DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
NXT tops AEW in total viewers, Dynamite keeps 18-49 demo lead
WWE postpones UK SmackDown tour, cancels NXT UK tapings
AEW Dynamite video highlights: TNT title tournament kicks off
WWE NXT video highlights: Ciampa vs. Gargano
Matt Hardy challenges Jericho to ‘The Elite Deletion’ on AEW Dynamite
Cody advances in AEW’s TNT Championship tournament
Interim NXT Cruiserweight title tournament to begin next week
Io Shirai becomes number one contender to NXT Women’s title
Strowman segment, Women’s tag title rematch set for WWE SmackDown
Latest Audio:
WOL: AEW vs. NXT, tons of news, plus FACADE talks Great Khali and more! 4/9
DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: History of the NWA title, pt. 4 4/9
WOR: Brawl For All, AEW vs. NXT, Gargano vs. Ciampa, more! 4/9
Are you interested in attending our annual F4W/WON convention? We will hold it during AEW Double or Nothing weekend. For more information, check this post for activities and prices.
WON NEWSLETTER: April 6, 2020 Observer Newsletter: Florida lockdown, WrestleMania preview
A look at plans for AEW and WWE tapings, the guidelines set forth by Donald Trump, how both companies violated them, and why UFC simply can’t adhere to them is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
It’s a news-packed issue giving the full background of WrestleMania including the dollars lost by WWE in doing the show the way they did, why the reasons for doing it now make no sense, who was taken off the show and why, what key thing that relates to both fighting and pro wrestling that makes certain people higher risk that everyone is ignoring, where the WWE medical staff failed at their jobs with Roman Reigns and others, the WWE’s false advertising, Reigns speaks on why he didn’t do the show, Brie Bella talks on why she had mixed feelings on Daniel Bryan doing the show, plus a match-by-match rundown with thoughts on everything.
The new issue also covers:
The changes in WrestleMania business, why what seems to make no sense has a long-term thought process but where it may be flawed, why WWE flooded television with product this week and why it’s dangerous not to keep this up.
The falling apart of the Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov fight, what Nurmagomedov and Dana White said this week as well Tony Ferguson’s demands ad who else was in contention for top spots on the show. Joe Rogan also talks why he’s not doing the show no matter what, as well as the reaction of the other leading groups while UFC insists on going forward.
The hidden story that nobody has talked about regarding a pro wrestling event where the coronavirus has already spread.
New WWE television deals, a major WWE deal ends and why. What WWE stars head the most popular YouTube shows, Canadian TV ratings, U.K. TV ratings, Drew McIntyre talks WrestleMania, Seth Rollins talks operating a small business during these times, Edge talks about how he’s improved his promos, WWE market value plus the most-watched shows of the past week on the WWE network.
The Japanese scene, who is still running, who isn’t, what shows were canceled last minute as well as the state of sports in Japan and South Korea.
Six months from now or longer, when people are allowed to go to live entertainment events who things may change greatly and who is hurts the most.
Live attendance, television numbers the future of television and streaming and how it also affects the smaller groups.
DAZN’s decision to withhold payments to sorts leagues and what that says about its future.
Update the arrest of Jon Jones, with details on his plea bargain, what happened when he was stopped, the government’s reaction to Jones, both officers and their report as well as Jones’ reaction to what happened.
A look back at the 2019 Wrestling Observer awards with comments on a number of categories, who was and wasn’t deserving, the closest categories, and more on winners and close placings.
A feature on the life and career of Dean Silverstone, a former promoter and historian who was one of the key people in keeping wrestlers from the past in touch with each other through the Cauliflower Alley Club. We look at his role in wrestling, how he first got into wrestling, his promotion, his book, life after wrestling and how he got back into wrestling through his wife and ripper Collins.
Full coverage of all the WWE and AEW television shows from the past week.
In-depth looks at the ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
On the latest episode of his podcast, Jerry Lawler said he’s headed back to the Performance Center on Monday and returning to the commentary team for WWE’s Raw tapings.
