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Join us in Las Vegas for our annual F4W Convention
This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
Highlights include:
*Match of the week and performer of the week
*AEW All In sets records, and looking at the biggest crowds in pro wrestling history and how this compares, what we've earned about ticketing, what records are within reach and what records are not, as well as the biggest crowds ever in Europe and a man named Jim Londos.
*Evaluating the WWE draft. We look at the depth charts of both brands, questions being asked, will the brand split really be what they say (of course it won't long run), looking at the NXT talent brought up and more.
*A look at WWE business including heavy quotes from Nick Khan and Paul Levesque on the current state of the business, how much WWE is looking a cutting with the merger with UFC, Khan talks about working under Endeavor.
*Levesque talks the booking of talent
*WrestleMania business notes
*How many people watch Raw or Smackdown on a weekly basis, and the number is far more than you think
*Plans for another major overseas event on hold
*WWE Backlash notes
*Looking at the last three months of wrestling numbers and how it compares with television as a whole
*New Japan Dontaku full coverage as well as the next month of New Japan major shows
*Gable Steveson and others who have done pro wrestling and then gone back to amateur wrestling including the top worker of the 80s who the Olympics banned from competing due to an archaic rule
*Full Saturday UFC coverage
*Pro Wrestling NOAH runs Sumo Hall and the matches and angles
*The most detailed look at pro wrestling ratings, as well s where the changes were, competition and what can be learned from them
*CMLL Champion of Champions tournament
*Major League baseball players go to Arena Mexico
*Unique new idea for running pro wrestling shows explained and talks of it going t the U.S.
*Why a world title recently changed hands
*A new jump that hasn't happened but essentially is about to
*Champion Carnival tournament goes to the finals
*Will Ospreay's future
*70s and 80s star returning to the ring
*Vikingo goes to Australia
*Lots of changes coming to AEW
*Update on plans for the new and revamped AEW television plans
*Hire of Will Washington
*Update on Double or Nothing show
*Lots of competition of AEW next week
*DVR viewership of AEW
*Advance ticket sales for WWE and AEW shows
*Jon Jones talks future
*Lots of new UFC fights
*Bare Knuckle Boxing business notes
*Bare Knuckle MMA shows coming
*More on gold medalist signing with WWE
*Other gold medalists WWE has signed over the years
*WWE star headed to realty competition show
*Injury updates
*Writer talks about the WWE culture
*International TV numbers and streaming numbers
This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter:
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We have two weekend shows up. Garrett Gonzales and I have a show talking the news of the week, including Wembley, WWE world title, and the big weekend that just ended, while last night's show with Bryan Alvarez talked Backlash, UFC, Sara Lee and the connection between the character Matt Damon played in Air, Sonny Vaccaro, and his connection with two key people during the boom years of WCW.
Backlash had one of the most amazing crowds in WWE history, very similar to the famous 1997 Canadian Stampede PPV show in Calgary. The place came unglued for Bad Bunny, Carlito and Savio Vega in particular.
WWE announced today the 12 wrestlers in the tournament for the World title. On tomorrow night's Raw sho, there were will two three-way matches early in the show involving Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Cody Rhodes, Damian Priest, The Miz and Shinsuke Nakamura. The winner of the two three-ways probably face off in the main event. Similarly on Smackdown, it's Austin Theory, Bobby Lashley, Sheamus, Rey Mysterio, A.J. Styles and Edge. The winner of Monday's main event faces the winner of Friday's main event on 5/27 in Saudi Arabia.
The reason for the tournament on Raw & Smackdown is to combat the hit the shows would normally take in the ratings this week due to the NBA & NHL playoffs, especially since Warriors vs. Lakers is doing record viewership for this early in the playoffs. For tomorrow, the Knicks vs.. Heat go against the first two hours and Warriors-Lakers against the third hour. For Tuesday, NXT goes against 76ers vs. Celtics. For Wednesday, AEW goes against Heat-Knicks most of the game and then the West Coast replay goes against Lakers-Warriors and that will hurt it badly on the West Coast. Obviously AEW is trying to combat that with a loaded show headlined by Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley in a cage match.
The blood in last night's match with Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes was attempted and not an accident. Lesnar is allowed to do that although blading, which is far safer then smashing your forehead hard into steel to get blood, is not allowed in WWE.
Tony Ferguson was arrested at about 2 a.m. last night for a DUI after allegedly crashing into two parked cars outside a nightclub in Hollywood, CA. Ferguson's truck flipped on its side after the accident and he was arrested after reportedly refusing a field sobriety test and being "very uncooperative" while on the coast. Ferguson, nor anyone else, were injured. He was being held on $30,000 bail earlier today. Rapper Cash Gotti told TMZ that he found his Mercedes wrecked when he came out of the club and reportedly it was one of the two cars Ferguson allegedly hit.
As far as Google searches for the weekend comparing the big events:
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 opened this weekend and the estimates are that it will do $114 million. Of course Dave Bautista got the role of a lifetime in this movie and the first two as Drax the Destroyer. It's supposed to be the finale of the series.
In last night's UFC bantamweight title match where Aljamain Sterling beat Henry Cejudo via split decision, Judge Michael Bell gave Cejudo rounds 2, 3 and 5 and a 48-47 win Judge Derek Clearly gave Cejudo 2 and 3 while judge Eric Colon gave Cejudo 3 and 5. So the decision came down to Carly giving Sterling round five. As far as media scores went, Sterling got 91 percent of the media scores so the vast majority did believe it was the right decision.
