Bryan Alvarez:
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Dave Meltzer:
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We're looking for your thoughts on Saturday night's UFC 109 PPV, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
We're also looking for reports on Sunday's WWE house show in Lake Charles, LA, as well as Saturday night's show in Alexandria, LA, and Friday night's TNA show in Wichita and ROH TV tapings in Philadelphia at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Smackdown and the next to last episode of ECW will be taped tonight in Baton Rouge (moved from New Orleans).
We've got a loaded issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter coming out Monday, including a look at the life and career of Jack Brisco. We also have an update on the next chapter of the Monday Night Wars, an analysis of the situation, and looking at a lot of comments made by Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. We also have news on the death of ECW, as well as exclusive notes on different ideas talked about for the new show in its place, and what the good and bad points are of those ideas.
We've got coverage of the Royal Rumble, the MMA debut of Herschel Walker, lots on the Saturday night TV ratings battle with UFC and Strikeforce and why UFC did such big numbers for a tape of a several month old show. We look at whether Walker will fight again, the future of Bobby Lashley and a show rundown.
We also have full coverage of what happened with Chris Jericho and Gregory Helms, discussing the blow-by-blow of the situation, repercussions, coverage and more.
We also have a very interesting story on the UFC brand name and how acceptable it is or isn't with some very surprising poll results.
The issue will be available today for web site subscribers. For those interested in getting the Observer mailed to your home, ordering details follow.
Our lead story talks about the legend of Jack Brisco, who he was, looking back at the early 70s, Brisco's later health problems and death, why Brisco was so popular with promoters, his amazing wrestling background as well as his football background, how he got started in pro wrestling, his early major supporters, his meeting with Billy Robinson in Australia, the rivalry with Dory Funk Jr., his two world title runs, and second part of his career as a former champion, the debut of Hulk Hogan, the turn of Dusty Rhodes and the sale of Georgia Championship Wrestling to Vince McMahon.
We also analyze TNA going to Monday, WWE's reactions, and TNA's growing pains with its audience. We also look at where TNA's television audience has grown the most. We look at where Hogan and Flair are drawing hte most from, the affect on revenue streams, and surprising things said about Sting.
We look at the end of the ECW name, the attempts by WWE to market the ECW brand, and the new ideas and what the pluses and minuses of them are.
We look at the Royal Rumble, the Elimination Chamber match and the road to Wrestlemania as well as Rumble business notes.
We have more on WrestleMania 27 coming to Atlanta, and the reaction of the Atlanta media, as well as Antonio Inoki in the WWE Hall of Fame and a look at Inoki's WWF title run and the controversy that went down during that period. We also look at why WWE and TNA women's matches are different, updates on John Cena, updates on WWE developmental and the talent there, a former WWE star that has been talked with about returning, a WWE star looking at writing his second book and WWE house show notes.
We also have a look at the ratings for all the major pro wrestling and MMA shows on television over the past week.
We also have our usual weekly features such as the results of the biggest matches of the week and rundown of the major television shows.
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 28th 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 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or you can order by faxing that information to 408-244-3402. You can also subscribe via paypal at www.paypal.com and using the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 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.
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-- Ric Flair has an interview here where he says he'll probably be back wrestling with TNA sooner rather than later.
-- The guy Bret threw out of the ring last night was Luke Hawx, formerly of WSX and XPW.
-- The Santino sitcom finished shooting three pilot episodes last week.
-- WWE made it official last night in Japan that Antonio Inoki will become the first-ever Japanese entrant into the WWE Hall of Fame, and will be inducted by Stan Hansen.
-- Jury finds 5 guilty in Mobile steroids conspiracy case. Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, Edge, Hurricane, Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero were all listed as having purchased drugs from Applied.
-- Armando writes: I just caught a TV spot for the 3/30 Smackdown taping in Las Vegas. I know plans always change, but they are currently advertising Undertaker vs. Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship. For whatever it's worth, I'd be stunned if Undertaker was still champion after WrestleMania. In fact I'd be stunned if he were champion after Elimination Chamber.
-- Backlash takes place on Sunday, April 25th, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. Thanks to Devin Cutting.
-- Sky Sports in the UK have already changed ECW to "WWE Nxt" in the listings starting this week even though ECW has two shows left. Thanks to Shane Brown.
-- This almost looks like a parody of some sort. Kurt Angle has launched his own healthy food line.
-- DGUSA announced CIMA & Gamma & Dragon Kid vs. Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino & BxB Hulk for the Saturday night Phoenix show.
