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We're looking for reports on tonight's WWE Raw house show in Amarillo at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

We'll also have live coverage tonight of the Strikeforce show in San Jose headlined by Sarah Kaufman vs. Takayo Hashi to create the first women's welterweight champion. The show airs live starting at 11 p.m. Eastern on Showtime.

No major events this weekend stateside, with the biggest event being a Sunday Pro Wrestling NOAH show at Budokan Hall in Tokyo with Takashi Sugiura defending the GHC heavyweight title against Togi Makabe and, Takeshi Rikio & Mohammed Yone defending the tag titles against Yoshihiro Takayama & Takuma Sano and a special guest appearence of Zero-One world champion Toshiaki Kawada, facing Takeshi Morishima.

Saturday night will have WWE house shows in Lubbock, TX for Raw, and Tyler, TX for Smackdown. Sunday has Raw in Wichita Falls, TX, and Smackdown in Abilene.

Raw will be live on Monday night in Oklahoma City. Cheech & Chong are guest hosts and Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase is the main event. Bret Hart will return on the show, likely finalizing the angle for the Hart vs. Vince McMahon match at WrestleMania.

Smackdown and NXT will be taped on Tuesday night in Wichita, KS.

Smackdown tonight has:
* Drew vs. Kane in a Money in the Bank qualifier
* Punk vs. Shelton in another qualifier
* Morrison vs. Truth vs. Ziggler in a qualifier
* Michelle vs. Mickie with Vickie as referee
* Edge vs. Miz

We update the road to WrestleMania, as well as look at the Elimination Chamber PPV, what happened this past week with Undertaker and Ric Flair, a previous incident somewhat similar to what happened with Undertaker that never got any publicity as among the lead stories in this coming Monday's issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

The issue also includes a complete rundown of UFC's debut in Australia, more on WWE's change in PPV philosophy, as well as an interesting list regarding the men who have wrestled the most matches in modern WWE history. the men who wrestled the most matches in mode.

The issue is available right now to web site subscribers. For those interested in getting the Observer mailed to your home, ordering details follow.

We look at the booking leading to WrestleMania, the matches that have been announced, the matches that are being built that haven't been announced, as well as more on where the former ECW wrestlers are going and thoughts on the debut of NXT.

We have a complete rundown of what happened to Undertaker, as well as what was going on backstage when it all happened.

We've got our usual coverage of both the Elimination Chamber and UFC 110, with business notes on both shows and match-by-match rundowns as well as poll results for each show.

We look at the Australian crowd, how the show did on television in Australia and the market, problems with running in what would probably be UFC's strongest city in that country, how things differed from debuts in other markets, as well as where Cain Velasquez fits in, and clarifications of what happened with the fighters who pulled out at hte last minute and the Stephan Bonnar-Krzysztof Soszynski fight.

We update the WWE change in PPV philosophy, with a look at the shows that have been dropped, the shows that have been added, and how things may be changing again from here.

We also have a bizarre story about a wrestler who was arrested this past week on a murder charge.

We have notes on what happened with Ric Flair on Sunday night, ramifications, and more of what is going on with his life.

We've got a listing of the 15 men who look to have wrestled the most matches in the modern history of WWE. We look at who is No. 1, how long his record appears safe for, and notes on the active wrestlers on the list.

We have two months worth of business charts for both WWE & TNA, looking at house shows, ratings and PPV numbers and comparisons of this time last year with this year to see what is up and what is down.

We also have notes on a WWE star hosting an awards show, update on guest host plans, update on the Hall of Fame, more on The Miz-Daniel Bryan angle, updates on several WWE movies, Steve Austin talks about a major angle that he did that was a mistake and have a profile of Wendi Richter, including her famous match, and the strange way her tenure with the company ended and what she did after wrestling.

We've also got an update on Jim Ross, including some interesting comments he made, one of which goes completely against the WWE corporate doctrine.

We also have the comments in context made by Frank Mir regarding Brock Lesnar, as well as the UFC reaction, and why the comments, while never smart, were really ill-timed at this point in history

We've got more on the Washington Post story on Linda McMahon, including what is hopefully a misquote or is something that sounds really silly to say regarding steroid use in sports.