After the fight there was another situation where Sean O'Malley was brought out to confront Sterling since that's the next title fight. They started exchanging words when Merab Dvalishvili a teammate of Sterling, grabbed O'Malley's jacket away from him and jumped on the cage to pose with it. O'Malley then confronted Dvalishvili and Sterling got involved there before things were calmed down. Dana White blamed himself for the problems, saying that he's had better ideas than what happened tonight and it was a bad idea to bring O'Malley into the cage.
In the split decision in the Khaos Williams vs. Rolando Bedoya undercard fight, it was a 53-47% split in favor of Williams among media scores. Michael Bell gave Williams the first two rounds. Dominic Carolei gave Williams the first two rounds. Cleary gave Bedoya all three rounds.
We're doing a couple of polls. We are doing our usual polls on Backlash and today will be the last day for our poll on NJPW Dontaku from Wednesday, so thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com We are doing another poll for which of these people would you most like to see face Kenny Omega in London at Wembley Stadium, with Bryan Danielson, Will Ospreay, Kota Ibushi, Kazuchika Okada or MJF. Before pick ask, C.M. Punk is not listed because at least as of yesterday there was no chance that match could happen. If that changes we will do another poll and include him.
Tonight on A&E, at 9 p.m. has WWE's Most Wanted Treasure looking for old DX items including the Jeep from the WCW Invasion and at 10 p.m., Steve Austin Takes on America going through fast food restaurants among other things
Rampage on Friday 5/19 will be airing at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time.
An interview with Abraham Josephine Riesman on her book on Vince McMahon.
Big E will be a celebrity judge on the new TV show "Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge" which will start on 5/30 on NBC in the 10 p.m. time slot.
Other Notes
Kevin Martel, the nephew of Rick Martel, will return to pro wrestling t team with his son, Shawn Martel, for the first time ever in a show on 6/17 in Quebec City, Quebec. Shawn has just started wrestling. Kevin wrestled in the late 90s and early 2000s and was very talented, and was voted Quebec Wrestler of the Year in 2002, but he stopped wrestling in 2004.
The match I've heard the most about this week as far as the match to try and see is the Yuya Aoki win of the Big Japan Strong world title from Yuji Okabayashi will took place on Thursday night.
Eve results from Friday night in London: Billie Starkz b Safire Reed, Emersyn Jayne b Laura Di Matteo, Rhio & Lucy Skye b Alexxis Falcon & Lizzy Evo, Jetta & Charlie Morgan b Rhio & Lucky Skye, Janai Kai b Skye Smitson, Miyu Yamashita b Millie McKenzie in a 30:00 Iron Woman match.
Eve results from yesterday in London: Emersyn Jayne b Darcy Stone, Skye Smitson b Lizzy Evo Alexxis Falcon b Safire Reed, Emersyn Jayne b Janai Kai Miyu Yamashita b Bilie Starks to keep the Eve title, Charlie Morgan & Jetta b Laura Di Matteo & Rayne Leverkusen to win the Eve tag titles,. Promoter Dann Read thanked the crowd and the women noting they've promoted for 13 years and he said he doesn't know how much he has left in him to continue and told the fans to enjoy the ride while it lasts. The next show is 5/25 at the Yard Theater. (thanks to Shannon Walsh)
Miz and Maryse were at the Kentucky Derby. (thanks to Barry Werner)
Defy results from Friday night in Tacoma, WA: Ricky Gibson & Eddie Pearl & Levi Cooper b Ethan HD & Kris Brady & Malcolm Phlex, Amira b Kikyo Fallen Flower, Bollywood Boyz won three-way over Juventud Guerrera & Guillermo Rosas and Judas Icarus & Travis Williams, Artemis Spencer b Cody Chhun, Nicole Mathews b Lliza Hall, Nick Wayne retained the Defy title in a three-way over Gringo Loco and Arez. (thanks to Matt Farmer)
United Wrestling Coalition on 5/13 in Bordenton, NJ at the Elks Lodge.
Central States Wrestling on 5/13 at the National Guard Armory in Lenexa, KS with Dak Draper vs. One Called Manders for the Central States title an d Jeremy Wyatt vs. Kenny Alfonso for the DWF title.
Great North Wrestling from last night in Ottawa, ONT before 300 fans: Blood Hunter (managed by Kevin Sullivan) b Nick Sullivan, Aces & Eights Quebec b The Mounties, Jessika Black b Persephone Vince, Ayatollah Bin Hamin b Vance Nevada, Vance Nevada b GGP, Magnum McLaren b Wes Brisco, Bruiser b Stevie McDaniel, Blood Hunter b James Storm. Next show is 7/15 in Smiths Falls, ONT (thanks to Anthony Ambrose)
IPSW Rock N Wrestling from last night in Morristown,NJ: U-Gene b Dirty Dango, Afa Jr. b Snitsky, Michael Mars b Tony Atlas, Danny Morrison b Val Venis, Hale Collins & Vik Dalishus won three-way over Headbangers and Powers of Pain, GKM b Homicide to keep the Tri States title Rey Calitri won Rumble.
All Star Wrestling & FWA have joint show son 7/1 and 7/2 in different suburbs of Sydney,Australia. Announced for the shows are Dirty Dango, Samuray del Sol (Kalisto), Amale, Lince Dorado, Lady Frost and Mila Moore. Carlito will also be on the 7/1 show. (thanks to James Stanios)