo on Warlord's participation in the upcoming Royal Rumble matchJim Duggan pinned JT Smith at 1:50 with the running clothesline; during the bout, Duggan cut an insert promo about competing in the upcoming Royal RumbleSgt. Slaughter (w/ Gen. Adnan) defeated Pat Armstrong via submission with the Camel Clutch at 2:15The Orient Express (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Bill Tony Mulkey at 2:07 when Pat Tanaka scored the pin with a German suplex into a bridge following a side kick from Kato; during the bout, Shawn Michaels Marty Jannetty cut an insert promo on facing the Orient Express at the Royal Rumble WWF @ Landover, MD - Capital Centre - January 5, 1991Jimmy Snuka pinned Greg ValentineWWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart Jim Neidhart defeated Paul Roma HerculesKerry Von Erich pinned Virgil (sub. for Ted Dibiase)Jake Roberts defeated Rick Martel via disqualificationThe Legion of Doom defeated the Orient ExpressHulk Hogan Tugboat defeated Dino Bravo Earthquake WWF @ Long Beach, CA - January 5, 1991The Barbarian pinned Jim BrunzellThe Big Bossman pinned Bobby HeenanSgt. Slaughter pinned Jim DugganDemolition defeated the BushwhackersSaba Simba pinned Buddy RoseRoddy Piper defeated WWF IC Champion Mr. Perfect via count-outWWF World Champion the Ultimate Warrior defeated Randy Savage WCW @ Pineville, NC - January 5, 1991Brad Armstrong defeated Joe CazanaMoondog Rex defeated the Junkyard DogTracey Smothers defeated Dutch MantellWCW US Tag Team Champion Rick Steiner defeated Jimmy GarvinWCW US Champion Lex Luger defeated Sid Vicious WCW @ Augusta, GA - Civic Center - January 5, 1991Tom Zenk vs. Bobby EatonBrian Pillman vs. Big CatArn Anderson Barry Windham vs. WCW Tag Team Champions DoomNWA World Champion Sting defeated Ric Flair World Championship Wrestling12/11/90; Atlanta, GA; Center Stage Theatre1/5/91 - featured Paul E. Dangerously conducting a backstage interview with Rip Rogers regarding his match later in the show against Brian Pillman in which pinfalls would not count in the first 5 minutes, with Rogers claiming he was a marathon man and would outlast Pillman once the opening 5 minutes were up; included information on how fans could vote on WCW's sexiest wrestler, with the winner being announced during the Jan. 30 Clash of the Champions; featured footage from the previous week of Tom Zenk beating Arn Anderson for the WCW TV Title, followed by a backstage promo by Zenk regarding a rematch with Anderson; included Dangerously conducting a ringside interview with Terry Taylor in which Taylor claimed Zenk's title shot against Anderson should have been his own and would prove later in the show that he can beat Anderson; featured the announcement that Norman the Juicer would face Michael Hayes Jimmy Garvin on The Main Event; included a Wrestle War 91 ad; featured footage from the 12/22/90 match between Michael Hayes and WCW US Champion Rick Steiner, followed by comments from Hayes Jimmy Garvin in which they said they would soon take the US tag team titles; included a backstage promo by Norman regarding his match the following week against Sid Vicious; featured Gordon Solie hosting a segment of WCW Classics focusing on the Sting vs. Ric Flair match from Clash of the Champions 1, followed by comments from both men about their feud for the WCW World Title; included a backstage promo by Anderson regarding his upcoming match with Taylor; featured Jim Ross conducting a sit-down interview with Lawrence Taylor at LT's restaurant near the Meadowlands regarding his upcoming participation at the Meadowlands show; included a closing segment in which Ross conducted an interview with Missy and Dangerously regarding their upcoming arm wrestling contest at the Clash, with Dangerously implying Missy was a whore until she slapped him and walked off:Sid Vicious pinned Pablo Crenshaw with one foot after hitting the the powerbomb at 2:46 after declining to pin him with a legdrop; prior to the bout, Vicious cut an insert promo on facing WCW US Champion Lex LugerBrian Pillman pinned Rip Rogers with a sunset flip off the top at 7:29; prior to the bout, Pillman cut an insert promo on the match; during the contest, it was announced Pillman would face Ric Flair at the Clash of the Champions Jan. 30; stipulations for the match stated a pinfall could not occur in the first 5 minutes, yet both men made multiple pin attempts and the referee went down to count their shoulders each timeBobby Eaton pinned Reno Riggins with the Alabama Jam at 4:15 after reversing an attempted handspring elbow into a bulldog; during the bout, Eaton cut an insert promo on facing WCW TV Champion Tom Zenk at the Clash of the Champions, during which he mentioned his win over Zenk at StarrcadeMark Chris Youngblood defeated Ed Brock Chuck Coates at 3:36 when Chris pinned Brock with a sit-down splash off the top; during the bout, it was announced the Youngbloods would face Arn Anderson Barry Windham at the Clash of the ChampionsMinotaur pinned Mountain Man Bailey with an elbow drop at 2:27 (Minotaur's TV debut)WCW US Champion Lex Luger pinned Mike Sample at 2:21 with a tackle from the middle turnbuckle; during the bout, the Big Cat cut an insert promo on facing Luger Jan. 13 at the Meadowlands in a football match, with Lawrence Taylor in Luger's corner and Paul E. Dangerously in Cat'sMichael Wallstreet (w/ Alexandra York) pinned Gregg Sawyer with the Stock Market Crash at 3:05; prior to the bout, York announced Wallstreet would win in 6 minutes or less; after the contest, Missy Hyatt conducted a