THE ROUND-UP
The Latest from the F4W Staff
NEWS
TakeOver: War Games card takes shape at NXT TV tapings
NXT TV taping spoilers: The road to War Games
WWE NXT results: Drew McIntyre vs. Roderick Strong
WWE bringing back War Games for NXT TakeOver: Houston
AUDIO
WOL: WAR GAMES, Jinder to India, Eddie Kingston interview, more! 10/5
WOR: Lance Russell tribute, War Games, Smackdown, Hell in a Cell, more! 10/5
WOL: Interviews with Charlotte Flair and Kelly Klein, tons more! 10/4
B&V&C: Retro Raw and Nitro from 19 years ago this week! 10/3
We’re looking for reports from the NXT show tonight in Dade City, FL to [email protected]
IMPACT AT 8 P.M. ON POP TV
FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: Figure Four Weekly 10/2/2017: Previewing WWE Hell in a Cell
For the first time since July’s lackluster Battleground show, SmackDown will put on a brand-exclusive pay-per-view as Hell in a Cell takes place in Detroit on Sunday night. Battleground was a night where nearly everything went wrong. The Punjabi Prison main event was awful, AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens had a botched finish, and only the tag title match between The New Day and The Usos saved it from being a totally irredeemable show.
Subscribers click here to continue.
WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: October 9, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Death of Lance Russell, HIAC preview, more
Lance Russell, who passed away on 10/3, at the age of 91, was the greatest host of a pro wrestling show that there ever was, or ever will be.
But that was secondary. Lance Russell was, as much as anyone I’ve ever encountered, a wonderful human being. To several generations in Memphis, as well as in cities throughout Tennessee and Kentucky, he was not just the lead wrestling announcer on Championship Wrestling, but, even if you didn’t know him personally, or had never met him, he was like an uncle, or the cool neighbor that you loved hearing tell stories about his most interesting life, or, as he got older, like another grandfather to kids that grew up watching wrestling. That was for the people who didn’t know him.
To those who did, he was, put succinctly, “Lance is a very special person,” in the words of Dave Brown, whose life he shaped when 50 years ago he offered him a job as his sidekick calling wrestling, which led to a career as the most popular television news personality in the Memphis market for decades.
Subscribers click here to continue.
ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer, or by using PayPal directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to [email protected]. For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52. If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.)
If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can choose one free classic issue, or two free classic issues with a 40-issue subscription.
WON BACK ISSUE: September 11, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WCW and ECW uncertainty, All Japan/New Japan feud, more
The pro wrestling industry in both the United States and Japan has never been in a more tumultuous period than it currently faces with only two companies, at least as it stands right now, having anything that could be close to regarded as rosy long-term futures. The lack of substantial news as the new TV season is about to start makes the future of the U.S. scene, aside from the WWF, speculative, in some cases, to a scary degree.
Subscribers click here to continue.
THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE
Today is the 20th anniversary of the death of Brian Pillman. I will be doing a podcast with Chris Jericho that drops tomorrow on the Talk is Jericho show covering Pillman.
In addition, it was announced today that a biography called Crazy Like a Fox: The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later” will be released later this month on Amazon. The book covers Pillman’s personal and professional life with interviews with members of the Pillman family, myself, Kim Wood (a former coach of the Cincinnati Bengals who was like his father figure), Bruce Hart Raven, Jim Cornette, Mark Madden and Les Thatcher.
Bellator announced today that they will have four fights on 10/13 at the infield of the Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, AL in conjunction with he Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The fights will take place at 8:30 p.m. Central time in the infield after the Big One no the Blvd. parade and party. There will also be a Friday afternoon meet and greet with Roy Nelson and Michael Chandler from 3-4 p.m.
The lineup will be:
Omar Johnson (8-1) vs. Jonathan Pearce (5-3) in a lightweight main event
Frank Tate (4-4) vs. Kem Oti (2-1) in a heavyweight fight
Marcel Stamps (1-0) vs. Derek Wilson (0-0) in a middleweight fight
Christian Echols (2-0) vs. Billy Swanson (7-1) in an amateur heavyweight fight
FITE TV has announced a Roku Channel. A one-time and free signup can be accessed through the Roku Channel and every one of their PPVs can be purchased through the Roku account. Fite TV airs most of the non-WWE events including next week’s Rizin show from Japan.
