DAILY UPDATE<\/p>\n
\n
Latest News<\/p>\n
WWE Network to air Bret Hart vs. Tom Magee match, documentary\u00a0
\nLars Sullivan apologizes for past ‘inappropriate remarks’\u00a0 \u00a0
\nLAX’s Santana suffered MCL tear at Impact Code Red show
\nEl Desperado & Flip Gordon out of NJPW BOSJ, replacements set\u00a0\u00a0
\nTV title changes hands at ROH War of the Worlds: Toronto\u00a0 \u00a0
\nROH War of the Worlds Toronto results: Matt Taven vs. PCO\u00a0 \u00a0
\nNXT Largo, FL, live results: Dream vs. Cole, Strong vs. Strickland\u00a0<\/p>\n
Latest Audio<\/p>\n
WOL: Open line Fridays, news on AEW, WWE, tons more! 5\/10
\nWrestling Weekly: Press tours with Andre, AEW TV, WWE Wild Card 5\/10
\nB&V&G: Granny, NXT, WWF Superstars of Wrestling from 1992! 5\/9<\/p>\n
We’re looking for reports from Raw tonight in\u00a0Marseilles, France, Smackdown in Helsinki, Finland, Revolution Pro at York Hall in London (Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Aussie Open, David Starr vs. Phantasmo ladder match), Evolve in Livonia MI\u00a0and NXT in Sebring, FL to\u00a0newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.<\/p>\n
EVOLVE TONIGHT FROM LIVONIA, MI AT 7 P.M. EASTERN<\/p>\n
Anthony Greene vs. Stephen Wolf
\nAnthony Henry vs. Juntai
\nJosh Briggs vs. Adrian Jaoude
\nEddie Kingston vs. Curt Stallion
\nKassius Ohno & Harlem Bravado vs. AR Fox & Leon Ruff
\nJD Drake vs. Joe Gacy for WWN title
\nAustin Theory vs. Adam Cole non-title<\/p>\n
NEW JAPAN WORLD PRO WRESTLING AT 8 P.M. EASTERN\u00a0ON AXS TV<\/p>\n
Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Evil & Sanada
\nDragon Lee vs. Taiji Ishimori for IWGP jr. title\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
CMLL FROM ARENA MEXICO AT 9:30 P.M. ON CMLL FACEBOOK AND YOU TUBE (after show)<\/p>\n
Magia Blanca & Stigma vs. Espanto Jr. & El Hijo del Signo
\nDrone & Fuego & Guerrero Maya Jr. vs. Kawato San\u00a0 & Polvora & Vangellys
\nKaho Kobayashi vs. Amapola
\nAtlantis & Atlantis Jr. & Soberano Jr. vs. El Hijo de Villano III & Villano IV & Rey Bucanero
\nUltimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero & Euforia vs. Mascara Ano 2000 & Sanson & Cuatrero
\nDragon Lee & Volador Jr. & Mistico vs. Negro Casas & Cavernario & Mr. Niebla<\/p>\n
Saturday has WWE Raw in Newcastle, UK, Smackdown\u00a0in Stockholm, Sweden, ROH in Grand Rapids, MI, and NXT in St. Augustine, FL.\u00a0We’re looking for reports on these shows to\u00a0newstips@wrestlingobserver.com.<\/p>\n
ROH WAR OF THE WORLDS SATURDAY NIGHT IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN AT 6 P.M. EASTERN ON HONOR CLUB<\/p>\n
Coast 2 Coast vs. Alex Coughlin & Karl Fredericks
\nCheeseburger vs. Clark Conners
\nEvil & Sanada vs. Beer City Bruiser & Brawler Milonas
\nKelly Klein vs. Stacy Shadows for WOH title
\nPCO vs. Mask Haskins
\nTracy Williams vs. Rush vs. Eli Isom vs. P.J. Black for ROH title shot
\nJeff Cobb & Jay Lethal & Yuji Nagata & Hirooki Goto & Satoshi Kojima vs. Bully Ray & Shane Taylor & Mark & Jay Briscoe & Silas Young
\nMatt Taven & TK O’Ryan & Vinny Marseglia vs. Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa & Hikuleo<\/p>\n
UFC 237 ON SATURDAY FROM RIO DE JANEIRO<\/p>\n