ringside interview with Wallstreet York, with Wallstreet commenting on his recent mention in USA Today; moments later, Paul E. Dangerously appeared and confronted Hyatt over why she was doing the interview instead of him; York then asked Dangerously if he was a chauvinist or if it was just a personal thing between he and Missy, with Dangerously leaving but telling Missy she would see him soonWCW TV Champion Tom Zenk pinned Dr. X with a dropkick and missile dropkick at 4:19; during the contest, it was announced Missy Hyatt would have an arm wrestling contest with Paul E. Dangerously at the Clash of the Champions; early in the match, Terry Taylor came ringside and then briefly joined the commentary team to discuss his wanting a TV title shotMichael Hayes Jimmy Garvin defeated Keith Hart Jimmy McKinon at 3:43 with simultaneous pinfalls following DDTs on each opponent; during the bout, it was announced Norman would face Sid Vicious the following weekArn Anderson pinned Terry Taylor at 6:22 with his feet on the ropes for leverage after the momentum of a crossbody by Taylor put Anderson on topTim Horner pinned George South at 2:53 with a roll up into a bridge; during the bout, it was announced Konnan would appear the following week WWF Wrestling ChallengeTaped 12/2/91; Corpus Christi, TX; Memorial Coliseum1/5/92 - included Sid Justice as a guest of the Barber Shop:WWF IC Champion Bret Hart defeated Barry Horowitz via submission with the Sharpshooter at 4:06The Warlord (w/ Harvey Wippleman) defeated Larry Sampson via submission with the full nelson at 2:13The Big Bossman pinned Jesse Hernandez with the sidewalk slam at 2:33The Natural Disasters (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Brian Donahue Robert Taylor at 2:59 when Earthquake pinned Taylor with the sit-down splash after Typhoon hit a splashRepo Man defeated Sonny Blaze via submission with a leglock at 1:58; after the bout, Repo tied Blaze to the ropes by his feet and further assaulted him WWF @ Moline, IL - Wharton Fieldhouse - January 5, 1992 (matinee) (3,000)Hercules defeated Jim BrunzellSgt. Slaughter defeated Col. Mustafa Gen. Adnan in a handicap matchThe Undertaker defeated Jim DugganRepo Man defeated VirgilThe Big Bossman defeated IRSThe Nasty Boys defeated the BushwhackersRandy Savage defeated Jake Roberts WCW @ Valdosta, GA - Mathis Civic Center - January 5, 1992Included the York Foundation and Tom Zenk WWF / SWS @ Shizuoka, Japan - January 5, 1992The Berzerker defeaed the Great KabukiShawn Michaels fought Shunji Nakano to a double disqualificationUltimo Dragon Tatsumi Kitahara defeated Bestia Salvaje Commando RusoHaku Yoshi Yakiazi defeated Kendo Kagasaki Kennichi OyaDavey Boy Smith Naoki Sano defeated Sampson Fuyuki Takashi IshikawaGenichiro Tenryu Ashira Hara defeated George Shunji Takano WWF @ Atlanta, GA - Omni - January 5, 1992 (4,500)Chris Chavis pinned KatoRoddy Piper pinned SkinnerTed Dibiase defeated Tito Santana via count-outOwen Hart Jim Neidhart defeated the Beverly Brothers when Neidhart pinned BlakeHulk Hogan defeated Ric Flair via count-outGreg Valentine pinned the Brooklyn BrawlerWWF IC Champion Bret Hart defeated the Mountie via submission with the SharpshooterWWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom defeated the Natural Disasters WWF @ Peoria, IL - January 5, 1992 WCW Main Event:1/5/92:WCW TV Champion Steve Austin Bobby Eaton vs. Van Hammer Big Josh WCW @ Gainesville, GA - Georgia Mountains Center - January 5, 1993 Television taping:Tex Slazenger Shanghai Pierce defeated Tom Zenk Johnny Gunn WWF @ San Antonio, TX - Freeman Coliseum - January 5, 1993WWF Superstars taping:Scott Putski defeated Dusty WolfeTatanka defeated Chuck WestWWF Mania - 1/16/93: Tito Santana pinned Bill Irwin with the flying forearm at 5:55All American Wrestling - 1/17/93: Repo Man pinned Jim Brunzell at 4:57 with a clotheslineLance Cassidy defeated Rudy FloresThe Undertaker defeated Papa ShangoVirgil defeated Horace BoulderDoink the Clown defeated Bob EastTerry Taylor defeated Reno RigginsBam Bam Bigelow pinned Typhoon with at 7:28 with the diving headbutt after a clothesline out of the corner (http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com (http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/) Graham Cawthon It’s the same Hotmail®. If by “same” you mean up to 70% faster. Get your account now. (http://windowslive.com/online/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_broad1_122008) Columns - Features and TV Reviews Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:28:19 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7966/124/ Northern Navigation DVD Ring of Honor rohwrestling.com $20.00 Reviewed by Joe Babinsack Ok, let me get the negatives out of the way… or, rather, the big negative. I’m all for using Daisy Haze more on the show. I’m all for elevating new talent. I’m hesitant on more behind the scenes stuff, but I admit sometimes wrestling shows need to show more than wrestling. Of course, the problem with the behind the scenes stuff is that more of it almost invariably diminishes the purpose. When it comes to this Rhett Titus set of skits, it was certainly too much, and too much of a rather bad thing. As a positive, there was more creativity in it than what I’d have seen if it was produced on one of the other shows. Not only did they play it out slowly, they didn’t get graphic, and they used reputations and built up characters through the reactions to the cell phone video. So all told, why am I calling it a negative? Because it all turns out to be a