WWE
The next WWE media investors call will be Thursday, 10/26 at 11 a.m. with Vince McMahon, Michelle Wilson and George Barrios. The WWE will announce the network subscriber number as of 9/30 at the call.
Shawn Michaels and Brian James were in charge of the NXT tapings last night as Paul Levesque was overseas.
A story on WWE stock is here.
UFC
UFC announced a partnership with Bodyarmor Sports Drink as the official sports drink of the UFC.
Mauricio Shogun Rua underwent surgery yesterday on his left knee in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Rua suffered the knee injury that forced him out of the 9/23 event in Saitama, Japan, where he was originally to face Ovince Saint Preux in the main event.
A fight with welterweights Chris Gruetzemacher vs Davi Ramos was added to the 12/9 show in Fresno.
Chase Sherman vs. Shamil Abdurakhimjov in a heavyweight fight has been added to the 11/25 show in Shanghai, China.
Zabit Magomedshapirov, who looked great in his debut in September, will return to face the debuting Sheymon Moraes also on the 11/25 show in Shanghai, China.
Neil Magny vs. Carlos Condit in a battle of top welterweights will be on the PPV show most likely for 12/30 in Las Vegas.
MISCELLANEOUS
ROH announced that there will be meet and greets at all four house shows next week, 10/12 in Buffalo at RiverWorks, 10/13 in Pittsburgh at Stage AE, 10/14 in Columbus, OH at ExpressLive and 10/15 in Chicago at the Odeum Expo Center. The top names like Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Minoru Suzuki, the Killer Elite Squad, Will Ospreay, Hiromu Takahashi, Yoshi-Hashi, Kushida, Bully Ray and Toru Yano will be signing at all shows. There will be both pre-show signings and signings at intermission.
Bellator will be giving away Royce Gracie bobbleheads to the first 5,000 people who attend its 10/20 show in Uncasville, CT at the Mohegan Sun Casino. Gracie will also be doing a meet and greet at the concourse of the Mohegan Sun from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. that night. The show that night is headlined by Gegard Mousasi vs. Alexander Shlemenko and Brennan Ward vs. Dave Rickels.
Candice Michelle, a former WWE performer, will be coming out of retirement for a match with the House of Hardcore promotion on 12/2 in Waukesha, WI at the Waukesha County Expo.
Randy Couture appeared on the first episode of the new season of Hawaii Five-O on Friday night. He played a pyromaniac heel. (thanks to Grant Zwarych).
There will be a Legends of the Ring Fanfest on 10/21 in Monroe, NJ at the Ramada Plaza Hotel from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Names announced so far include Ken Shamrock, Dory Funk Jr., The Godfather, Terry Taylor, Ken Patera, Ivory, Francine, Nasty Boys, Bill DeMott, Slick and Ted Arcidi.
For those going to Las Vegas this weekend for UFC 216, Tuff N Uff tomorrow night will have free live fights at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center at 9:30 p.m.
There will be a Raven podcast tonight at 9:30 p.m. at the Hollywood Improv Lab for $15, with $5 off with the promo code DARTARAVEN. Tickets are available to buy at this link.
WrestleCircus on 10/21 in Austin, TX has Shane Strickland defending their title against Brian Cage, Extra Talented vs. Dave & Jake Crist (Impact tag champs), Tessa Blanchard vs. Dezmond Xavier, Sammy Guevara vs. Scorpio Sky, John Morrison & Taya Valkyrie vs. Joey Ryan & Candice LeRae and Lance Hoyt vs. MJF vs. Jeff Cobb./
Pro Wrestling Revolver on 10/28 in Clive, IA at Seven Flags Event Center with a ladder match for the Revolver tag titles with Joey Ryan & Candice LeRae vs. Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel vs. Besties in the World vs. Zero Gravity vs. LuchaSaurus & Serptentico, plus Jack Swagger vs. Sami Callihan, Ricochet vs. Jason Cade, AR Fox vs. Daga, Matt Riddle vs. Jeff Cobb, Brian Cage vs. Shigehiro Irie, Jake Crist vs. Jessicka Havoc and Rickey Shane Page vs. Alex Colon in a CZW rules match.
