MON. UPDATE: Aftermath of MITB, Hart vs. McMahon on natl TV today, Hogan/TNA note, White miscue
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We're looking for your thoughts on last night's WWE Money in the Bank PPV as well as Saturday night's Impact FC PPV, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to
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We're looking for live reports from Raw tonight in Tulsa, with attendance (they are expecting a big crowd for the first show in the new arena), Superstars matches, dark matches and anything else not evident from the live show.
Smackdown and NXT will be taped tomorrow night in Little Rock.
ROH tonight at 8 p.m. on HDNet is headlined by Colt Cabana & El Generico vs. Steve Corino & Kevin Steen.
The behind-the-scenes of the Paul Heyman/TNA negotiations is the lead story as we've got two issues of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that come out next week. Other major stories include Cain Velasquez talking about the fight with Brock Lesnar, Coverage of major shows by Pro Wrestling NOAH, TNA, Dream and WWC, as well as the latest WWE & TNA business charts, as well as a listing of the biggest PPV events in boxing, pro wrestling and MMA history.
The Heyman/TNA story talks about how they sides got together, more on what is keeping the deal from happening, the ECW angle, ECW in 2010 and where TNA stands right now.
We also look at the upcoming Lesnar vs. Velasquez fight, analyzing it and what the keys to the fight are.
We also have a lot of background on a new wrestling promotion opening in the U.S., including who is behind it, names that have been signed, how the product is going to be put together differently and obstacles in their path.
All three issues out this week, the two current issues and the back issue, are available right now for web site subscribers in the Wrestling Observer listings on the top of the page. You can also get the Observer delivered by mail, with details below. For those who are web site subscribers, not only do we have issues once and in big news weeks, twice every week, but also release one back issue per week, covering 1993. That was one of the most important year in wrestling history due to the emergence of new companies like UFC, Pancrase, ECW, Michinoku Pro and K-1 which all revolutionized the industry.
We look at the rise and fall of Pro Wrestling NOAH, and where things stand with what was once the promotion of the year. We also look at the TNA Victory Road show, with match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results on the show.
We've also got updates on Ricky Steamboat, an update on HHH and how that affects SummerSlam, Shane McMahon's first major business move since leaving WWE, real bad news for a WWE PPV show at the end of this year, more on what is being talked about regarding where a major angle is going, updates on SummerSlam, why a major star has been decreed not to be used much on television, and a look at the lawsuit filed by Jerry Lawler against Cory Maclin and sorting out the mess of who would own the old USWA intellectual property.
We also have WWE business notes from the past week and a look at all the weekend house shows. We also have a chart looking at how many viewers weekly are watching all major pro wrestling TV shows so far this year and compared with last year.
We also look at a major promotion world champion showing up, wearing his belt at a big show from the rival promotion and the chaos that ensued.
We also look at the road to the Shinya Aoki vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri fight, the symbolic meaning, what happened to Alistair Overeem, the weigh-in mess, as well as match-by-match-coverage.
We also look at the WWC 37th anniversary show with plenty of former WWE and TNA stars, what dream match fell through and why.
We've got our business charts for WWE and TNA, looking at live attendance, live gates, television ratings and PPV numbers for both companies, as well as comparisons so far this year for UFC and where it stands compared to last year.
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.
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--Behind firing of Ed Ferrara from TNA and how that changes the writing dynamic
--A look at viewership of PPVs through illegal streams
--Update on another former booker trying to get into TNA
--Jeff Hardy update
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--Lesnar's coach talks about him trying out a new sport
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--What went down in making that show
--Debut of a former major star in Japan
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--Notes on UFC 120 in London
--Chuck Liddell update
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--UFC troubles in opening up another hot market
--Frank Mir reaction to Lesnar vs. Carwin
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--Shinya Hashimoto Memorial show
--Inductees into the Lou Thesz Hall of Fame
--Bryan Danielson talks a new style of wrestling
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--Update on Scott Hall and Bobby Eaton
--Trent Acid Memorial show
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--Promotion closes
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--ROH next Internet PPV and tag team tournament
--Thoughts on Eric Bischoff's comments on pro wrestling and MMA
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--What happened after Fedor lost
--Scott Coker talks Batista vs. Lashley
--Names suggested for Lashley's next opponent
--Notes on future Strikeforce events
--Bellator season open
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--Return of Keith Jardine
--Former NCAA heavyweight champ Mark Ellis and his move to MMA
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--We've got a full rundown on the radio show and elsewhere, but last night's show was one of the better wrestling PPV shows of the year and would be worth getting when it's released on DVD next month if you skip the replay.
--No serious injuries coming out of the show, which can be the drawback when you have two ladder matches with multiple people on the same show.
--Last night after the show went off the air, Wade Barrett promised that something huge would happen tonight on Raw and they were coming after both Cena and Sheamus. I wonder why you'd say that to the live audience and not close the PPV show with it?
