We’re looking for reports on last night’s WWE shows in Toronto and Baltimore at Dave Meltzer
For this weekend, we’ll be doing polls on the Saturday night UFC show and the New Japan Tokyo Dome show which starts at about 2:15 a.m. Eastern and 11:15 p.m. late Sunday/early Monday.
SMACKDOWN TONIGHT ON SYFY
Dudleys & Kalisto vs. Big E & Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods
Goldust vs. Tyler Breeze
Usos vs. Luke Harper & Braun Strowman
Brie Bella & Alicia Fox vs. Naomi & Tamina
Dolph Ziggler vs. Bo Dallas
Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt & Kevin Owens
This is the final episode of Smackdown on Syfy, as it moves to the USA Network with the new announcing team and John Cena in a show taped on Tuesday in Laredo. It’s expected this will be among the lowest rated episodes ever given the college football playoffs and New Year’s Eve
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Estrellita & Princesa Sugei & Vaquerita vs. Amapola & Dallys & Zeuxis
Blue Panther Jr. & Esfinge & The Panther vs. Cancerbero & Raziel & Virus
Atlantis & Marco Corleone & Valiente vs. Dragon Rojo & Polvora & Thunder
Maximo Sexy vs. Kamaitachi hair vs. hair
Mistico & Caristico & Rusher vs. Volador Jr. & Ultimo Guerrero & Cibernetico
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Negro Casas vs. Super Parka hair vs. hair
Figure Four Weekly
Figure Four Weekly 12/28/2015: Gawker files to dismiss Hogan lawsuit
Details on Gawker filing to dismiss the Hulk Hogan sex tape lawsuit, plus other news.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
We have our annual business year in review as the lead of the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter this week. We cover our awards balloting year from 12/1/14 to 11/30/15 looking at the biggest events and biggest draws, with the year’s biggest crowds, records set in several different companies, Cena compared to those in similar positions on the all-time list, the year’s PPV buys for every wrestling, MMA and boxing show, how this year compared with other years.
Dwayne Johnson returning for WrestleMania, different ideas of where he may fit in, and his recent track record of WrestleMania matches.
The history of New Japan on January 4th at the Tokyo Dome. The first New Japan Tokyo Dome show and its main event, what drew the first house, what Lou Thesz said to Antonio Inoki after the show and why Thesz thought the result was a good thing and why it ended up being a waste. We look at how this year’s show will differ from last year as well as a match-by-match rundown and a look at the history of the New Japan big four, Tanahashi, Okada, A.J. Styles and Nakamura, with all of their previous Tokyo Dome matches.
Jonathan Coachman on HGH usage in WWE, why usage is so prevalent in certain types of sports and entertainment.
WWE injury coverage, why WWE stars are doing more NBC media, how movies with Sting are doing at the box office, how the WWE’s head of medical came across in the movie “Concussion” plus a concussion expert on Daniel Bryan situation. Update on Nikki Bella, NXT sellouts, Brock Lesnar’s next match, Cena facing a surprise opponent, Chris Jericho on future, Royal Rumble, Sin Cara injury update, NXT in Dallas, the go-home show for WrestleMania, two international stars about to start with WWE and the Bayley character on the main roster.
The holiday show in Madison Square Garden coverage, Ben Askren talks about One’s possibly revolutionary weight cutting regulations that could be the catalyst for changing MMA. We look at the first Rizin show, the sad spectacle of Sakuraba, the pro wrestlers on the show, the mentality behind why certain people were on the show and match-by-match coverage.
PLUS MUCH MORE! CLICK HERE FOR A FULL WRESTLING OBSERVER PREVIEW
The Latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter: January 4, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Business year in review, Rock at Wrestlemania 32, tons more.
You can also order the print Observer right now and get it delivered to your door via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer
You can also order print issues at www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected]
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For the United States, it is $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 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.
Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.
Check out the latest Online Wrestling Observer BACK ISSUE: November 9, 1998 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Jesse Ventura wins Minnesota Governor election, WCW trailing WWF, more
Jesse Ventura becomes the Governor of Minnesota, WCW begins trailing WWF, ECW November to Remember recap, plus tons of news.
TODAY’S DAILY UPDATE
Wrestling Observer Radio with Sean Wheelock is up today talking with Bryan and Dave Meltzer about MMA rules and regulations, his departure from Bellator, MMA scoring and even a movie he’s working on that will be about the birth of MMA in 1993.
Jerome LeBanner showed up in the ring at the IGF show instead of his scheduled fight against Baruto on the Rizin New Year’s Show. LeBanner “never came to Japan” and was replaced at the last minute by Peter Aerts. He had been with IGF in the past. Nobuyuki Sakakibara of Rizin has already said that he’s going to sue over that.
Tickets to the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony at the American Airlines Center in Dallas go on sale to the public on 1/15 at 10 a.m. Central time. Probably a quick sellout here. That probably means a Hall of Fame announcement will come on 1/11.
UFC has sent some Fight Pass subscribers an e-mail offering them 20 percent off UFC 195 as a gift. I didn’t get one so it hasn’t come to everyone, but we’ve gotten e-mails from several who have gotten it.
The Vegas Fuel Energy site is offering free tickets to the TNA shows all week in Bethlehem, PA, which probably tells you how tickets are selling, but I don’t think that’s a surprise when it TNA running five straight nights in the same venue.
The 1/13 episode of NXT will feature the NXT Awards. There will be voting on the WWE web site starting tomorrow and ending this coming Wednesday for Competitor of the Year, Male Competitor of the Year, Female Competitor of the Year, Tag Team of the Year, Match of the year, TakeOver show of the Year.
