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This is a huge night for the IFL, and perhaps a turning point, as they present their debut World Grand Prix at the Sears Center in Chicago Saturday night. It'll be the first-ever live broadcast, airing from 9-10 PM EST/PST on MyNetworkTV, and on Fox Sports Canada from 9-11 PM. Full line-up has:
1. Wagnney Fabiano vs. John Gunderson
2. Chris Horodecki vs. Bart Palaszewski
3. Jay Hieron vs. Donnie Liles
4. Delson Heleno vs. Gideon Ray
5. Benji Radach vs. Brent Beauparlant
6. Matt Horwich vs. Brian Foster
7. Vladdy Matyushenko vs. Alex Schoenauer
8. Bryan Vetell vs. Roy Nelson
9. Antoine Jaoude vs. Shane Ott
Four guys managed to not make weight (Donnie Liles, Delson Heleno, Gideon Ray and Matt Horwich (187.5) (seriously), but those fights will all go on as scheduled at catch weights. How something like that could happen is completely baffling. They will probably only be able to air three fights in the US, including the Matyushenko fight to determine a first-ever light heavyweight champion. Mike Coughlin has a preview column here, and Dave Meltzer has more here.
In a very controversial move, Dana White announced that he was so fed up with the CSAC's handling of the Sean Sherk case (it was pushed back two weeks and perhaps longer because of a paperwork issue on October 31st) that he was not going to strip Sherk of the title, even if the CSAC ultimately upholds the steroids failure suspension. He said BJ Penn and Joe Stevenson would fight for an interim title on January 19th in Newcastle, England, and the winner would face Sherk for the belt when he was able to return.
Many people sent in this Harry Smith quote from an article at SLAM! Wrestling last year: "I've never taken steroids, I don't plan to. I loved my Dad, and yes he made mistakes, but I have learned from them. I won't go down that path." It should be noted that we don't know what he failed his test for, only that he failed a test.
There is a CNN documentary on drugs in wrestling airing at 8:00 PM Wednesday.
WWE actually issued a press release about the drug test failures here.
Pete Sell got his BJJ black belt from Matt Serra a few days back.
ROH runs Glory by Honor VI Night 2 tonight in New York. Line-up courtesy Dr. Keith:
Saturday November 3, 2007
Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom (311 West 34th St. New York, NY)
7:30pm
Glory By Honor VI - Night 2
1. GHC Heavyweight Title Match: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. KENTA
2. Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson
3. ROH World Tag Team Title Match (if the Briscoe's are still tag team champions): Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. The Age Of The Fall (two of Jimmy Jacobs, Tyler Black and The Necro Butcher)
4. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Naomichi Marufuji
5. The Vulture Squad (Jack Evans, Ruckus & Jigsaw) vs. No Remorse Corps (Roderick Strong, Davey Richards & Rocky Romero)
6. El Generico vs. Chris Hero
Already signed: Nigel McGuinness (injured); Austin Aries; Brent Albright; BJ Whitmer; Kevin Steen; Delirious
We'll be looking for results of this show if you attend. You're always welcome to send show reports to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and you don't have to clear it with me first. Thanks!
Wrestling Observer Live returns tomorrow night on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 122 and Sports Byline USA from 5-7 PM PST, 8-10 EST with special guest Bret Hart talking his new book. Our guest host for the evening will be Dave Meltzer. You can call in with question at 1-800-878-PLAY, and you can listen live using the WOL link on the main menu of this website. We'll be doing a live chat for members during the show as well, more info of which is up in the Radio Show section of the BOARD.
WWE is offering two free tickets to any firefighters who assisted in wildfire relief for this Monday's Raw at the San Diego Arena. Simply show up at the box office with your valid firefighter ID.
In a correction from our last update, Arena COLISEO is closed all December and all shows will be run at Arena Mexico.
Mike Sawyer writes: Xtreme Couture (4055 West Sunset Rd, Las Vegas NV, 89118) will put on a very interesting showdown between Xtreme Couture vs Cobra Kai on Saturday November 3rd. This will be a submission grappling event that will use the FILA approved rule set created by Jason Townsend. The show starts at 8pm and tickets are $20. You can call 702-616-1022 for more information. If you happen to be in town, you can buy yourself a day pass for the gym ($25) or go weekly ($125) or monthly ($300). You may also work with a certified trainer (that will run you $125/hour). If you really want the full experience, you can hire Randy for an hour ($1,000). The gym boasts trainers such as Mike Pyle, John Alessio, Tyson Griffin, Jay Hieron, Gray Maynard, Ron Frazier, Scott Bieri and others. And yes, you can work on your Muay-Thai skills with certified trainer Gina Corano!
The new, nearly 28,000-word Figure Four Weekly newsletter is up right now for members. The weekly newsletter, the online version of which members can read free every Tuesday (we also have a hardcopy available for a few dollars more per month), has been covering all the news in the world of pro-wrestling and MMA since 1995. It is by far the biggest weekly newsletter available on the Internet (probably on any subject), and we go into far more depth on every story than any other news source you will find anywhere online. Each newsletter also includes full reviews of every major TV show including Raw, Smackdown, TNA, ECW, and Ultimate Fighter. 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 (320-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 October 30 Bryan & Vinny Show, can be downloaded here.
My newest Fight Network column is here with a look at the problems with WWE developmental. 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.
Thanks to the Great Estilo Latino for our new banner, and ICHIBAN~! for the DethTour idea. For information on the November 15th Louisville match with Ted McNaylor, click here. For info on Reading, PA and the Philadelphia match with Larry Sweeney, click here. Newark will be UFC 78.
Another story on Batista's book
Interview with Vince McMahon about WrestleMania
Big neck injury update from Gregory Helms
In character interview with Milena of OVW
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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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