backdrop, not for elevating Titus, nor for creating a dynamic for Daisy to get some revenge or link with someone who would take up her cause, but it ends up being some sort of throw-away. Because in the end, Rhett Titus gets punked by Larry Sweeney.. Now, that’s not a bad thing in and of itself, but it’s so TNAish to build up an angle, and then blow it up by the end of the night. That’s not solid programming, that’s wasting the time of the fans watching the DVD. ROH does great wrestling. What it needs is a slower build and skits and promos and introductions to accompany that great wrestling. When any wrestling promotion does skits that take away time and focus, it’s a bad thing. For ROH, it’s even worse than that, because it mixes in a level of disrespect shown to the fans that RING OF HONOR should never lower itself to doing. On with the show! Northern Navigation is the Canada debut of the promotion, and they do themselves well with the rabid Toronto crowd, the superlative announcing by Dave Prazak and Lenny Leonard, and the typical, world level wrestling talent on display. Some behind the scenes stuff starts the show. First up is Larry Sweeney ranting about his main man, Adam Pearce, getting suspended for throwing a fireball. But it’s not all bad, since Brent Albright is still out of action. Nice way to set up some non-appearances. Somehow, there needs to be a better bolstering of a enforcement personality, but then again, James Cornette isn’t commish anymore, or is he? The next segment is the commencement of the aforementioned Rhett Titus/Daisy Haze (but not named as yet) skits. Mixed bag to me…. But it is a show-wide angle. Obviously, ROH is mixing in the skits. Problem is, one skit skates around two guys not being there (good, but not great) and the other ends up being tangential to anything on the card. Opening, we have Chris Hero (“That Knockout Kid”) against Ruckus. To me, this is the epitome of what’s wrong and what’s right with ROH. What’s wrong is that Ruckus shouldn’t be the jobber, and while wins and losses are important in ROH, and important in the sense that guys can be build up an moved up or down the card, respectively with wins and losses, there has to be a level where building up Chris Hero and his knockout power can be done at the expense of a no-name or guest or local guy.. I know the dynamics of that aren’t shared by all, but no matter how well Ruckus does, and well he does, he’s coming out of this opening match with a loss, isn’t he? What’s good about it is that Ruckus is a great talent, with a unique style, and in front of the hot, hot Toronto crowd, which appreciates talent and good matches, ROH gets to showcase its best assets: talent and crowd. Another skit with Rhet. He’s showing off to Bryan Danielson. Delirious is up next, wrestling Kenny Omega. Omega is a local talent, we are told. Excellent. He puts on a great performance, well appreciated by the fans (he is a local!) and does enough clever and interesting moves that should get him back for another look. In other words, that’s what I love to see in ROH. (Of course, you might say, they can’t do that for every match…. True.) So the next match has much of the same dynamic. This time it’s Sara Del Rey and Jennifer Blake. Del Rey is channeling Uncle Looie from Seinfeld, transforming into a Sweet ‘n’ Sour Inc moneymaker, despite losing the SHIMMER Title. Blake channels Kenta Kobashi, firing chops in the corner like crazy. I love SHIMMER far more than the women wrestling in ROH. Time of matches is the first part, and the other part is how far in the background they put these gals. What is women wrestling in ROH the same as junior heavyweights in the WWE? I just don’t get it. Larry Sweeney places excellent heel, forcing Daisy Haze to make the save for Blake, and then roils up the crowd in an anti-Canada rant, wanting to get the show over for his charges. He calls out Go Shiozaki, and Shane Hagadorn plays the manservant. We’re subjected to a fifteen minute time limit here, and it plays out perfectly, except for the making sure we all know it’s a fifteen minute time limit at the outset. This feud is slated to blow up huge on the Full Impact Pro promotion, and this sneak peak is an awesome way to entice some cross promotional DVD buying. Believe me, Erick Stevens has been proving all year that he’s the real thing. Powerful, technical and gaining valuable experience. Not sure why the Mohawk had to go, but perhaps a red stripe down the head with longer hair? I do agree that Stevens without the ‘do doesn’t look the same. At the end, it’s the kind of vastly interesting, ECW inspired, run-in fest that actually begins with a surprise appearance of Lance Storm berating Larry Sweeney. Nice setup with the anti-Canada tirade, and again, the kind of slow build that makes things more meaningful, not less. Which is a lot of words that don’t say too much, but the point is that planning out the card feels much more important when something someone says before the match comes back at the end of the match, not fifteen seconds later. Back to Rhett Titus and his fun. And then on to an awesome display of pure technical wrestling. While I can understand why Bryan Danielson isn’t in the WWE, I continue to wonder how it possibly occurred that Claudio Castagonoli got a contract, and then didn’t get a contract. Visas be damned, CC is one talented wrestler. Lots of great stuff, and lots of reasons to watch. Danielson does awesome heel work, and Claudio is still with the “Hey!” gimmick. And if you like the phrase “trading European