During his appearance on Corey Graves’ After the Bell podcast. Edge spoke about his last man standing match against Randy Orton from WrestleMania and the reaction it received: “I’m very very proud of it. I’ve heard there’s feedback that it was too long…all of the feedback I’ve gotten personally to myself or to my social media feeds has been all positive. When I have Bret Hart call me and tell me that he loved it because it looked like a fight, well I don’t care what anybody else says from that point on, because his opinion to me has more weight than absolutely everyone anywhere. Nobody’s gonna top his opinion to me, and if he liked it, and he thought it was a fight, good, mission accomplished. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, it’s wrestling, right? It’s art. It’s subjective, whatever blows your hair back. Randy and I have broad shoulders and we can weather the weight of a minuscule militia of malcontents who will just want to complain about everything. Complain about the length of a wrestling match during a pandemic? Really? Come on. But they are also the same people that are gonna complain that Bill and Brock go for four minutes. I just think there is a segment of people that enjoy not enjoying things and dwell on negatives, but I focus on positives.”
WWE is adjourning its annual stockholders’ meeting due to the coronavirus pandemic: “World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) today announced that it intends to convene and then immediately adjourn, its Annual Meeting of Stockholders due to the rapidly evolving public health concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and governmental actions related thereto, including the State of Connecticut’s Executive Order No. 7H dated March 20, 2020. The Annual Meeting is scheduled to occur at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday April 16, 2020. The Annual Meeting will be convened and then immediately adjourned to a time and place that will be announced at the meeting and by press release. The record date will remain February 20, 2020. Stockholders should comply with applicable restrictions and not attend the Annual Meeting on April 16.”
Becky Lynch told the Irish Mirror that she wants to be involved in NXT UK TakeOver: Dublin: “I would love to (be involved at NXT UK TakeOver: Dublin). The request was already put in… on my end anyway.”
Elias did a live concert on his Instagram account tonight at 6 p.m. Eastern time.
Three episodes of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression docuseries will air on FS1 next Tuesday leading into WWE Backstage. The John Cena, Evolution, and Brock Lesnar episodes are the ones listed as airing.
WrestleMania 36 is airing on BT Sport in the UK and Ireland at 9 p.m. local time this Saturday and Sunday.
Ahead of the series premiering on Monday, the trailer has been released for WWE’s “Fight Like a Girl” on Quibi.
WWE uploaded a bonus clip from Edge’s WWE 24 documentary. The clip is about Edge’s favorite cheat meal.
The WWE Performance Center’s YouTube channel has a Road to WrestleMania video on Rhea Ripley.
Other Wrestling
While appearing on Busted Open Radio, Cody said Brodie Lee’s character isn’t an outright spoof of Vince McMahon: “Very unlikely on AEW will you ever hear the name ‘Vince McMahon’ said. If you do hear me say it in interviews, in general, I always speak very highly of Vince because A. he’s Vince McMahon. B. I was a WWE guy to start. I didn’t come from anywhere else. I came up through their feeder system and they are the house that built me. When it comes to some of the parallels, I don’t want to be vague or coy, between Brodie’s style of leadership, there are a lot of unique parallels. But I don’t think it’s particularly a spoof of Vince McMahon. Maybe we’ll see how it develops in the next few weeks. I think Brodie has a very power boss, animal kingdom type approach to the Dark Order and I think that falls in line with some of Vince’s quirks. But it is not an outright spoof on the legendary Vince McMahon.”
With the lack of live sports, MLW announced that they’re presenting additional re-airs of Fusion on beIN Sports: “As the demand for sports programming increases, Major League Wrestling will present additional re-airs of its 60 minute FUSION series on beIN SPORTS. MLW’s flagship series MLW FUSION will air every night at 10 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific nationwide on beIN SPORTS starting tonight. New episodes of MLW FUSION will continue to air on Saturday nights on beIN SPORTS. Tune in this Saturday at 10 p.m. for a special air time for the latest episode.”
Allysin Kay did a watch along looking back at her first match on NWA Power.
MMA
Prior to UFC 249 being canceled, Rose Namajunas’ manager issued a statement saying that Namajunas withdrew from the show due to two deaths in her family that were related to the coronavirus: “@rosenamajunas withdrew from UFC 249 due to 2 deaths in the family related to the Coronavirus. Her hopes are to return to the Octagon as soon as possible but for now we ask for people to respect their privacy during this time.”
Daily Pro Wrestling History: Jim Crockett Promotions purchases UWF
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