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        We're looking for reports on tonight's WWE house shows with Raw in Columbus, GA and Smackdown at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   We're also looking for reports on last night's Raw show in Huntsville, AL and the Smackdown show last night in Puebla, Mexico, as well as the Thursday night Smackdown show in Monterrey, Mexico.

 

        The schedule continues with Bound for Glory tomorrow night at the Bren Events Center at the UC-Irvine campus on PPV from TNA, as well as a Raw house show in Dothan, AL (the city of the very first Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant match).

 

        Raw is Monday night in Jacksonville featuring John Cena vs. HHH plus Snoop Dogg as guest host.

 

        Tuesday has Smackdown & ECW tapings in Columbia, SC and TNA Impact tapings in Orlando.  Impact will also be taped on Wednesday night in Orlando.        

 

        A look at who are the biggest and most popular names in wrestling, MMA and boxing in 2009, as well as a comparison to 2008 leads off Monday's issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.  The list is derived from web activity based on the major names, and is interesting to note in the sense everyone has a list of where they think people rate, including promotions.  

 

        We look at the surprises, as well as what this tells us in advance about what in some ways when it comes to long-term is the most important show remaining in 2009, which is the Strikeforce debut on CBS on 11/7 and where Fedor does or doesn't stand.

 

        We also have a look at how the last few weeks if you attended the two major shows, it would appear Japanese pro wrestling has made a comeback.  We look at why that probably isn't the case, as well as look at notes on the 25th anniversary of the pro debut of Masahiro Chono.  We look at Chono's career highlights, as well as look at New Japan's next major events, and what major Japanese celebrity was part of the show including what WWF champion was created based on this celebrity. 

 

        We've got an update on the Bragging Rights PPV and the Bound for Glory PPV with new matches, new stips and how WWE changed from the original direction.  We look at the promotion of the Raw vs. Smackdown match and Cena vs. Orton match.

 

        The issue is available right now on the web site for premium subscribers.  It is also available to be delivered to your home with subscription details below.  

 

        We also have thoughts on the divas shuffling of the deck, and why this should lead to several turns in upcoming weeks.  We have notes on a future guest host, Maria Menounos talking about her appearance on Raw, a lot of thoughts on the AP story including comments that have had a lot of people laughing at Vince McMahon, McMahon acknowledging the emergence of UFC is affecting the product, as well as more in detail on the most interesting part of the WWE new direction story that is being missed.

       

        We've got notes on the upcoming Smackdown tour of Mexico, changes in PPV names, possibility of WWE doing War Games, who is behind the push of  Drew McIntyre and why.  We also look at the plight of Jack Swagger, MVP and The Miz on Raw.

 

        We've got a lot more on the first salvo of criticism by Republican party leaders to Linda McMahon, as well as what her opponents in the senate race are saying.  We also look at some of the early television commercials Linda McMahon has done.

 

        We've got a long series of stories regarding Booker T and his future, including the different thoughts addressed within WWE regarding him coming in as well as what seems to have led to the end of his tenure in TNA.  We look at the differences in expectations in WWE and TNA, the potential of Sharmell and plenty of other issues regarding Booker including issues rarely talked about from his last WWE run.

 

        We have more notes on Big Show's new movie.

 

        We also look at ethnic audience differences when it comes to interest in WWE and UFC PPV events.  We look at WWE combating TNA and the Hogan tour in Australia, as well as a part-time WWE wrestler talks about wanting one last match with his most famous rival.

 

        We also have a look at Steve Austin, talking about his WWE career, his favorite wrestler of all-time, his favorite match he was ever in, and his thoughts on his acting career, Vince Russo, Ed Ferrara and even ROH.

 

        We also look at the WWE media situation in the U.K. and how a petty squabble has changed things as well as looking at that squabble.

 

        We look at several new people signed of late by WWE, noting the new trend of what they are looking for.  Dolph Ziggler talks about his drug suspension as well as his days as an amateur wrestler, some funny commentary looking back from more than a decade ago, Ted DiBiase responds to criticism of his working in WWE after all the things he had said in the past, as well as a look at the weekend WWE arena events.

 

        We have more on the near death experience in recent days of a popular former WWE woman star, the death of Harley Race's wife, B.J. Race, and the son of a Hall of Famer who at one time was one of the most heavily recruited high school football players in the country who is about to debut as a pro wrestler.