uppercuts” put into action, this is your match. Now Rhett is messing with Bobby Dempsey and Delirious gets cut out of the action. Kind of an interesting backdoor for Delirious, but at this point, one wonders if it’s getting too old, and at the same time, hoping that the payoff makes sense of it all. To which, the payoff occurs, and not so well. Del Ray attacks Daisy, and Stevens makes a proclamaition, and Rhett …. Just walks away.. Meaning that any sense of gaining momentum, exposure or a decent build up match for Mr. Titus is pissed away with his interaction with Sweeney. Bah! But Bawitdaba to the next match, as Roderick Strong takes on Naomichi Marufuji. (If I spelled 2/3 of those right, I stand a happy man.) Want a long, dramatic, technical match that isn’t any way a repeat of Danielson/Castagnoli? Here’s your chance… a few minutes later. Marufuji is off the charts, and Roderick Strong is, of course, the Messiah of the Backbreaker. Unlike the European stylistic smash, this one is about power moves and submissions, while the other guy is attempting to set up the Shiranui. I think you know who was who. Who wins? That, my friends, is why you pay the $20, and why reading reviews whets the appetite, not spills the beans. And, just when you think two technical masterpieces are the reward for your purchase, we see Nigel McGuiness take on hometown boy Kevin Steen. Steen is the fish out of water in Dragon Gate. He’s the pasty white, flubby and taller heel, who can work with the speed demons of said promotion. In ROH, he’s ½ of the most visually uninspiring tag team to you WWE types, who sneer at tag team technicality, and sniffle at the potential dynamics of a skinny geek and a somewhat fat bully. But put the bully in Toronto, and have the Champion be the subtle heel that most champions aspire to be, and you’ll get this crowd reaction that makes you filled with pride to be a professional wrestling fan. Even more, put on the kind of display these two guys put on, and watch it with your WWE fans, and let them see what being a professional wrestling fan is all about. Quite frankly, the essence of the platitudes isn’t about the moves and the setups, nor even the transitions, playing off finishes or near falls. It’s all about watching talented guys put it all together in front of a respectful and rabid fan base. Respectful and rabid being two adjectives that only apply to ROH crowds. Dramatic and hard-hitting are two adjectives better suited to the professional wrestling shown in ROH as well. And, you may be thinking that several technical classics, one awesome Championship match, and a rather nondescript show-long angle was all you were getting for your four fins. Not at all. Last up is the over the top Non-Title, No DQ match between Age of the Fall’s Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black, and the makeshift team of Jay Briscoe and Austin Aries. However the Aries/Jacobs/Necro triangle began, and even if it is convenient to a Briscoe injury, it’s a nifty little diversion. The match, however, is a series of hardcore spots. At first, Necro comes down, and Mark Briscoe joins the fray. Whether Mark actually or storylistically reinjures his hand, it’s played out well, and again, diverts back into the give and take, fan participation, ECW inspired sort of angle that seems to have been lost to the industry since Vince reclaimed those three letters. Call it nostalgia, but I love that sort of psychological based, give and take, fan participation with the ring as the stage that ROH plays out with Necro Butcher. And no mention of Age of the Fall is complete with the complaint that they aren’t over enough as a movement, and Tyler Black is going to be one major player in this sport. As always, ROH shines in styles, in passion and in support of a fan base that every indy, let alone major, promotion should be begging to cultivate. Of course, we all know that the impetus of a major promotion hasn’t been about pleasing the fans for a long time now. Joe Babinsack can be reached at chaosonejoe@yahoo.com. I’m hoping to preview some ROH PPV’s, and also hoping to come up with an appropriate response to a third rate sports talk host/DJ looking to play his heel shtick over and over again. What’s wrong Mark, your ratings tanking on the X? Columns - Features and TV Reviews Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:27:20 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7965/124/ M-1 Challenge – Airdate 1-2-09 (HD-Net) By Jay Tan With happy New Year regards to everybody, we start 2009 with one of the closing rounds in the M-1 Challenge. Thus far, ten teams from nine different countries, split into two different groups, have fought a round-robin tournament internationally throughout the year. Last week, Team Holland defeated Team Russia Legion, claiming first place in Group B. They will square off later against Group A champions Team Russia Red Devil. This week, Team France hometown favorites Team Finland vie for a second place finish in Group A. As of now, Finland and France are neck-and-neck in the standings. Both are 2-1 in team challenges, although Finland is just slightly ahead in individual challenges, trumping France 9-6 to 8-7. As such, a win by either team will vault them to a 3-1 record over. However, France will have to win by 4-1 or better in individual fights in order to finish with a stronger record than Finland. As always, announcers Sean Wheelock and Fight Quest’s Jimmy Smith are on-hand to call the matches. This meet originally took place on November 26, 2008 