Bryan Alvarez:
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Dave Meltzer:
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Pretty big weekend as ROH has a PPV taping tonight in Chicago featuring Nigel McGuinness defending the ROH title against Generico, a cage match with Sweet & Sour Inc. and a Bryan Danielson & Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries & Jimmy Jacobs match. UFC runs what some believe will be the biggest non-boxing PPV in the history of PPV tonight with Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn.
WWE runs Raw in Hammond and Smackdown in Dothan tonight. Sunday has Raw in Cape Girardeau and Smackdown in Huntsville, both being afternoon shows that will end before the Super Bowl. The live Raw is Monday night in St. Louis, and there will be a Smackdown house show on Monday night in Tupelo.
No Smackdown or Impact tapings this week.
We'll have plenty of coverage with audio from Las Vegas after the weigh-ins tonight, live show coverage, press conference news, and an audio show late Saturday night.
We are looking for reports from all of these shows to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
An update on the road to Wrestlemania with the latest ideas, where it can go, and changes in directions coming out of the Royal Rumble as well as coverage of the show are among the lead items in Monday's issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The issue is already available to web site subscribers, as is our biggest issue of the year, the 2008 awards issue, which came out this past week.
Besides full coverage of the Rumble, the Affliction show, WEC and TNA's biggest house show in its history in London, we also have a feature on St. Pierre vs. Penn, complete business rundown from Saturday night with UFC on television with a taped Lesnar vs. Couture match, Affliction on PPV and Margarito vs. Mosely on HBO. We also look at an amazing mark set by Lesnar vs. Couture, and Jerry Millen's youtube showing a text exchange with Dana White. We also have poll results from the major events this weekend.
We look at the future of Affliction, the amount they spent on the show as well as match-by-match coverage. We also have an update of UFC's attempt to get into New York state and what change is being talked about that may legalize MMA, and may at the same time keep UFC from coming in.
We also have more on the Smackdown record from this past week, how St. Pierre vs. Penn's Countdown shows have done, as well as monthly breakdowns in TNA & WWE business covering house shows, TV ratings and PPV to see what is up, what is down, and what legitimate effect the economy may be having on pro wrestling. The feature shows a major change in fan habits that will not be reflected on the next WWE financial report and the reasons why. We also look at the real situation with ratings and the result of moving to MyNetwork TV.
We also have even more about WWE financial cutbacks that haven't been reported, as well as lots of news regarding the 2009 Hall of Fame ceremony including names confirmed in, names talked about and Ric Flair's role as well as more on Wrestlemania.
We also look at the controversy regarding Linda McMahon being nominated for the Connecticut Board of Education and updates on PPV in 2009, as well as an update on videogame sales.
We've got our usual weekly features with results from the major league arena events held around the world, and major TV show reports.
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 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.
Also in this week's issues:
--A women's head shaving coming up featuring top names
--More on AAA's next major arena U.S. tour
--One of the biggest drawing cards of a few years ago comes four hours from death and will be out of action for one year, and his career future is threatened significantly
--Behind Dr. Wagner Jr.'s latest moves
--Return to the ring of Kenta Kobashi
--Former ROH star getting a major push in Japan
--Son of Hall of Famer makes debut for NOAH this past week
--MMA promotion adds pro wrestling matches to its next show
--Lots more on the movie "The Wrestler"
--Pro wrestler does double-cross in worked match on boxing PPV
--Former pro wrestler battles with horrible disease
--Attempts to revive an 80s wrestling TV show
--European legend to make U.S. debut
--Jim Cornette talks pro wrestling and UFC
--Details of TNA's European tour
--More on UFC going into the gym business
--Update on ticket sales for UFC shows as well as updated PPV estimate for UFC 93
--More on upcoming UFC matches and why they've happened along with several recent changes
--More on death of Justin Eilers
--How Jack Swagger got into pro wrestling
--Jonathan Coachman talks his days in WWE
--Best selling pro wrestling DVDs
--WWE developmental notes
--WWE house show notes
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 Series plus 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, but everything 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 article and 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 our history)
*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 Hulk Hogan)
*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 the night 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 as historical 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 and Wrestlemania 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 ordered separately, 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 world wide 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 the history 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 their Hall 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 and behind 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 a double-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 working in 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 him tick 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 Hart signing 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 why there 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 original Strangler 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 double issue, $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 for 4, $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 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For the rest of the world, rates are $15.50 for 4, $41 for 12, $78 for 24, $126 for 40 issues and $163 for 52 .
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 more about 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 best Observer articles of the past several years in a hardcover, full-color format that is 239 pages. There is also a foreword by Bret Hart. The book 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 North America. You can order the book the same way you order the newsletter.
