MON. UPDATE: EVERYONE IN WRESTLING AND SPORTSWRITING TALKS LESNAR; WWE SIGNING; MORE RESPONSE
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We're looking for your thoughts on Saturday night's UFC 100, 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 in Orlando tonight with dark matches, Superstars matches or anything else. Nothing at this point has been announced for the show other than Seth Green as guest General Manager and I guess they have to address the tag title situation with Edge being injured and coming up with a new championship match for Night of Champions. I don't know if this is accurate but someone backstage said the main event was HHH & John Cena & Seth Green vs. Legacy.
Smackdown and ECW will be taped tomorrow night in Miami.
UFC has three hours of Unleashed on Spike tonight starting at 7 p.m. with Robbie Lawler vs. Nick Diaz, Diego Sanchez vs. Brian Gassaway, Jeremy Stephens vs. Cole Miller, Luke Cummo vs. Edilberto Crocata, Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva, Shane Carwin vs. Christian Wellisch, Nate Marquardt vs. Martin Kampmann and Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin.
We're also looking for reports on Friday night's TNA house show in Jamestown, NY, Friday night's WWE show in Manila, Philippines
Raw will be tomorrow night from Orlando's Amway Arena. No matches were announced, but Seth Green will be the guest General Manager. ECW & Smackdown are taped on Tuesday night in Miami.
All subscriptions to the newsletter and web site for more than one month will include what is traditionally our most talked about and best selling issue of the year, the 2009 Hall of Fame issue. Starting this coming week in the Observer we are doing an historical look at the biggest draws in history and in looking at those numbers, a number of names come up as potentially overlooked candidates. We'll have more in that direction over the next few weeks as well as a Hall of Fame preview issue after all the ballots are cast but before the Hall of Fame issue itself. So several special issues are coming over the next six weeks.
We've got a look at UFC 100's attempt to become the biggest non-boxing PPV event in history with a look back at Dana White, Vince McMahon, the difference between the two, how both got into power, how history of given both men credit for things they didn't do, the real story of UFC's rise to prominence and what slowed it up, and what was really the night where UFC broke through as a television entity, and it was not Griffin vs. Bonnar.
We also have a look at Edge's torn Achilles tendon, and different ideas bounced around regarding what happens next, as well as what plans for Edge and the tag title that have been thrown out the window.
We also have a look at the public funeral of Mitsuharu Misawa, the biggest athlete funerals of all-time and where it ranks, as well as the new power hierarchy in Pro Wrestling NOAH including who gained and lost power, and what Misawa's wishes were for the promotion in the event he could no longer run things.
We've got a lot of history in this coming week's issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. We have a feature looking back at the biggest event of each year in pro wrestling since 1900, as well as all the record-breaking events in both recorded pro wrestling and MMA history. Japan, Australia, Europe, U.S., Canada and Mexico are all covered in a look at many of the biggest pro wrestling and MMA events of all-time.
The feature also looks at wrestlers who may be considered strong Hall of Fame candidates based on these records, as well as others who were big draws who for other reasons may not be strong candidates. We look at dozens of different names, as well as former football players who were among the bigger draws in wrestling history, the case for two of the biggest candidates as promoters, as well as what wrestlers make the list the most times in their career. We also look at the enduring legends, people who drew the biggest crowds of the year more than a decade apart.
This is probably the most complete look at huge match draws, in the context of their era, that has been produced, and we will have more on the subject in future issues.
Among the notes in this issue's listing include:
--Every attendance record in history dating back to 1908
--What U.S. star drew 65,000 fans to a show in Greece
--The first successful baseball stadium shows
--The only year when a woman's match was the biggest attended pro wrestling match in the world
--The first time the biggest attended pro wrestling match was headlined by a member of the Gracie family
--What NFL legend twice had the biggest drawing U.S. match of the year
--First $100,000 house
--First closed-circuit show
--Largest crowd in history
--Business of early Wrestlemanias
--First Tokyo Dome sellout
--All-time Mexico attendance record
--All-time record gate
--What wrestler drew the largest crowd of the year the most times
--Who had the most enduring drawing power
The issue is available today for subscribers to the web site.