in Kisahalli in Helsinki, Finland. Lightweight Division: Maktar Gueye (Team France) vs. Niko Puhakka (Team Finland) Gueye is 2-1 in overall M-1 action, splitting a win (Mikhail Malutin at lightweight) and loss (Erik Oganov at welterweight) against Team Russia Red Devil in previous years. Puhakka is 2-1 in this year’s M-1 Challenge, with wins over David Martinez (Team Spain) and Kim Jong-man (Team Korea). Round Two (joined in action): Jimmy Smith gives the first round to Puhakka, 10-9, for control on the ground. Not surprisingly, Gueye is anxious to push the action and controls the pace on the feet. Puhakka circles the ring, looking for an opening and avoiding Gueye’s strikes. Puhakka finally gets the takedown as Gueye swings a left hook. Fans are into this match, cheering and chanting. Puhakka works the body as he tries to pass guard. Gueye is pretty active on the ground, throwing combinations and some elbows. Puhakka starts to strike effectively from the top as the round ends. Both men kept busy during round two, and Puhakka was on top for most of the round, but the judges see this as Gueye’s round. As such, we go into a third round overtime. Round Three: Puhakka again is careful to engage. Gueye drops him with a low left kick, but gets right back up. Puhakka works hard for a takedown, finally forcing top position with a trip. Gueye engages from the bottom, swinging away at times and also tying Puhakka’s arms up to nullify any ground-and-pound assault. Puhakka gets side control right at the bell. Close round, but I’d give it to Gueye. Judges award the match to Niko Puhakka, giving Team Finland the first point of the night, 1-0. Welterweight Division: Farouk Lakebir (Team France) vs. Janne Tulirinta (Team Finland) Lakebir, a relative latecomer to the sport, has not fared well in this year’s M-1 Challenge, going 1-2 this year, with his sole win being a decision win in March against Erik Oganov of Team Red Devil. Tulirinta was stopped by Oganov in June by TKO, but won his two M-1 Challenge matches prior to that. Today, Lakebir and Tulirinta look to end the year on a high note. Round One: Lakebir starts the striking right away. They clinch up and exchange knees while jockeying for position. Lakebir tries to use his body weight to spin Tulirinta down, but Tulirinta braces himself, drops down, and ends up on top. Lakebir works for an armbar from below, but Tulirinta is swinging punches from above. About halfway through the match, Lakebir looks to his corner, then to the referee, who suddenly stops the match at 2:23. Lakebir is doubled over by a shoulder injury that prevents him from continuing. Tulirinta is awarded the win by TKO / referee stoppage. Team Finland takes a 2-0 lead. Lakebir is in serious anguish, needing his cornerman to help support his left arm. Middleweight Division: Karl Amoussou (Team France) vs. Lucio Linhares (Team Finland) It’s striker vs. grappler here, as Brazilian-born Linhares is a Jiu-Jitsu black belt, while Amoussou is a vicious kickboxer and judoka whom some have compared to a young Wanderlei Silva. Round One: Linhares throws the first strikes but Amoussou responds with combinations that push Linhares to the ground. Amoussou takes top position, but Linhares neutralizes Amoussou in a closed guard, almost catching the Frenchman in a triangle. Standing up, Linhares follows up with a powerful right straight that drops the Frenchman. Amoussou wraps Linhares in a closed guard that Linhares actually carries while standing. Amoussou starts throwing head kicks from the bottom. As this is going on, Linhares actually tries complaining to referee Marcel Homeijer, who doesn’t know enough to call the foul. I guess you have to be kicked in the head before you can claim the foul of being kicked in the head. But Linhares continues with ground and pound, passing Amoussou’s guard, taking full mount, and securing a juji-gatame armbar. Amoussou pushes Linhares away, but Linhares takes full mount again with 30 seconds left in the round. He rains lefts and rights down on Karl Amoussou until the ref stops the match with six seconds left in the round. Lucio Linhares wins the match and leads Team Finland to a 3-0 lead, thus securing the team challenge victory against Team France. Light Heavyweight Division: Christian M’Pumbu (Team France) vs. Marcus Vanttinen (Team Finland) This is Vanttinen’s M-1 Challenge debut, but he enters with an impressive 8-0 MMA legacy. M’Pumbu has only fought in M-1 once, scoring a TKO stoppage against Barry Guerin (Team USA). Round One: Vanttinen comes in with a significant height and age difference. They clash with a body lock. M’Pumbu trips Vanttinen to the ground, going into the Finn’s closed guard. Vanttinen keeps a tight high guard, pushing some offense from the bottom. M’Pumbu tries to pass guard, standing up, and almost getting north-south, when Vanttinen rotates around. Unfortunately, Vanttinen rotates his back right into M’Pumbu, who locks in a ridiculously tight rear naked choke that Jimmy Smith refers to as a “lion killer.” Vanttinen taps out at 2:25 of the first round. M’Pumbu’s victory gives France their first victory of the night, preventing a clean sweep by Team Finland. Heavyweight Division: Moussa Niangane (Team France) vs. Toni Valtonen (Team Finland) Valtonen, 15-8 as a light heavyweight, moves up one weight class to fight Niangane, a European San Da / San Shou champion who makes his MMA debut tonight. Niangane himself weighed in at 206, to Valtonen’s 229 lbs. You gotta be kidding me. Round One: Valtonen takes Niangane down with