 

        We also look back in history about a former pro wrestler who is little remembered in football but actually was one of two people who broke the color barrier in the NFL and was talked about in this week's Sports Illustrated.

 

        We have a ton of behind-the-scenes notes from TNA regarding not only Booker T, but the future of several of the older wrestlers.  We also look at TNA and the price of its PPVs, we've got an update on Kurt Angle's legal situation, an update on the creative team, an update on Bobby Lashley in MMA and plenty of stories regarding Lacey Von Erich.

 

        We also have a look at the WEC show from the weekend, including TV audience, and questions about judging coming out of the Donald Cerrone vs. Ben Henderson main event.   

         We also have a look at the ratings for all the major pro wrestling and MMA shows on television over the past week.

 

        In this case, we also have details on what segments hit and missed on TNA, as well as how a TNA vs. WWE head-to-head battle did, and interesting notes on where WWE, TNA and UFC's audiences over the past week changed very notably from the prior week. 

 

    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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Also in this week's issue:

 

--Former WWE star being talked about as returning to Mexico

 

--How CMLL business has been doing and the latest lesson of the long-term of price discounting

 

--Big stipulation matches being teased

 

--Charly Manson talks about leaving AAA

 

--AAA fires a former major draw

 

--A new promotion gets major national television and is trying to raid other promotions for talent

 

--A look at the first TV taping from that group including the big angle shot

 

--Former TNA star wins overseas top title

 

--Update on the next Dragon Gate USA show

 

--Hustle brings in new celebrity star, how the big show does with him

 

--A return of the oldest annual tradition in pro wrestling that dates back to 1977

 

--Return of Naomichi Marufuji

 

--A look at the NOAH jr. heavyweight tournament and the G-1 Climax tag team tournament

 

--Dream match signed for later this month

 

--Update on Bobby Heenan

 

--Update on bidding for Ric Flair's old world title belt

 

--One of biggest U.S. stars of 80s writing an autobiography

 

--Hulk Hogan update

 

--Son of 80s star now a college football starting quarterback

 

--Sad story of a murder of an independent pro wrestler

 

--Update on Eddie Edwards and ROH tag team titles

 

--What ROH did at weekend shows that I've never heard of from a TV promotion

 

--Former ECW star coming to RH TV

 

--Wrestling personality gets engaged

 

--Mick Foley talks politics, Linda McMahon, health care and gives details on his next pro wrestling book

 

--Jeff Jarrett/Kurt Angle update

 

--Jim Cornette talks TNA and ROH

 

--TNA Global Impact notes

 

--What team has really held more world tag team titles than any team in history

 

--TNA house show news

 

--A look at upcoming UFC PPV events

 

--Junie Browning attempts to kill himself, and UFC signs new fighter shortly after he also attempted suicide

 

--Mirko Cro Cop talks suicidal thoughts after his last match

 

--UFC conducting seminars with all fighters under contract and why

 

--Notes on Ultimate Fighter

 

--Notes on ticket sales for upcoming UFC events

 

--Notes on UFC running in new markets and getting legalized and regulated

 

--Lorenzo Fertitta talks about which fighter he thinks can be the mainstream star to really push the company up next year

 

--What NBA team paid significant money to get UFC into its arena

 

--UFC goals for next year

 

--UFC magazine's first issue sales vs. WWE magazine sales of late

 

--Rashad Evans talks next fight

 

--Brock Lesnar builds up Shane Carwin fight

 

--The nephew of what former pro wrestling superstar is Lesnar's main coach

 

--MMA awards notes

 

--CBS promotional plans for Fedor and the next show

 

--The complete CBS lineup and thoughts on its marketability, as well as how live tickets are doing

 

--Strikeforce signs a former wrestling champion

 

--Notes on the Dream ratings in Japan and the boxing lead-in

 

--Celebrity scheduled to debut in a month fighting MMA

 

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--Nobody, including the principles involved, are saying anything regarding the future of Shane McMahon.  He is still working in his regular job even though he quit so whatever happened wasn't so bad he left immediately.  Even good friends don't know what his next move is going to be.  

 

--Just a note that we have a great interview with Bruno Sammartino up on the site that we did yesterday afternoon, talking largely about the career of Captain Lou Albano.  Some real interesting tidbits.  Sammartino has been our most popular guest in recent months.  We also have an update talking at length regarding Shane McMahon leaving WWE and Dan Henderson/UFC negotiations going South among other topics.   