The Wrestling Observer ranges from 25,000 to 40,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA all over the world.
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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
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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. We also have a look at Waldo Von Erich, who passed away this past week, and his rivalry with Bruno Sammartino, Bill Watts and others.
We also have more on the deaths of Mexican minis the Jiminez brothers, including with major WWE PPV shows both men worked, and more details regarding their murders.
We've got an update on Jeff Hardy's future, Matt Hardy's surgery, notes on WWE television production, the head of a major station talks about what the station needs to break through to being a top five station on cable, and where wrestling could fit.
We also look at Jerry Lawler running for mayor, the Jericho vs. Miz feud, update on both the WWE video game and TNA video game going forward, as well as where the UFC game fits into posturing for the WWE game.
We've got notes on some of the PPV shows for WWE for the rest of this year, reviews of Ted DiBiase and what he was best known for as a wrestler, notes on WWE travel, update on Mr. Kennedy, and business notes from all of the WWE shows over the past week.
We also have notes on a new WWE signing, a former wrestler with national exposure getting a name change, plus a look at all the shows both domestically and on the two international tours this week.
We've got an update on Lavar Johnson, the Strikeforce heavyweight who was shot this past week, including the big fight he was about to be announced for the next big show.
We've also got a feature on Billy "Red" Lyons, including what he was best known for in Toronto, his career title history, his early days in wrestling, his heyday, The Flying Redheads, his tag team with The Destroyer and lifelong friendship, some of his biggest matches and the latter stages of his career in Toronto.
We also have preliminary numbers for the Judgment Day PPV and how it performed compared with last year's show.
We also have our usual weekly features, including the most detailed look at the ratings of the major shows, including what segments gained and lost viewers, results from the major league arena events over the past week, and the major TV show reviews.
Also in this week's issue:
--80s and 90s star needs emergency surgery and career looks to be over
--Two big names for more than 20 years talk about doing a career vs. career main event on a major show later this year
--Unique match where all six wrestlers opposed their real life brother
--Retirement of a Hall of Famer and another says he's slowing down and may never wrestle outside his home town
--International promotion signs up with a Canadian company to market house shows, English language television, PPVs and merchandise in the U.S.
--WWE pulls wrestler from a major show for interesting reasons
--A look at the All Japan junior heavyweight tournament
--Heavyweight vs. junior heavyweight champion match takes place this past week
--Motor City Machine Guns lose belts in Japan
--Former ECW champ set to have a program with current IWGP champ
--First news on the G-1 Climax tournament
--Former promoter sentenced to a year in jail
--Update on Brian Blair's situation
--Update on Roddy Piper's legal situation
--Internal predictions for UFC 100
--Newest members of UFC Hall of Fame
--UFC gets gigantic television breakthrough
--Lots of new UFC matches and big shows for the rest of the year
--WWE's biggest star (according to Vince) and one of UFC's biggest stars hit it off
--UFC may sue rival promotion
--Update on next Strikeforce show and next Affliction show
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
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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)
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We now have available personally autographed copies of Tributes II, our latest book, as well as a DVD that comes with it talking more
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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
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--UFC on Spike this week, besides the three hours tonight, will have the 2/7 show from Tampa headlined by Joe Lauzon vs. Jeremy Stephens airing on Wednesday night at 9 p.m., followed by an hour of Unleashed. Thursday has an hour of Unleashed leading into Impact. Sunday from 5-10 p.m. has five more hours of Unleashed.
--Mick Foley will be appearing on 8/22 at the Hollywood Improv in California doing a stand-up comedy routine. Is Borash going to work as his sidekick?
--Jim Ross talks Brock Lesnar at http://www.jrsbarbq.com/blog
--This got amazingly little pub, but one of the real standout promoters in the history of pro wrestling, Takashi Matsunaga, who turned Japanese women's wrestling into at one point a prime time network attraction that drew ratings that would rival that of the NFL passed away on Saturday night at the age of 73.