-- UFC line-up and weigh-ins for tonight:
1. Matt Arroyo (3-2, 171) vs. Dan Cramer (0-0, 171)
2. Jake O'Brien (10-2, 205) vs. Christian Wellisch (9-3, 206)
3. Chris Wilson (13-4, 170) vs. John Howard (10-4, 171)
4. Thiago Tavares (17-3, 155) vs. Manvel Gamburyan (10-4, 155)
5. Jon Fitch (21-3, 171) vs. Akihiro Gono (28-13-7, 171) weighing in with large Afro wig
6. Stephan Bonnar (14-4, 206) vs. Jon Jones (7-0, 206)
7. Nate Diaz (10-2, 156) vs. Clay Guida (24-6, 156)
8. Karo Parisyan (26-5, 170) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (11-0-1, 171)
9. Lyoto Machida (13-0, 206) vs. Thiago Silva (13-0, 206)
10. Georges St. Pierre (17-2, 170) vs. B.J. Penn (13-4-1, 168) for the UFC welterweight title
-- Almost no news of note from the weigh-ins. BJ weighing in at 168 suggests he'll go into the Octagon at no more than 175 pounds, and St. Pierre at 170 was absolutely tiny, meaning he'll probably go in close to 185 or perhaps more. That's a significant weight difference right there. St. Pierre remains the betting favorite. Penn has vowed to win via submission. The show is completely sold out and they're opening up closed circuit locations around Vegas, and Dana White is expecting this to be the biggest UFC PPV of all time. If it breaks 1 million buys, which most expect, it will be the third UFC show to do that in the last three months, which is pretty incredible given the economy.
-- Dave and I will be up with a new weekend Wrestling Observer Radio tonight with a live post-show report from UFC and the press conference, plus thoughts on all the other news from this weekend. We'll also have a new Bryan & Vinny Show Sunday night recapping ECW and, yes, that Impact show.
-- Between the feedback I got from Raw and the feedback I got from Impact, this has to be the worst week of pro-wrestling television in a long, long time.
-- TNA Mobile is teasing that a new female is interested in investing in TNA. Stop the presses.
-- And speaking of, the annual WrestleCrap Gooker Award for the lamest thing in wrestling in 2008 has been released here
-- You can't make stuff like this up. Thanks to Devin Cutting for this TNA press release: Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich offered Chairman job of TNA Wrestling’s Main Event Mafia. TNA Wrestling is offering the new Chairman job to its Main Event Mafia faction - and the opportunity to openly sell chairs, steel chairs - to ousted Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. TNA officials confirmed today that Blagojevich, who was impeached by the Illinois House of Representatives on January 29, is being offered the “Chairman” job within its Main Event Mafia faction, an elite unit which includes U.S. Olympic Gold Medal winner Kurt Angle, former World Heavyweight Champions Kevin Nash, Booker T., and Scott Steiner, and reigning TNA Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Sting. Blagojevich was arrested on criminal charges on December 9, 2008, for conspiring to sell the senate seat vacated by then-President Elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder, but Angle truly believes in the U.S. justice system. “He’s innocent until proven guilty,” Angle said. “As the leader of the Main Event Mafia, I am a huge fan of the Illinois style of politics. As such, Governor Blagojevich is welcome to join me and the entire Main Event Mafia at any and all TNA events in the future, and certainly is welcome to sell his seat with us should he choose not to accept our generous offer.” Blagojevich is a former amateur boxer, so Angle is convinced Blagojevich, “easily will be able to handle the transition to pro wrestling,” Angle said. The Illinois House of Representatives voted in favor of impeachment by an astounding margin of 114-1. Only 60 votes were needed to push the impeachment forward. The single dissenting vote came from Democratic State Representative Milton Patterson, who represents the Southwest side of Chicago.
-- Impact did a 1.2 Tuesday night.
-- Tickets for WWE Axxess went on sale today to the public.
-- Smackdown the Friday before WrestleMania will be a live show, apparently from the Axxess event in Houston.
-- Backlash will be April 26th this year in Providence, Rhode Island.
-- We're told John Cena will be on TMZ TV this coming Monday.
-- Gina Carano will have a split-second appearance in a Pepsi commercial that airs tomorrow during the Superbowl.
-- JBL was in Louisville for OVW this week and they only drew 80 fans due to a major snowstorm. They also just lost their TV in Louisville, which is really sad.
-- Jim Ross has Smackdown thoughts and more up here
-- Some St. Louis wrestlers aren't big fans of The Wrestler
-- There is a story here on Vampiro's new documentary.
-- Showtime All-Star Wrestling (SAW), Millersville, TN, 1/30/09, Attendance: 160: Drew Haskins beat Chris Eckos, Jesse Emerson beat Bad Boy Dixon, Lightning Bolt Kid beat Phil Wilson, Sigmon beat Chrisjen Hayme by DQ, Gary Valiant & Harold Knight beat Rick Santel & Hammerjack, Arrick Andrews beat Chris Michaels.
-- Ed in San Antonio has an interview with Bryan Danielson up here, which includes some cameos from me including a report on the UFC weigh-ins last night.
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