-- This week's FREE edition of Wrestling Observer Radio is available here featuring Dave and I talking for 45 minutes about Raw with Bret Hart, Smackdown, TNA, Jim Ross, and tons more. We've got a ton of shows coming up this week for members including two Bryan & Vinny Shows, two more Observer radios, and three Figure Four Dailies featuring Dr. Lucha Steve Sims, Colt Cabana and Lance Storm. As a subscriber you also get access to every radio show and newsletter ever posted, including at least two interviews with Bret Hart, one of which was taped just over a month ago.
-- Speaking of Colt, there is an article on him and his future aspirations here.
-- ROH's next TV tapings at the Arena will be on March 5th and 6th.
-- Regarding a question on last night's Observer Radio, David writes: Sweeps have nothing to do with cable/satellite channels, only broadcast channels.
-- Roddy Piper was on Adam Carolla's podcast today. Link is here.
-- TIME lists WWF to WWE as one of the top ten worst corporate name changes in history. Link is here. Also listed were Nashville Network to National Network to Spike, and Sci Fi to Syfy.
-- Time Warner On Demand has a 10 minute preview of UFC 110. They focus on Nogueira vs. Velasquez and Bisping vs. Wanderlei Silva. Thanks to Suju Abraham.
-- There is a look at Mick Foley doing stand-up comedy here.
-- Forbes calls Vince McMahon the heavyweight champion of branding.
-- Ringside Rap tomorrow night will have a look at Jack Brisco. For more information, you can click here.
-- There is a video package here look at Olympian Michelle Kelly and her training at Lance Storm's Wrestling Academy in Calgary.
-- Dutch Mantell has a new blog up here.
-- Ken Doane survived the second episode of Seducing Cindy last night.
-- Dann writes: Just checked the listings for 7TWO and this Thursday’s episode of “NWA – ON FIRE” here in Australia will be its last as the network has cancelled the show. I assume it’s because the ratings season in Australia starts the following week, so the network has dumped summer filler programming for “better” shows. It’s also possible that the network looked at the production quality of the series and decided to can it as the show was very low-rent in look. I’m not sure how it rated for the four weeks that it screened here. There was virtually no buzz for it from what I could determine, even among hard-core Internet fans, so I suspect its numbers were low.
-- Scott Steiner is available for wrestling bookings through Bill Behrens at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
-- Howard Stern on his show today said the term "WWE Universe" sounded "gay". He may be getting an email from the GLAAD Universe soon.
-- Best TV show of the past week
Smackdown 32.1%
Raw 29.9%
Impact 17.2%
ROH 5.9%
Countdown to UFC 109 5.4%
CMLL 4.5%
Inside MMA 1.8%
AAA1.4%
ECW 0.9%
Superstars 0.9%
Should UFC book Mark Coleman vs. Tito Ortiz
Yes 30.4%
Yes, but only if Liddell beats Ortiz 34.3%
Yes, but only if Ortiz beats Liddell 8.1%
No 27.2%
-- SoCal Wrestling February 13th 2010, Oceanside Boys & Girls Club, 401 Country Club Ln, Oceanside, CA.
-- AIW Returns To The West Park Party Center With GAUNTLET FOR THE GOLD 5 on 2/19/2010
-- Tuff-N-Uff will also host a ring girl competition on February 18th at Hawaiian Tropic Zone inside the Miracle Mile shops on the strip. Their next show is on February 26th and will feature Larry Mir, the cousin of Frank Mir.
-- UWC has a show at the Browns Mills Firehouse at 15 Trenton Road in Browns Mills, NJ on Saturday night, February 20th at 7:30pm. UWC Champ Legion vs. Cremator, US Champ Joe Rules vs. Dr. Hurtz, Tag Champs Warhead & Adam Aces vs. Unholy Alliance, plus Twiggy Ramirez, Dave Patera, CB4, Don Montoya, Commissioner Grimaldi, and many more.
-- Pro Wrestling Phoenix runs this Saturday, Feb. 13th at the National Guard Armory in Council Bluffs, IA with Arik Cannon headlining.
-- Pro Wrestling RESPECT returns to Burlington, NJ on Sunday Afternoon, March 14th at 4PM(doors open at 3:30) at the Burlington National Guard Armory. Delirious headlines against Andy Ridge.
-- NWA Main Event TV taping this Thursday at 413 Veritas St off Nolensville Rd in Nashville, 8PM Belltime
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