--NWS on 7/24 in Middletown, NJ at the VFW Post 2179 Hall with Bob Holly, Sal Sincere, Nunzio and Angel Orsini. Holly also headlines 7/25 in Dunellen, NJ at the Knights of Columbus Hall and 7/26 in Point Pleasant, NJ at the Elks Lodge Showgrounds.
--D1 Pro Wrestling on 8/15 in Davie, FL at the PAL Gym
--Alex Marvez talks with Jennifer Mir at http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/9791916/Wife%27s-words-broke-Mir-do wn,-built-him-back-up
--Marvez on Brock Lesnar at http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/9798494/Lesnar-loves-being-UFC%27s- biggest-villain
--Arash Markazi of Sports Illustrated on Lesnar at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/arash_markazi/07/12/
--Ed Ganey of the Las Vegas Review Journal on Lesnar at http://www.lvrj.com/sports/50575487.html
--Lance Storm on Brock Lesnar at http://www.stormwrestling.com/071209.html
--Tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of Black Saturday, as it was July 14, 1984 when Vince McMahon took over the Georgia Championship Wrestling Saturday night time slot on TBS.
--Jersey All Pro Wrestling on 8/1 in Jersey City with Dan Maff vs. Trent Acid and Chris Hero vs. Claudio Castagnoli
--Northeast Championship Wrestling on 8/15 at Campbell's Field in Camden, NJ featuring a Buddy Rogers Memorial Battle Royal (Rogers was from the area). Lanny Poffo will do a poem and speak about Rogers. Al Snow vs. Jerry Lynn headlines plus Jim Neidhart and C.W. Anderson are wrestling on the show.
--Kurt Brown on UFC 100 at http://stantheembryo.com
--The Daily Mail on Saturday claimed more than half a billion people would see UFC 100, and claimed 100 million people in Mexico had registered to see it, meaning that it would be viewed by as many as 400 million in the country. Mexico only has 109 million people. Unreal shit. (thanks to John Lister)
--Tito Santana, Sandman and Armando Estrada can be booked at http://WrestleBookings.com
--Seth Green's character made fun of pro wrestling in the movie "Can't Buy Me Love." He could also be seen in an old episode of MSG Classics at ringside taunting the heels when he was probably 12 or 13, during the 80s
--The Buffer 360, and boy was he happy, at http://tymcm.blogspot.com/2009/07/ufc-100-thoughts.html
--Next CZW show is 8/2 in Philadelphia with Drake Younger & Scotty Vorktekz vs. Jon Moxley & Sami Callihan
--Results from the 7/11 CZW show in Philadelphia: Greg Excellent & Pinkie Sanchez b Ruckus & Sabian, Jon Dahmer b Ryan Sister & Drew Gulak, Devon Moore b Rich Swann, Tyler Veritas b Michael Facade, Bain Damage b Joe Gacy, Jon Moxley b Scott Vortekz, Carter Gray b B-Boy, T.J Cannon & Bruce Maxwell b Nick Gage & Nate Hatred, D.J. Hyde b Egotistico Fantastico, Drake Younger over Sami Callihan and Trent Acid in the CZW title match
--In the current issue of Sports Illustrated, in the "They Said It" column,n, Phil Coke of the Yankees, a fan of wrestling, who watched FCW practice said, if wrestling was real or fake, "It's real, because you have to put a lot of time into learning not how to kill someone by accident." (thanks to Seth Drzewicki)
--Did Skip Bayless on ESPN 2 today really say that UFC is fake, the punches were pulled and the results are set up like WWE?
--The number ESPN is apparently going with on the buy rate is 1.5 million. At this point, nobody knows, however that figure doesn't seem out of range either.
--If you didn't see it, it's at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa3POS-6o_-A
--This afternoon, the first and seventh most popular story in the Minneapolis Star Trib web site were different stories on Lesnar. (thanks to Gary Collins)
--WWE has signed Nick Dinsmore. They want him to help groom young talent.