 

--Dwayne Johnson will be on early in the show tonight on Saturday Night Live doing "The Rock Obama" character.

 

--Samoa Joe wrote on his twitter page yesterday, "I don't think I have been this sick in a long time.  Hoping I can get well by Sunday."  

 

--TNA's Bound for Glory PPV, its biggest event of the year (and featuring its best promotion of an event in the final hour of Thursday night's Impact), takes place tomorrow with this lineup:

*A.J. Styles vs. Sting for the TNA title - Can Styles prove he deserves to be ranked among the elite workers of the business by carrying a major show main event?  Will TNA react to commercials airing early or will they stay the course?  I don't want to say it's a career defining match for Styles, but it is the biggest match of his career.

*Matt Morgan vs. Kurt Angle - This is also the biggest match of Morgan's career.  Does TNA book Angle strong since he's clearly on the road to a title shot, or do they do the Even Steven booking, water down Angle's chase, but attempt to elevate Morgan?  Most importantly, can Morgan have a great singles match?  If he can't with Angle, it'll be difficult to do so with anyone.

*Bobby Lashley vs. Samoa Joe in a submission match - Lashley has had the weight of bad booking since his arrival take him down a notch.  However, a great performance can make him a player.  And Joe stylistically should be a guy he can have a great performance with under normal circumstances, but Joe's illness may be a factor.

*Mick Foley vs. Abyss in a Monsters Ball match - Foley has talked confidently in recent days about being ready for a match to show he still has it and can do what he did in 2004 (when he had one of his best career matches ever with Randy Orton).  This match will almost surely have oodles of blood and gimmicks.  Dr. Stevie is referee.
*Amazing Red vs. Homicide vs. Suicide vs. Daniels vs. The Pope  in an Ultimate X match.  TNA does these matches far too often (you can say that about gimmick matches in general), but these bouts are usually good.  This should open the show and be a show stealer type match.

*Team 3-D vs. Scott Steiner & Booker T vs. British Invasion vs. Beer Money for both the TNA and IWGP tag titles.  There will be belts hung up over two different parts of the ring.  It's Full Metal Mayhem, which is TNA's version of a TLC match.  Just to clarify the rules, the person who gets the belt wins it for his team.  So it's not like Bubba Dudley & James Storm can end up as TNA tag champs.  It is possible one team will win both sets of tag belts, but I'd guess it won't happen.  So the match will have two winners, no doubt for positioning reasons, the IWGP tag title winners will win first, followed by the TNA tag title winners.  With this likely being Booker T's last match with the promotion, that should leave the other three teams as contenders for the two sets of belts.

*Kevin Nash vs. Eric Young vs. Hernandez for the Legends title - Hernandez vs. Nash on television for the title was awful, so the goal here would be for Hernandez and Young to work around Nash. 

*Taylor Wilde & Sarita vs. Velvet Sky & Madison Rayne for the Knockouts tag titles.  Lacey Von Erich will probably interfere, and hopefully not have to do anything more difficult than the claw.

*ODB vs. Tara vs. Awesome Kong for the Knockouts title. 

*Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Consequences Creed & Jay Lethal.  This will air at a little after 7:30 p.m. on a free preview show.  Hopefully they give these guys a 10:00 match instead of a rush job because they can have one of the best matches on the show.

        There are definitely a few potential rough spots underneath.  Ultimate X is the only match on the main show I'd say is guaranteed to be great, but most of the matches should be good and for Abyss, Morgan and Styles, you can make a case that they are all in the most important match of their career.

 

--Story on former NFL star Russ Francis, who was also a pro wrestler in the 70s (as was his father who was a very good worker and top promo guy, his older brother also wrestled), and worked a few shows in the late 80s, being accused of theft by the owner of the Omaha Beef indoor football league team at http://www.mercurynews.com/49ers/ci_13576781  Francis is generally considered one of the greatest athletes in the history of the state of Hawaii, where he grew up with his father as the wrestling promoter.

 

--A story on tickets going on sale for the tribranded house show on 12/30 at the 50,000 seat Carrier Dome (they have cut down on what they are selling, so capacity will be closer to 20-30,000) in Syracuse, NY is at http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/wrestling_fans_pin_ticket_hope.html   The matches announced for the show are Randy Orton vs. John Cena for the title, DX vs. Chris Jericho & Big Show for the tag titles, Batista vs. Kane and Miz vs. MVP vs. Kofi Kingston for the U.S. title.  Don't read that as a giveaway to anything, because the only thing I can largely guarantee is that most of those matches won't be held on that night.