West Coast Wrestling Federation’s Coastal Chaos is 10/14 in Yuba City, at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgounds with Sammy Guevara vs. Nathan Black as the main event.
MCW on Saturday night in Galena, MD at the Volunteer Fire Department and 10/21 in Manchester, MD at the Manchester Valley High School.
Welterweight wrestling on 10/22 on FITE TV from Turners Hall in Cleveland as an iPPV event.
New England Championship Wrestling on 10/14 in Wakefield, MA at the Americal Civic Center with Todo Loco vs. Slyck Wagner Brown for the NECW title.
XWA UK on Saturday in London at 7 p.m. has Kay Lee Ray vs. Jimmy Havoc and Simon Gotch vs. Cara Noir. On Sunday at 3 p.m. in Colchester they have Simon Gotch vs. Doug Williams, Cara Noir vs. Jody Fleisch and Kay Lee Ray vs.; Sammiii Jayne plus Jimmy Havoc and Mike Bailey appear.
Great North Wrestling on 11/5 in Rockland, ONT at the Jean Marc Lalonde Arena with Savio Vega, Pierre Carl Ouellet, Tessa Blanchard, Hannibal and Wes Brisco, including a 30 man Battle Royal.
Tony Kozina will be doing a training camp while on tour from 12/26 to 1/15 throughout Canada. There will be three weeks of training for $500 which also covers lodging on the tour. Jake Roberts will also be on the tour.
AAW Saturday night in LaSalle, IL with Penta 0M vs. Rey Fenix for the AAW title, Sami Callihan vs. AR Fox, Candice LeRae vs. Britt Baker, Rachael Ellering vs. Allysin Kay, Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz vs. Hooligans, Michael Elgin & Myron Reed vs. Keith Lee & Shane Strickland and more, including a three team ladder match.
AAW also has the Jim Lyman Memorial tournament on 10/13 and 10/14 in Berwyn, IL at the Eagles Club. The first round matches are Michael Elgin vs. the loser of the Rey Fenix vs. Penta 0M match, AR Fox vs. Dezmond Xavier, DJZ vs. Andrew Everett, Mark Haskins vs. Eddie Kingston, Sami Callihan vs. Mat Fichett, ACH vs. Curt Stallion, Jeff Cobb vs. Zachary Wentz and Brian Cage vs. Myron Reed.
Rico Verhoeven (51-10) vs Jamal “Goliath” Ben Saddick (32-5) headlines Glory Redemption on 12/9 in Rotterdam, Holland at the Avoy.
Chaotic Wrestling tomorrow night in Woburn, MA at the Elks Lodge with Brian Milonas vs. Elia Markopolous for the Chaotic title in the main event. Teddy Hart also faces JT Dunn.
Ryback Reeves works for Chaotic Wrestling on 10/17 in Haverhill, MA.
Combate Americas will air live on Telemundo at 11:30 p.m. Eastern time on 11/11, live from Cancun, with an eight-man one-night welterweight tournament. Names announced for the tournament are John Castaneda (14-2) of Mankato, MN, Marcelo Rojo (12-4) of Argentina, Carlos Rivera (10-2) of Mexico City, Mikey Erosa (12-5) of San Juan, Marc Gomez (20-10) of Spain, Andres Ayala (11-4) of Colombia and Kevin Moreyra (4-1) of Peru.
Today in Professional Wrestling History: The first Hell in a Cell match
CONTACT INFORMATION
Poll opinions: [email protected]
Feedback: [email protected]
Show results and news tips: [email protected]
Wrestling Observer Radio questions: [email protected]
Support the Empire~! with F4W shirts. Grab yours today!