--Linda McMahon and the Martha Hart lawsuit were the subject of a five minute piece on Good Morning America today. It was mostly Hart, mad that they kept the show going in 1999 after Owen died saying that has to question someone's leadership skills, and that they still exploit Owen's name like on the Hart Family DVD. She came across calm and unemotional. Linda McMahon refused to talk on the subject and they instead had Jerry McDevitt on, just saying he thinks her lawsuit is a politically motivated vendetta. I don't see the story as really hurting the campaign, but it was a negative on national television. You can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0jKMh3r86A
--The much talked about Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann match, Shields' UFC debut, is expected to be signed today for the 10/23 show in Anaheim, underneath Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez.
--A funny story is Dana White accidentally put his office phone number up on Twitter, and spent some time talking to random fans before he realized what he did and put it on voice mail.
--Bryan and I will be back tonight on Wrestling Observer radio, covering Raw and we will get to questions. The best bet to get a question in tonight is to send after Raw ends to
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You can ask questions about history, current times, wrestling or MMA.
--Tickets for UFC 119 on 9/25 in Indianapolis go on sale this week. Fight Club members can get the cheap tickets before the sell out starting on Thursday at 10 a.m. Eastern time via the fight club web site. Internet pre sale to UFC newsletter subscribers starts Friday. Tickets go on sale to the public on Saturday for the show headlined by Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Ryan Bader and Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle from Indianapolis. Tickets are $300, $200, $125, $90, $70 and $40 so they have cut down on prices for that market.
--Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan are both scheduled at the TNA tapings a week from today and a week from tomorrow in Orlando.
--WWE business partner Mattel announced smaller than expected profits, citing a weakened Euro, even with the boost coming from Toy Story 3. The company is doing heavy cost cutting. Revenue for the quarter was still up 13% to $1.02 billion, and would have been 16% had not for the European currency drop. In the U.S., sales were up 17%
--Photos and a story about John Cena meeting Make-a-Wish kids before last night's PPV is at http://blogs.pitch.com/plog/2010/07/john_cena_wwe_slideshow.php Want to mention two things about this. First, the vast vast majority of the work Cena does is without any publicity and I can tell you as a fact he doesn't want publicity. There are things I could say that would give you a very favorable opinion of Cena and he doesn't want them out, but he is not someone who does this for pub. My feeling is if it was up to him, even this wouldn't get out. However, there is a reason some of his work does get out and some people understand why, but just saying it is not his call, at least when it comes to instances I'm aware of. Another story on it is at http://www.fox4kc.com/news/wdaf-john-cena-make-a-wish-kids-071910,0,44944 38.story
--Best TV show of the past week
Raw 31.2%
Impact 27.9%
ROH 11.2%
Smackdown 7.4%
Lucha Libre Masked Warriors 7.1%
NXT 4.5%
AAA 4.1%
Inside MMA 3.0%
MMA live 1.9%
Superstars 1.9%
--Prediction on Money in the Bank buy rate
Better than a usual B show 54.9%
Same as a usual B show 35.0%
Worse than a usual B show 10.1%
--Do you think a properly run No. 2 pro wrestling company can do a consistent 1.5 weekly rating
Yes 89.8%
No 10.2%
--Who should be the next person in the UFC Hall of Fame?
Frank Shamrock 29.8%
Don Frye 24.1%
Tito Ortiz 20.5%
Jens Pulver 11.9%
Pat Miletich 6.2%
Nobody until modern era fighters like St. Pierre and Silva 7.5%
--For 8/7 in the U.K., the ESPN UK coverage will start at 1:15 a.m. with the Countdown to UFC 117 show, followed by MMA Live at 2:15 a.m. and the show itself airs from 3-6 a.m.
--The Steiner Brothers are being put in the Bay County, Michigan Sports Hall of Fame at http://www.mlive.com/sports/bay-city/index.ssf/2010/07/bay_county_sports_ hall_of_fame_6.html
--CNN wrote a story about UFC. Not really sure what to make of it other than they did it, at http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/07/19/violence.attraction.behavior/indes.h tml?hpt=C2
--Bryan Danielson won the IWA Puerto Rican title on Saturday night from QT Marshall, at the company's Anniversary show, and will be back next month to feud with Savio Vega, who he attacked with Brass Knux later in the show. Danielson talks his Evolve debut this weekend at http://offcialbryandanielson.blogspot.com/
--Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi, a strong candidate for tag team of the year, won the IWGP jr. titles today in Sapporo beating El Samurai & Koji Kanemoto.
--NWA at the Ohio State Fair on 8/1 at the Coliseum with Scott Steiner vs. Abyss and Adam Pearce vs. Shatter for the NWA world title plus Shark Boy vs. Mike Posey.
--Fedor Emelianenko will be attending the 8/7 M-1 Selection tournament at Bally's Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.
--Not much major this week on Spike when it comes to UFC broadcasts. There are Unleashed episodes 7-9 p.m. tomorrow night and 7-10 p.m. Wednesday night. They will be re-airing a live show (Ultimate Fighter season nine finale) from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday.