We have notes on a new member of the WWE creative team, the Michael Cole "heel turn," several new wrestles signed and their backgrounds including the return of a former tag team champion, a unique idea for a show, an idea for fall house shows, as well as business notes and highlights from the weekend WWE house shows.

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.

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 28th 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 spam bots, 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 spam bots, 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.

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-- Despite Fedor Emelianenko pulling out, the April 17th Strikeforce show from Nashville is still on. One would think Jake Shields vs. Dan Henderson for the 185-pound title would headline at this point.

-- As noted on the front page, Hurricane, Paul Burchill and Maria were all released by WWE today, the latter being a big surprise. She said she had no warning, did not ask for her release and was sad that she never won the title or would get to work at WrestleMania again. But she did say when one door closes another opens and she has a lot of different ideas. Plus she'll be doing Celebrity Apprentice in a few weeks.

-- Jim Ross was in Stamford yesterday negotiating a new contract. He wrote on his blog that the meeting went well but he has not signed a new deal. He did talk about hopefully being part of WrestleMania.

--MavTV said Wrestlelicious will debut at 11 p.m. Monday and be replayed on Wednesday and Friday nights, also at 11 p.m. (thanks to Jeff Sheridan) 

-- No Impact rating yet but the Olympics did a 16.3 rating opposite in the fast nationals.

-- Dave has a great story on Sarah Kaufman, who fights on the Strikeforce show tonight, here.

-- Regarding the video of Chuck Liddell and his girlfriend Heidi Northcott working out naked, it was, as many people figured, part of a viral ad campaign for Reebok and not some weird(er). Northcott, who needs to work out naked more often, was number 12 most searched this morning and Chuck was number 19. So at least the viral campaign effectively promoted them.

-- West Coast Wrestling Company is doing a show in Pendleton, CA tomorrow saluting the troops. It's a half-wrestling/half-Muay Thai show (really) and Goldberg will be making an appearance to sign autographs. And, well, perhaps more.

-- More UFC trouble. Spencer Fisher suffered a back injury and is out of 3/21 fight with Duane Ludwig in Broomfield, CO. Cole Miller also suffered a hand injury and it out of 3/31 fight with Andre Winner in Charlotte.

-- Foley was on Opie and Anthony today and there will be repeats throughout the day. If anyone listened feel free to send us a report.

-- Hogan on ESPN Radio in St. Louis yesterday said that he wouldn't be wrestling again after March 8th, including at Lockdown. He also plugged the match saying that if Ric Flair's wife could beat Ric up, he knew he could. Nice. You can listen to the interview by clicking here. Thanks to Matt Burrows.

-- Josie Bynum, who worked as Sojourner Bolt in TNA, has signed with Wrestlicious. The show is being billed as an "action/comedy series" and starts March 1st in select markets.

-- The Wrestling at the Chase video revival at Applebees in St. Louis last night, hosted by Larry Matysik, was a huge success. It actually sold out Applebees and was said to be a very easy crowd. It started at 7:45 and went until almost midnight. Matysik said it was really an amazing evening.

-- Honky Tonk Man on the Fight Show said he plans on suing both Bubba the Love Sponge and TNA for making disparaging and slanderous remarks about him that have cost him indy bookings.

-- Petey Williams vs. Austin Aries has been added to Glory by Honor VIII on March 19th in Dearborn, MI for ROH.

-- The NFL is going to be testing all the prospective draftees this year for baseline brain activity, to better measure whether or not a player is fit to return to action. An article on it is here. Thanks to longtime reader Jeremy.

-- Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who is a big wrestling fan, tweeted last night that he really wanted to go to WrestleMania but the tickets were too pricey. ROH responded by tweeting that they'd extend tickets to him for the ROH shows that same weekend.

-- For the upcoming Mayweather/Mosley fight, both sides have agreed to full random blood and urine testing for that match. I does not appear there is any cut-off date for any of that testing. Sure makes Pacquaio look bad. Thanks to Jereme.

-- James writes: In the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper in Australia in the last few days there has been quite a few letters in the letters section on UFC 110. Most letters criticize UFC for its violence.