--Review of Bret Hart's book at http://thecelebritycafe.com/books/full_review/1823.html
--Last time I checked, in the 100 most searched items worldwide on the Internet:
7. Lesnar post fight
9. Shane Carwin
13. Alistair Overeem
19. UFC 100
55. Michael Bisping
76. Henderson vs. Bisping
Other sports references were Amanda Rodrigues Gatti (5), Tour De France (28), British Open (48) and All-Star game (67).
--Police are going with the idea that Amanda Rodrigues Gatti, Arturo's wife, strangled him to death with her purse strap while he was completely passed out drunk. Apparently police have determined that it was impossible for anyone except the two to be in apartment they rented for their Honeymoon. She claimed on Friday night they got into a fight and he shoved her down, landing on her elbow and chain. She said she was sleeping on the second floor of the apartment they were renting and he was on the first floor, woke up at 6 a.m., found him dead and called police. Police estimated he was dead for at least four hours. Electronic locks indicated nobody else had gotten into the apartment. She claimed has either killed by an intruder or committed suicide.
--Frank Mir claimed Brock Lesnar was an embarrassment to the sport, embarrassed his children, and he wants a rematch because he came "within half-an-inch of catching him."
--Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle on why MMA will remain a niche sport at http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/11950726 I'll talk about this one later tonight on the radio show.
--Ratto was on Rome is Burning on ESPN today and said that this show was like Wrestlemania III, and that's as high as it goes, noting Vince McMahon has never had a payday like that since, and it was 25 years ago. Well, 22. This year's Wrestlemania did 962,000 buys and Wrestlemania III did 400,000. This year's Wrestlemania did $6.9 million and Wrestlemania III did $1.6 million. Oh well. Ratto made a point that UFC 101 and 102 won't do as well as this show did. Duh. I was told that aside from this the conversation was pretty good. (thanks to John Sugrue)
--PTI saw Woody Paige and J.A. Adande both have positive takes on Lesnar and the show. Jay Mariotti didn't, but he wasn't going to no matter what. He claimed that they have to get rid of the WWE. Paige pointed out that Tyson was a lot worse, that Ali cut promos all the time, and then Kevin Blackstone got mad at that saying, "Don't put Brock Lesnar and Muhammad Ali in the same sentence." Blackstone said Lesnar was horrible to his wife (actually, she loved the comment, and comparing Lesnar to his wife and Ali to his is not an argument an informed person would want to make), for disrespecting his opponent and said, "I'll stick with boxing."
--Our web poll
I watch UFC PPVs regularly, this show made me like it more or the same 56.9%
I watch big shows, not regularly, but this made me like it more or the same 12.8%
I watch some shows, this made me like it more or the same 7.8%
Almost never watch, did watch this, made me like it more or the same 8.2%
Have watched but skipped this one, didn't like the card 5.1%
Never watched, did because of Lesnar vs. Mir, liked it 3.1%
Never watched, did watch this because of it being UFC 100, didn't like it 2.2%
Never watched, did watch because of it being UFC 100, liked it 1.9%
Regular watcher, didn't like the show, don't want to watch again 1.5%
Never watched before, did so because of all the hype, won't watch again because of Lesnar 0.5%
Who won Akiyama vs. Belcher
Akiyama 58.9%
Belcher 41.1%
--What did you think of Lesnar's antics
Tremendous, great heel, will increase drawing power 35.3%
Better than tremendous 28.4%
Some good, some bad, good for box office, but could hurt in the long run 8.5%
Funny due to the irony of the people criticizing it accepting Mayweather's heel antics 7.8%
Funny it's focused on and nothing Henderson did is 6.4%
Mad no difference, won't help or hurt his drawing power 5.8%
Bad, hurts UFC's image which is important right now 4.9%
Funny people are complaining who watched the Countdown show 2.3%
Bad, it will turn fans off from buying in the future 0.8%
--Biggest pro wrestling star of the 50s
Lou Thesz 38.6%
Rikidozan 17.0%
El Santo 12.7%
Killer Kowalski 10.4%
Argentina Rocca 8.9%
Dick the Bruiser 3.5%
Verne Gagne 3.1%
Edouard Carpentier 1.9%
Gene Kiniski 1.5%
Whipper Watson 1.2%
Blue Demon 0.8%
Pat O'Connor 0.4%
--And another take at http://www.cnbc.com/id/31891792 I'm not sure what this had to do with the story, but he noted that the IOC just sent out memos that any Olympic athletes who have sponsors who aren't Olympic sponsors can't do any work for their own sponsors three weeks before the Olympics and one week after. Top Olympic athletes are usually supported by sponsors.