a body lock. Eventually, he gets the full mount, and spins around to side position. Niangane is completely out of his element on the bottom, almost rolling to give up his back. Valtonen takes top position again, then sits on Niangane’s chest for the spinning armbar. Niangane immediately taps out at 2:00 of the first round. Team Finland definitively claims second place in the Group B standings, with a 3-1 team challenge record and 13-7 in individual fights, compared with Team France’s 2-2 team challenge and 9-11 individual fight finish. Best Match**: Karl Amoussou vs. Lucio Linhares. This was one of the most anticipated matches in the M-1 Challenge, and it delivered. Linhares landed the knockdown of the night with his right straight on Amoussou, and his impromptu complaining about Amoussou’s head kicks made for a particularly dangerous moment. For Linhares to regain control from there and claim victory is the kind of exciting finish that makes MMA great. Worst Match**: There wasn’t a particularly bad match on this show. The Lakebir vs. Tulirinta match was hurt by an unfortunate non-finish, although both fighters were working hard up until that point. Niangane vs. Valtonen was certainly a mismatch of experience, although not a particularly boring fight. **(based on footage aired) Next week, the World Team and Team Spain duke it out to see who escapes from the last place “basement placement.” News - WWE Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:25:54 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7964/124/ 90 minutes of MMA talk is here to start your New Year off with a bang (Ludwig). We've got talk about everything from what the Mir-Nog fight really means to the sad ending of Sakuraba, the amazing surprises of K1, the three most unthinkable events of the year happening, the curious state of Sengoku, and finally: what happens when a naked man breaks into the house of an 88 year old woman. It's Five Star Radio, give it a listen, we promise we won't tell anyone if you do. F4W Radio Show - Five Star Radio Show Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:07:34 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7963/124/ WWE and WGN America today released a few notes regarding the return of WWE Superstars, which will air on WGN America.The show will air on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. and replayed at 11 p.m. Eastern time, as well as a weekend afternoon replay. WGN signed a two-year deal for the show, which will begin airing shortly after Wrestlemania.No details have been announced, but it would probably mark the end of the bi-weekly Smackdown tapings that have been done as a cost-cutting measure, as WGN is paying an undisclosed sum for broadcasting rights. Taping an additional hour would necessitate three hour tapings on both Mondays and Tuesdays weekly to fill the six hours of first-run programming. News - WWE Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:58:30 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7962/124/ By Jeuron Dovedove_jeuron0307@hotmail.com Hello fans. I would like to wish everyone a happy new year. 2008 has come and gone and it was a year for the books. Now we must look forward to 2009 and see what the wild and crazy world of pro wrestling has in store for us. Or rather the world of the WWE. I say that because with the decline of pro wrestling in Japan, some of Mexico and the dominance of the UFC, WWE is clearly the number one wrestling promotion on a worldwide basis. I won’t even factor in TNA due to their incompetence or ROH due to their lack of visibility on a national stage. In order for the WWE to thrive this year they will need quality programs and storylines just as any company does. This past year brought us some memorable feuds such as Undertaker-Edge, Flair-Michaels, Michaels-Batista and HHH-Hardy. Others like Kane-Mysterio just didn’t click. For 2009, some programs apparently on the horizon are HHH-Edge, Hardy-Edge and JBL-Michaels. And at the Royal Rumble in a few weeks Cena and JBL will be squaring off in the Raw main event. This sounds underwhelming to say the least since both had a less than stellar feud last year. Both can talk and have a superstar presence, but that isn’t quite my idea of what a main event for the Rumble should be. But like a lot of Cena matches that are in a clutch position, it could end up being better than we think. After all, Cena got good matches out of Bobby Lashley and the Great Khali back in 2007. The main point I’m trying to get across is that when you really look at the big picture the WWE has very few dream matches left. To me a dream match is a bout between two bonafide megastars that has the potential to do huge business. Some WWE matches that would fall into that category are Michaels-Hogan from Summerslam 2005, Hogan-Rock from Wrestlemania 18, Austin-Rock from Wrestlemania 17 and Angle-Michaels from Wrestlemania 21. You could even throw the Michaels-Flair retirement match from last year’s Mania in there. As you can tell, the dream matches are usually reserved for Mania while the slightly less are for the other big three shows and then the ones beneath that are for the monthly “B” shows. When you look at the current roster there are lot of dream matches or potential ones that have already been done. Most of the top guys have feuded with each other at one time or another and often more than once over the past few years. HHH-Cena headlined Wrestlemania 22 and last year’s Night of Champions. Edge and Batista clashed at both the 2007 and 2008 N.O.C. show