 

--A note on WWE trying to take down youtube videos of things like the necrophilia angle after the Connecticut democratic party started sending clips to reporters is at http://blogs.courant.com/rick_green/2009/      

 

--The Super Six World Boxing Classic on Showtime debuts tonight at 8 p.m. with Carl Froch vs. Andre Dirrell and Arthur Abraham vs. Jermain Taylor in what will be a series of matches between six of the top super middleweights in the world in a new concept for boxing.  The matches emanate from Nottingham, England and Berlin, Germany, respectively.

 

--Best wrestler of these Hall of Famers

Gori Guerrero 51.3%

Konnan 27.2%

Lizmark Sr. 9.6%

Rayo de Jalisco Sr. 7.7%

Tarzan Lopez 4.2%

        I think even Konnan would be embarrassed to be listed as a better wrestler than Tarzan Lopez, Rayo's father, or Lizmark.  Maybe a better draw, but that's a different question.

 

--Poll on Superstars

Excellent 16.4%

Good 29.1%

Average 20.0%

Fair 3.6%

Poor 30.9%

        65.4% of those responding didn't see the show.  People at least here seem to have given up on that show.

 

--Poll on Impact

Excellent 51.3%

Good 33.6%

Average 5.9%

Fair 3.4%

Poor 5.9%

        36.0% of those responding didn't see the show.  Best marks for an Impact broadcast in a long time.

 

--What do you consider the real main event at Bound for Glory?

Sting vs. A.J. Styles 68.2%

Bobby Lashley vs. Samoa Joe 13.8%

Mick Foley vs. Abyss 11.1%

Kurt Angle vs. Matt Morgan 4.6%

Four-way tag team title match 2.3%

                 

--Lance Storm talks about what he thinks were the last two matches of his career in the ROH DVD releases from Toronto in July, as well as talks Shimmer DVDs at http://www.stormwrestling.com/101709.html

 

--Jim Ross was shown on the sidelines of the Texas/OU game today on ABC.  Well, where else would you think he would be today? (thanks to John Sugrue)

 

--South Park will be doing a WWE themed episode on 10/21 at 10 p.m. on  Comedy Central

 

--Carolina Fight Promotions on 10/24 in Raleigh at the RBC Center features Jason Guida (replacing Lance Evans, Rashad's brother) vs. Vinny Magalhaes in the main event.  Royce Gracie will be appearing at the show. (thanks to Mike Gunter)

 

--Forte Angelly is wondering if people with Verizon in Irving, TX are having trouble with getting new programs downloaded for October for the WWE On Demand service.

 

--Terri Runnels is donating a 16x12 signed print of herself in various gimmicks during her career with an auction at www.wrestlersrescue.com as part of a fund raiser for Steve "Dr. Death" Williams costs of fighting cancer.

 

--Alex Marvez talks with A.J. Styles at http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/48291 talking about first meeting Sting years ago, talking about being in TNA from the start.

 

--USWO from last night in Nashville:  Psycho Medic b Convict, Lee Cross b Saint, Travis Starr & Steven Green b Dyron Flynn & Crusher Eric Hodge, Bad Boy Dixon b Jon Davis, Shane Smalls b Chic Canyon, Tommy Mercer b Chris Michaels-DQ, Matt Korbaine & Kevin Dunn b Damien Payne & Bad Boy Dixon (thanks to Jimmie Daniel)

 

--Dynamo Pro Wrestling from last night in Glen Carbon, IL:  Alexandre Rudolph b Dark Star, Shorty Biggs b Gary Jay, Billy McNeil b Matt Fitchett, Trent Stone b Outkast, Pierre Abernathy & Evan Gelistico over Steven Kennedy & K.C. Karrington, Brandon Aarons & Brandon Espinosa and Devin & Mason Cutter, MsChif b Nicole Matthews, Davey Vega b Dingo (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)   

 

--BANG tonight in Ocala, FL features a women's Battle Royal at the Funking Conservatory

 

--NWA Insanity from last night in Milwaukee:  Ninjas Inc b Peter B Beautiful, Jason Hades b Dinn T Moore, Carter Dunn & Steve Stone b Bobby Valentino & Kody Rice, Trevor Gibson b Blazin Benjamin, Mickie McCoy d Justin Dredd, Troy Walters b Chase McCoy