--Paul Heyman at http://heymanhustle.craveonline.com/blogs/21038-paul-heyman-brock-lesnar- the-ultimate-heel-for-ufc Heyman was strongly considering going (he and Lesnar are good friends) but felt it would be a negative because it would lead to more people calling it a circus.
--Brian Lawler will spend 30 days in jail for public intoxication at http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090713/
--WWE stock was up to $12.69 today. The increase was about the same as the increase in the overall market.
--Good chance the Raw rating gets hurt tonight by the Home Run Derby. In the past, the Raw going against the Home Run Derby usually suffers.
--The Ron Killings thing came from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TN2M3c88N4
--Ted DiBiase at http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/wrestling/2009/07/ He said he wanted to be a wrestler from childhood. He talked about his favorite matches being singles matches recently with John Cena and the TV match in San Jose with Randy Orton.
--Dana White was on Opie & Anthony today. Only thing getting play is on Steve Mazzagatti, who shaved off the mustache, saying he's the worst referee who ever worked one of our matches. He also said that he hopes to get MMA into the Olympics and pushed the 8/8 show in Philadelphia. (thanks to Barry Gilpin and Jeff Sheridan)
--For those mad about not touching gloves, there is a pre fight animation in UFC Undisputed where at random, about 25% of the time, one of the two fighters refuses to touch gloves. It's frequent enough that it's part of the video game (thanks to Seven Mascarenhas)
--Gina Carano on Boomer and Carton, okay, not really, but they probably wish, but she did get interviewed by them at http://www.wfan.com/pages/870783.php
--Carano and Cris Cyborg will be in Madison Square Garden at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow for a press conference to build up their fight. It's actually at the WaMu Theater in the Garden complex
--Flip Kendrick is out of the fray, the pregame show for the 7/25 Dragon Gate show in Philadelphia. Cheech and Cloudy have been added.
--BANG from yesterday in Ocala: Charlotte Mahoy & Rachael Moore b Claw & Sar-ah, Damien Steele b Hack Myers, Shane Chung b Jumbo Elvis Sharpe, Dory Funk & Johnny Magnum b Chaos & Blain Rage. Next show is 8/9 at the Funking Conservatory in Ocala
--CHIKARA's Young Lions tournament will be 8/14 in Easton, PA at the Charles Chrin Community Center, 8/15 in the same location, and 8/16 at the Arena in Philadelphia. 20 of 24 wrestlers for the tournament open to those under 25 are Lince Dorado, Hydra, Grizzly Redwood, Tim Donst, Soldier Ant, Player Uno, Frightmare, K.C. Day, Player Dos, Create-a-Wrestler, El Leonino, Jason Hades, Yellow Dog, Chimaera, Ryan Cruz, Darin Corbin, Brendan Michael Thomas, Prince Mustafa Ali, Carpenter Ant (the flying French ant) and Trik Davis
--IWF at Buffalo Rose in Golden, CO on 8/16
--Chicago Sun Times reporter Joe Cowley talks about training for pro wrestling with Consequences Creed and White Sox strength coach and former wrestler Dale Torborg at http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/1662090,CST-SPT-joepro12 .article
--Maryland Championship Wrestling on 8/7 in Dundalk, MD at the New Green Room featuring Ron Simmons _