and Cena and Jericho feuded in 2005 (Jericho’s last program before he left) in addition to their most recent program. You may notice the cyclical pattern of main events, but that’s wrestling for you. Programs are often recycled with new twists to keep them fresh. Sometimes they work and other times they don’t. That is why I have a lot of reservations about a potential Cena-Orton match at Mania. They had quite a lengthy run in 2007 before Cena got hurt and they fought at last year’s No Way Out, in the triple threat at Mania and in the four way at Backlash. I feel that they have nothing left to show me as performers as far as an intense money-drawing feud is concerned. Unless the bookers really get creative with it I don’t see this as being anywhere near the level of the Mania main event from last year. The key to having a continuous stream of good and believable main event quality programs is to constantly push new talent and mix up the current big names. Just about every major star in the WWE today have fought each other at one point or another over the last 6-7 years, but that doesn’t mean that these programs won’t work anymore. Rock and Austin fought at three Manias and each of their matches were memorable. Jericho and Michaels had a great program in 2003 which culminated in one of the greatest Mania matches ever, but I doubt few fans would disagree that their recent feud was way better. I have a list of ten potentially good programs for the WWE in the future. Some of them could draw decent to huge business if they were pushed to their creative maximum while some are just up here for good fun and the quality they can bring to the ring. Keep that in mind as you browse this list and I will provide brief explanations as to why each could work. Also note that they are in no particular order of importance. 1. Chris Jericho-UndertakerThese are two of the biggest stars on the roster who to the best of my knowledge havenever been in a major feud with each other. Both can go in the ring and on the mic and it’s really a question mark as to why the company hasn’t done it yet. This year would be the perfect timing since Jericho is at the strongest point of his career as a main eventlevel heel and Taker isn’t getting any younger anyway. 2. HHH-UndertakerTwo of the biggest stars who haven’t had a big run together since their abysmal 2002 program. It’s funny because 2002 was arguably the worst in-ring year for both and now it’s seven years later and both are two of the top in-ring performers in the company. If promoted right then this could do huge business. 3. Michaels-UndertakerThere are already rumors flying around that this could be the main event of next year’sMania where it’s been largely speculated it will be the swan song for HBK. If that istrue then I couldn’t think of a better match to headline that show. Both are legends whohave a history of performing well with each other. They fought in what to this day isconsidered an all-time classic in the first Hell in the Cell match and both stole the showas the last two participants in the 2007 Rumble. It would be the battle between one man with the longest undefeated streak at Mania against the man who inarguably has thegreatest ratio of classic matches at Mania. The match itself would simply be a classic. 4. Cena-UndertakerIt’s ironic how Taker is in four matches which goes to tell you how important this man is to the company. These two have not had an established program since 2003 when Cena was on the rise on Smackdown. Cena is now at the star level of the Undertakerand it would be an easy natural super babyface vs. super babyface feud. Unless they arein cities like Toronto, Philadelphia, Chicago and New York, the crowd reactions would be very interesting. 5. Punk-JerichoThis would perhaps be one of the better in-ring feuds of recent years. These two have awesome chemistry together and Jericho along with John Morrison would have to rankas Punk’s best opponent in the WWE. They tore the house down in their match on Rawthe other week and it was one of the best television bouts of the year in my opinion. Depending on who plays the role of heel and face (at this rate it’s better if Jericho stays heel) the promo work would be awesome. A lot of people don’t realize that Punk was one of the best talkers in the game during his time as a heel in ROH. He hasn’t reallybeen given a chance to shine on the mic in WWE like he should’ve, but he still has many more years of his career to prove that. We all know that Jericho has been one ofthe consistently best talkers in the game since 1998 in WCW. This would be a fun program that could deliver on all fronts. 6. Jeff Hardy-Matt HardyNow a lot of you may be wondering what is this doing up here since they had a badfeud back in late 2001. The big difference between then and now is that both were strictly tag team specialists back then without much in the way of personal charisma (though Matt would develop his on Smackdown in 2002). Today they are twoof the top stars in the industry. Both have solid singles careers and each has their owndedicated base of fans. The only way this feud would even have a chance would be forMatt to play the role of the jealous brother and turn on Jeff or better yet cost him the title. Jeff is so beloved by the fans that it would certainly make Matt a high level heel. Matt would be better suited as the heel anyway since he can cut the better promos of the two. This is perhaps the most unlikely feud on this list to ever take place, but it's something to think about. 