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Dave Meltzer and I return live tonight on Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 122 with Wrestling Observer Live, from 5-7 PST, 8-10 EST. You can call in at 1-800-878-PLAY to discuss any topic, including the latest on the Chris Benoit tragedy, UFC 73 (which Dave attended live), etc. You can also listen live on the Internet using this link, or through numerous Sports Byline affiliates.No major notes from last night other than the fact that Dana White has confirmed a Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans rematch for sometime in the near future. Tito claimed he had a back injury that really acted up in round three, hence his poor performance in that round. Dana also said until they got TV in either the US or Japan, there probably wouldn't be much movement as it regards a PRIDE revival.
The Nancy Benoit family is asking that in lieu of gifts or condolences, donations be made to The Nancy and Daniel Benoit Foundation for Battered Women and Abused Children Foundation. Donations can be sent to the Foundation c/o Decker, Hallman, Barber and Briggs, 260 Peachtree St. Suite 1700, Atlanta, GA 30303.
Gotjiujitsu.com, which provided the prizes for our members-only UFC 73 contest, has a special going on for the rest of today only with 25% off all orders. Also, orders over $150 get a free pair of Fight FX Fight Shorts, which were worn by Marcello Garcia at Abu Dhabi 2007.
The ROH: Respect is Earned PPV debuts tonight on TVN. I'd strongly recommend it for any regular ROH fans and fans who love TNA X-Division matches or Dragon Gate-style action. If your favorite wrestling is old-style Memphis or Mid-South, it may not be your cup of tea. It's definitely a great alternative from what you get today in WWE and (often) TNA, and for $9.95 you'll certainly get your money's worth. We have a full review in last night's members-only Bryan & Vinny Show, and also in this coming week's new issue of Figure Four Weekly.
Our condolences to former manager Savannah (Kim Collins), whose father and brother both passed away two days ago.
This week's new 25,000-word Figure Four Weekly newsletter is packed with pro-wrestling and MMA news and analysis from around the world! Our cover story looks at the aftermath and fallout of the Chris Benoit double murder/suicide. We'll discuss a number of different topics in great detail, including the arrest of his doctor and what it means, WWE's public and private reaction to the story, thoughts on Vince McMahon's appearance on the Today Show, a complete and detailed look at the WWE drug policy, the loopholes in the policy not reported before, how wrestlers can easily get prescriptions for steroids from doctors, what the policy does and does not allow, more harrowing details about how Benoit killed his wife, son and himself, the story behind the crippler crossface, my thoughts on the media coverage of the story, what was good and what was bad, things I learned first-hand doing 100 or so interviews, the most embarrassing stories of the week, the truth about "roid rage", the full story behind the mysterious Wikipedia entry that got way too many headlines during the week, the three things WWE feared, and the two of them that have come to pass, the status of Benoit's brain, more on the claim that Daniel had Fragile X, who WWE is trying to shift the heat to, comments from Benoit's dad, a ban placed on WWE stars, the truth behind the GHB claims, what the future might hold, whether the business will change, what changes need to be made to the drug policy, and tons more. This article alone is nearly 8,000 words long. We've also got a full review of the Shamrock vs. Baroni Strikeforce show, plus stories on the new direction of Raw, problems with developmental, a new group within OVW, the doom of Santino and why it happened, a TV network that has already pulled WWE programming, ratings notes, wrestler fired, Florida Championship Wrestling notes, OVW notes, addressing rumors that Vince McMahon will be stepping down, a blow-up Benoit had backstage at TV, TUF finale numbers, Rashad's precise prediction for Tito, another blow-up between Tito and Dana, why Dana thinks he's an idiot, line-up for Saturday's PPV and predictions, tons of UFC and Strikeforce payoff notes, what acquisition Dana thinks will be bigger than PRIDE, scoring wackiness, TNA has major TV meetings, record rating for Impact, two guys quit TNA, Scott Steiner injury update, Lex Luger and what he's doing these days, where he's living and how far he's fallen, Big Show wants to get into a new shoot vocation, Jerry Lawler charged with assault, what supposedly happened, Vince getting a major honor, Ken Shamrock's future, Frank Shamrock talks all of his injuries, dumbest fighter of the week, IFL news and notes, Gareb Shamus interview, Pro Elite notes from the latest public filing, how much they've made and how much they've lost since inception, tons of notes from Mexico, Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar have a wrestling match that almost nobody heard about, notes from the ROH PPV debut, guys sign new ROH contracts, Vinny reviews a bunch of wacky stuff from Youtube, I review an old Hacksaw Jim Duggan Coliseum Video release, full reviews of every major TV show including Raw, Smackdown, and TNA, and TONS more! Of course, as a member you also get full access to ALL new and archived radio shows dating back to 2005, plus all the new and archived (280-plus issues) Figure Four Weekly newsletters dating back to 2001. To sign up, please click here, or PayPal users can use the Quick Buy link at the top of this page to be online within 60 seconds. Rates start at just $7.99 per month (27 cents a DAY), so it's a steal. Thanks for your support!
Our latest FREE radio show, the July 3 Bryan & Vinny Show, can be downloaded here.
My newest Fight Network column is here with a look at the supposed best match in the history of TNA Impact. If you like the columns, they're about 1/25th the length of each issue of Figure Four Weekly, and we've got 300 back issues archived from 2002-today, all available 24/7 with an online membership to this site. See below for more info and ordering details.
To access our first ten days of coverage of the Benoit tragedy, which includes links to dozens and dozens of articles, radio and TV links, and more, please click here.
Sherk successfully defends lightweight title in UFC 73
London Ultimate Fighters prove mettle
More on the UFC vs. Boxing debate
Tito Draws While Silva and Sherk Win in UFC 73
Benoit or no Benoit, wrestling fans pack arena
Professional wrestling industry needs regulation
Silva defends UFC title against Marquardt
UFC: NHL prevents MMA from Canadian date
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Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news from this site or from our newsletters, please include a link to www.wrestlingobserver.com
For the most in-depth and detailed news and analysis on pro-wrestling and MMA, always turn to Wrestlingobserver.com/Figure Four Weekly Online, the #1 website of its kind on the Internet. Members receive online access to both the Wrestling Observer and Figure Four Weekly newsletters and growing archives, Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer three times per week, the popular Bryan and Vinny Show twice per week, additional radio shows including Figure Four Daily with Alvarez, Mike Coughlin's Five Star Radio, the Dr. Keith Lipinski Show, The Adam and Mike Big Audio Nightmare, Tough Talk and the Karl Stern Wrestling History Show, the infamous BOARD, and more! Members also have full access to the thousands of hours of audio in our radio show archives which date back to 2005. For your convenience, we offer secure online payments using your VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Discover card or PayPal account. Don't miss out on the fun, sign up now! Don\'t miss out on the fun, sign up now!
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