-- Jay writes: Just thought I'd let you know, earlier in the week in the daily updates, you ran a short piece about the Belleville Intelligencer article comparing MMA to dogfighting.. .just wanted to give you an update on that front. There were no less than *9* letters printed in the Thursday, Feb.25th Belleville Intelligencer, all heavily criticizing the article. It received international attention - there were letters from as far away as Detroit and Sacramento, which I think is very unusual for a small-city newspaper in Canada. As a longtime, daily reader of the 'Intel' as we call our local paper, I've never, ever seen such a negative response to any article, in any field - be it politics, local news, sports, international news, or anything else, EVER. The 9 letters, which took up a page and a third worth of content, were accompanied by a formal apology from the Belleville Intelligencer. One of those 9 letters was my own. Another was written by my Brazilian jiujitsu instructor. Unfortunately, the online version contains only one letter - my own, and doesn't show the others, or the apology. That being said, I'm proud of what I've written and stand by my opinion, and I'm pleased that the paper selected my words for the online edition. I'd be greatly pleased if you could share it with the Wrestling Observer/F4W readers - you could link to it in an update, or you could reproduce it and put it on the page if you feel that would be appropriate, along with another link to the original story (if that's legal - not really sure on how copyright works with letters to the editor, maybe the paper owns the text now, but you have my permission at least). Line is here.

-- Matthew Castaneda, Held in 12-Year-Old Girl's Sexual Assault, May Be MySpace Predator

-- TMZ has picked up the Kong/Bubba story

-- New Stacy Kiebler pics here

-- Lance looks at WrestleMania IV here.

-- If Linda McMahon is P.T. Barnum, Connecticut in More Trouble Than We Know

-- A look at Mickie James

-- Kris Zellner writes: Olimpico has followed Zumbido's lead in trying to get back his job in EMLL saying that he has repented his sins for going against the promotion and has started making inroads for a potential return. Olimpico left EMLL for Perros del Mal in 2008 and said that they promised him a lot but gave him basically nothing because the same 5-6 guys will be in the main events of every show and that will be the downfall of their promotion. Olimpico said that aligning with Hijo del Santo will keep them alive for a while but it won't last long because egos will take over and would kill their partnership. Olimpico said that before the deal with Santo, Perro was trying his best to align with AAA or EMLL to try and latch on for a big payday but the promotions wouldn't fall for his tricks and he believes that when Santo leaves him, that he would try it again.

-- Vance Archer has been moved to Smackdown.

-- Vinny V and I are out for revenge tomorrow against Chris Ryseck and the Ideal Reflection at the Tulalip Championship Wrestling show in Marysville, WA at the Pacific Rim. More info here. If you haven't seen it, you can check out the first match setting it up here.

-- Whose version of the story regarding the phone call do you believe
Awesome Kong 56.4%
Bubba the Love Sponge 14.2%
Don't believe either one 29.4%

What do you consider the greatest classic in-ring rivalry?
Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat 31.7%
Steve Austin vs. Rock 15.1%
Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels 14.5%
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada 9.0%
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi 8.7%
Freebirds vs. Von Erichs 5.0%
Midnight Express vs. Rock & Roll Express 4.6%
Jack Brisco vs. Dory Funk Jr. 3.6%
Tiger Mask vs. Dynamite Kid 3.4%
Jerry Lawler vs. Bill Dundee 2.7%
Manami Toyota vs. Toshiyo Yamada 1.0%

In six weeks, which of these shows will have the highest rating
NXT 50.6%
Impact 49.4%

-- Primal Conflict Wrestling "Unleashed 2010", Saturday, April 10, 2010, 7:30 Belltime;Doors Open at 6:45. Jefferson County Community Center, 235 Sam Michaels Lane, Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia.

-- ACPW presents PCWA “Brawl at the Mall 2010 at Center Court in the Schuylkill Mall, I-81 and Rte 61, Frackville, Pa on Saturday February 27th at 2 P.M.

-- Pro Wrestling Fan Fest has announced that Charles Wright, formerly known in WWE as The Godfather, Papa Shango, Kama, and The Goodfather will be part of its Super Ticket lineup scheduled for Saturday, May 8 at Stepinac High School, 950 Mamaroneck Ave in White Plains, NY.

-- Maximum Championship Wrestling Saturday in Milton Delaware at Civic Center.

-- Gary Graham at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it is looking for a VHS copy of last year's Extreme Rules PPV.