--Ed Ludwig was at the Hulk Hogan & Friends show last night in Coquitlam, BC. The experiment apparently went well as the theater was sold out for the two hour and 15 minute talk show with Hogan, Brutus Beefcake, Greg Valentine, Koko Ware, Honky Tonk Man, The Nasty Boys and Jimmy Hart. The show had a $55 a ticket price and was an experiment to see if it would work, and it did on the first try. All the wrestlers after the show came out to hug a 90 year old partially deaf woman who was a lifelong fan. There was a two hour wait for autographs earlier in the day at a car show.
--A correction from last night's radio report. The Sprint Center where the show took place is not the same building as Kemper Arena in Kansas City. This is a new building that opened three years ago. Kemper still exists, but is rarely used (thanks to Steve Johnson and Dan Wahlers)
--Batista is on the cover of Ironpinoy Magazine at http://www.ironpinoy.com/shop
--A story on famous WWE 80s bloopers is at http://bostongardenbalcony.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/
--Shelton Benjamin & developmental wrestler Orlando Colon vs. Ray Gonzalez & Primo from WWC is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RUBmIJX-BA (thanks to Javier Gonzalez)
--Jack Swagger talks, basically saying holding the title and not being booked strong is better than not holding it at all at http://www.dailystar.co.uk/inthering/view/144865/
--Weigh-ins for Friday night's Strikeforce Challengers show in Everett, WA, will be at the Comcast Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Ice Box. Shane Del Rosario faces Lolohea Mahe in the main event plus Sarah Kaufman defends her world welterweight title against Roxanne Modafferi
--Today's Cleveland Plain Dealer talked about the 70s wrestling scene in the city and its biggest star, Johnny Powers, at http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/07/post_325.html (thanks to Joel Lowitt)
--An interview with Bryan about the Abdullah the Butcher DVD is at http://tinyurl.com/372p5qu
--Platinum Championship Wrestling tomorrow night at The Jungle in Atlanta--IPW from Saturday night in Manurewa, New Zealand: Jon E King b Alexander, St. Chaos b Rocketman & Astro, Jordan Invincible b Justin Decent, Flagboy & Antagonist b BFF, Neo Justice b Miles & Lucius, A-Class b Danny Jacobs, Liger b NZ Dream, Pirates & Ninjas b Professional Standard, Elias NC Waipukuraru Warrior, Reuben DeJong b Alexander (thanks to Steve Ogilvie)
--Lethal Wrestling Alliance from Saturday night in O'Fallon, MO: Mat Fitchett b Pierre Abernathy, Brandon Aarons b Dan Walsh, Jeremy Wyatt b Sir Bradley Charles, Shorty Biggs b Donovan Ruddick, Mike Quackenbush & Hooligans b Arik Cannon & Darin Corbin & Gerald James, Matt Cage won three-way over Billy McNeil and Christian Rose, Evan Gelistico b Davey Vega in a street fight to win the title (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)
--Tulalip Championship Wrestling from Saturday night in Marysville, WA: Ethan HD & Kellen Raeth b Dash Venture, Mike Santiago b Vagdundo, Bryan Alvarez over Christopher Ryseck and Not So Ideal American in a handicap mach, Cole Bishop b Damon James-COR, Christopher Ryseck b Bryan Alvarez in a loser leaves town for 90 days match, Black Velvet over Lylah Lodge and K.C. Spinelli, Azul Angel & Aaron Bolo b Caden Mathews & Nick Price. Next show is 8/20 at the Pacific Rim Restaurant in Marysville (thanks to Charles Short)
--New England Championship Wrestling from Saturday night in Tyngsboro, MA: Johnny Hayes b Julian Starr, Don Vega & Jose Perez b T.J. Richter & Mr. Munroe, Mistress Belmont b Ivy, Kris Pyro b David Cash, Ryan Bisbal b Brandon Locke in a cage match
--NWA Dawg Pound from Saturday night in Franklinville, NJ: Mike Donovan b L.J. Cruz, Biggie Biggs b Twiggy Ramirez, Joey Spades b Pelle Primeau, Osirian Portal b Frightmare & Hallowicked, Sumie Sakai b Mia Yim, Joe Gacy b Problem Child, Chance Prophet b Sonjay Dutt. Next show is 9/11 in Washington, DC with Chance Prophet vs. Lince Dorado
--Yesterday's CMLL in Guadalajara: Metalik b Nocturno, Thunder Boy & Tondar b In Memoria & Templario, Gallo & Neutron b Mr. Trueno & Rey Trueno, Okumura & Nobuo Yoshihashi b Delta & Rush, Zeuxis b Silueta-DQ a women's mask vs. mask match, El Hijo del Fantasma & La Sombra & Volador Jr. b Felino & Negro Casas & Rey Bucanero (thanks to Kris Zellner)
--Headlocked comic book writer Michael Kingston appears with Jerry Lawler (Friday through Sunday) and Christopher Daniels (Thursday 1-3 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for Haven Distributors at the San Diego Comic Con 7/23 to 7/25 at booth 1901 to promote a limited edition Headlocked trade paperback.
--Joe Rogan on Doug Loves Movies at http://douglovesmovies.com/ talking about UFC a little at the end. (thanks to Shawn Marek)
--WFC on Saturday night in Temple Terrace, FL for $10 headlined by Big Vito vs Bruce Santee