WWE
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has been pushing for WrestleMania at Michigan Stadium, saying it’s bigger than Texas Stadium and they could break the attendance record.
With the holidays, the company will return to action with shows in Corpus Christi and Hidalgo on Sunday.
The International Judo Federation sent Dwayne Johnson a Tweet saying to let them know if he needs a judoka to be his tag team partner at WrestleMania. “I may need a judoka,” he wrote. “I had the honor of a course in judo last year.”
As far as movies with WWE talent, Daddy’s Home was No. 2 in Australia last weekend and Spectre was No. 8 (thanks to James Stanios)
While it feels like more, out of 389 matches on Raw in 2015, 21 were won by distraction and roll-up finishes. (thanks to Jason Solomon)
Alberto Del Rio’s match in Puerto Rico with Ray Gonzalez Sr.
UFC
Michael Bisping ripped on Anderson Silva in a Tuesday press conference noting him testing positive for three different banned substances, so that may be the theme of his promos leading to their fight. He said that he respects him as a fighter, but lost a lot of respect for him and this fight represents him trying to beat fighters that cheated. He said that calling yourself a martial artist and taking PED’s is “the biggest contradiction you could ever make and to be honest, he should be ashamed of himself and I feel that this should be talked about more.” He said he believes the people who used to cheat will try and continue to cheat and manipulate the system. “Just because they’re bringing in advanced testing doesn’t share the fact you’re still going to be a coward and you’re still going to try and cheat the system.”
Due to an injury to Jimi Manuwa, his 2/27 fight scheduled with Nikita Krylov in London has been canceled.
FS 1 will be airing the Conor McGregor vs. Chad Mendes tonight at 8 p.m.
The weigh-ins will be at 7 p.m. tomorrow night with Karyn Bryant, Daniel Cormier, Kenny Florian, Tyron Woodley and Ariel Helwani working the shows.
MISCELLANEOUS
There’s talk of a big immediate push for Michael Bennett in TNA.
RDS in Quebec, the French language version of ESPN, had a one hour documentary last night on the Rougeau Family, starting with Eddy Auger to nephews Jacques Sr. & Johnny, third generation wrestlers Jacques Jr. & Raymond as well as Armand and Joanne (who was the local Montreal promoter for WWF) to Emile & Cedric, Jacques’ sons. Also in the documentary included former promoter Gino Brito, Jacques’ former tag team partner Pierre-Carl Ouellet, announcer Marc Blondin and historian Patric Laprade.
Findlay Martin of Powerslam’s book “Pro Wrestling Through the Power Slam Years: 1994-2014” was named by Dan of Geek as one of its top books of 2015.
One of the best women’s bouts this year, the Io Shirai Queen of Stardom win over Meiko Satomura
Glory kickboxing will have a six hour marathon starting at midnight Eastern tomorrow night on the CBS Sports Network.
An interview with Matt Hardy on TNA’s move to Pop TV
Michael Landsberg talks about his battles with depression and how WWE wrestling and Bret Hart put Off the Record on the map in 1997
The World Series of Fighting will have an eight hour marathon starting at 5 p.m. tomorow on NBC Sports Network. The Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino match of the year candidate will air at about8:30 p.m. Friday night Eastern and 5:30 p.m. Pacific time.
The CW TV show “Supernatural” will have a pro wrestling themed episode airing on 1/20 at 9 p.m. The show will include familiar themes within pro wrestling including deaths of wrestlers at a young age.
Evolve has announced a Style Battle tournament for Royal Rumble weekend with shows on 1/22 in Ybor City, 1/23 and 1/24 in Orlando, with a four-man round robin tournament featuring Matt Riddle, Tracy Williams, Peter Kaasa and Fred Yehi.
The Resurrection Fighting Alliance on AXS has a sow on 1/15 from Broomfield, CT. the main event will be Bojan Velickovic (12-3) vs. Benjamin Smith (15-3) at welterweight plus Adam Stroup (10-2) vs. John Poppie (6-2) at middleweight.
ECWA on 1/23 in Woodbury Heights, NJ at the Community Center.
AAW is offering two weeks free on its streaming service at www.airwarchives.com
Bill Beecroft noted that Harry Simon wasn’t the only person to have written for both the Wrestling Observer and Pro Wrestling Illustrated, as he did as well.
American Combat Wrestling on 1/16 in New Port Richey, FL at the All Sports Arena.
Promociones del Vallle has a show on 1/8 at the Auditorio in Tijuana with Gronda XXX & L.A. Park & Rayo de Jalisco Jr. vs. Cibernetico & Cien Caras & Dr. Wagner Jr. as the main event.
Infinity Pro Wrestling on 1/30 in Bloomington, IN at the National Guard Armory with GT Vega vs. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Shane Mercer.
Bushwhacker Luke Williams celebrates in birthday on 1/8 at the River City Wrestling show in San Antonio at Sideliners Grill. Hernandez will also be on that show.
Pro Wrestling Phoenix from last night in Omaha: Purple b Robert Storm, Dalton Lee Roth won three-way over Kevin Davidson and Ozzie Gallagher, Zac James b Pat Powers, L-Ray b Branden Juarez, Blue Rocket b Brandon Wallace, Michael Elgin b Devin Carter, Daniels Brothers b Hype Gotti & Tony Cortez in a tables match. Next show is 1/16 in Council Bluffs, IA at the National Guard Armory.
Here is today’s FULL Daily Pro Wrestling History including International history: Daily pro wrestling history (12/29): Mankind wins the WWF World Title
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