7. Evan Bourne-MysterioFrom the moment these two teamed up on Raw a few months back, many insiders insisted that they be made into a top level team immediately. To the company’s creditthey did continue to link the two in their feuds and matches. Mysterio is currently fighting Mike Knox who will presumably be Bourne’s first major opponent when hereturns. A feud between these two would be the closest thing the WWE-only era wouldhave that resembled the heyday of the WCW cruiserweight division. Bourne is perhapsthe most fluid flier in the business while Mysterio is one of the all-around best workers ever. This could be a feud that would be similar in tone to the best-of-seven series between Benoit and Booker T from WCW where it’s not about hatred as much as it'sabout respect and proving who is the better man. Give these two at least 15 minutes on PPV and you have a match of the year candidate. 8. Kofi Kingston-MysterioWhile this may not scream out being a money program, the in-ring value would far outweigh any other aspects. I must admit that this is the only one I put on the list forpurely selfish reasons. The three minutes of a match they had on Raw a few weeks agowas enough for me to want to see them again as soon as possible. 9. Jeff Hardy-CenaThis would be similar to the ultimate babyface match of Cena and Taker except thatJeff is arguably the hottest guy in the company next to Cena. And there is a good argument that he is above Cena at the moment. I always felt that the two should’ve hada program after Jeff got hot on Raw in 2007. The crowd reactions would be off the charts since the kids and women love Cena (more men outside the harshmarkets like him too) and EVERYONE loves Jeff. This match more than any other (with the exception of HBK-Taker) should headline a Mania at some point. 10. Umaga-ManuThe battle of the Samoans. They could go with that selling point all the way and makea pretty good program of it. Both are part of the great Samoan heritage of theWWE and can go in the ring. Umaga is obviously the better monster heel worker, butManu isn’t bad at this stage in the game. He just needs to work on developing a personality. That could pose another problem as Manu would really have to carry things on the mic since a part of Umaga’s aura is that he doesn’t talk. Depending onhow far along Manu progresses in the next year or so this could be interesting. Well I hope you all enjoyed this nice fantasy article. Hopefully some of these programs will happen over the course of the next few months or even years. Like any good fantasy, it won’t mean anything unless is becomes reality someday. Thanks for reading and any feedback is welcomed at the above address. Columns - Features and TV Reviews Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:18:48 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7961/124/ By Robert Garrison and Troy Vaughn From Robert Garrison: Kofi Kingston over Dolph Zigler Tag team title match-Miz Morrison over Cryme Tyme IC title match-William Regal w/Layla over CM Punk ECW title-Matt Hardy over Jack Swagger Women’s title-Beth Phoenix over Melina Shawn Michaels Ray Mysterio over Mike Knox Kane World title-John Cena over Randy Orton This was virtually the same show as the show reported on from Ft. Lauderdale two days ago, including the bit with Teddy Long and Tiffany, and the bit with Santino Marella and the Boogeyman. I thought the tag title and the women’s title matches were both sloppy at times, but the last two matches were both very good. Cena, of course, got the biggest pop, followed closely by Michaels, Mysterio, and Kingston. Robert Garrison Baton Rouge, LA From Troy Vaughn: .hmmessage P body.hmmessage WWE RAW/ECW Live 1/4/091. Kofi Kingston beat Dolph Ziggler with Trouble in Paradise. Pretty good opener2. Miz Morrison beat Cryme Tyme when Miz pinned JTG with Reality Check. Really good old school tag wrestling3. William Regal beat CM Punk with a running knee. Another good match4. Matt Hardy beat Jack Swagger with Twist of Fate. I didn't care for this too much5. Beth Phoenix beat Melina with Glamslam. Alright match, Melina did look a little rusty6. Shawn Michaels Rey Mysterio beat Kane Mike Knox when Shawn pinned Knox after Sweet Chin Music. Great match7. John Cena beat Randy Orton with FU. Tremendous match. I think if they do have this match at WrestleMania 25, it should definately close the show News - WWE Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:06:51 +0100 http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/7960/124/ Dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:Dave@wrestlingobserver.com) We're looking for reports on last night's Raw house show in Lake Charles, LA, as well as today's shows in Baton Rouge for Raw and Bossier City for Smackdown at dave@wrestlingobserver.com (mailto:dave@wrestlingobserver.com) Raw is live tomorrow night in New Orleans with both a series of elimination matches to determine berths in the Royal Rumble, as well as William Regal vs. C.M. Punk for the IC title. There is a Monday night Smackdown house show in Alexandria, LA tomorrow. No TNA tapings this week, nor Smackdown tapings on Tuesday, so Raw is the last major event until next weekend. A note if you are not a subscriber, all both print and web site subscriptions will include our special awards double issue that is coming out in a few weeks, which is traditionally our best selling issue of the year. With a feature on WWE booking leading to Wrestlemania, including current Smackdown plans for two of the key matches penciled in and lookin