ESPN+ at 6:15 p.m. Eastern<\/p>\n
Vivane Araujo vs. Talita Bernardo
\nSaid Nurmagomedov vs. Raoni Barcelos
\nSergio Moraes vs. Warlley Alves
\nPriscila Cachoeira vs. Luana Carolina<\/p>\n
ESPN AT 8 p.m. Eastern<\/p>\n
B.J. Penn vs. Clay Guida
\nBethe Correia vs. Irene Aldana
\nThiago Moises vs. Kurt Holobaugh
\nAntonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Ryan Spann<\/p>\n
ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. Eastern<\/p>\n
Francisco Trinaldo vs. Diego Ferreira
\nLaureano Staropoli vs. Thiago Alves
\nJose Aldo vs. Alexander Volkanovski
\nAnderson Silva vs. Jared Cannonier
\nRose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade for strawweight title<\/p>\n
EVOLVE FROM SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7 P.M. FROM INDIANAPOLIS<\/p>\n
Anthony Greene vs. Seven Pena
\nLeon Ruff vs. Stephen Wolf vs. Juntai
\nShotzi Blackheart vs. Natalia Markova
\nCurt Stallion vs. Ace Perry
\nAdrian Jaoude vs. Harlem Bravado
\nEddie Kingston & Joe Gacy vs. JD Drake & Anthony Henry for Evolve tag title
\nAustin Theory vs. Nate Webb for Evolve title
\nKassius Ohno vs. Josh Briggs
\nAdam Cole vs. AR Fox<\/p>\n
BELLATOR ON DAZN AT 9 P.M. EASTERN<\/p>\n
Tywan Claxton vs. James Bennett
\nJake Hager (Jack Swagger) vs. T.J. Jones
\nA.J. McKee vs. Pat Curran
\nDouglas Lima vs. Michael Venom Page in welterweight tournament semifinal
\nMichael Chandler vs. Patricio Pitbull Freire for lightweight title<\/p>\n
Sunday has WWE Raw in Liverpool, UK,\u00a0Smackdown in Oslo, Norway and ROH TV tapings in Chicago (Allysin Kay vs. Marti Belle for NWA women’s title, Evil & Sanada & Yuji Nagata & Satoshi Kojima, Colt Cabana vs. James Storm for NWA National title, Jeff Cobb vs. Rush vs. Jay Lethal vs. PCO, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa vs. Mark & Jay Briscoe for ROH tag titles).<\/p>\n
NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS DAY ONE IN SENDAI ON MONDAY AT 5:30 A.M. EASTERN ON NEW JAPAN WORLD<\/p>\n
Yuya Uemura vs. Brody King
\nFlip Gordon & Yota Tsuji vs. Taichi & Desperado
\nBandido & Rocky Romero & Shota Umino vs. Phantasmo & Robbie Eagles & Jado
\nJuice Robinson & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Yoh & Ren Narita
\nWill Ospreay & Toa Henare vs. Tetsuya Naito & Bushi
\nTiger Mask vs. Taka Michinoku
\nTitan vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
\nMarty Scurll vs. Jonathan Gresham
\nSho vs. Shingo Takagi
\nDragon Lee vs. Taiji Ishimori<\/p>\n
Raw will be Monday from the O2 Arena in London while there will be a Smackdown house show on Monday in Bornemouth, UK.<\/p>\n
NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS DAY TWO IN SENDAI ON TUESDAY AT 5:30 A.M. EASTERN ON NEW JAPAN WORLD<\/p>\n
Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura
\nTiger Mask & Jonathan Gresham & Ren Narita vs. Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Taka Michinoku
\nJuice Robinson & Dragon Lee vs. Sho & Shota Umino
\nBrody King & Marty Scurll vs. Taiji Ishimori & Gedo
\nTitan & Toa Henare vs. Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi
\nRocky Romero vs. Robbie Eagles
\nFlip Gordon vs. Desperado
\nBandido vs. Phantasmo
\nWill Ospreay vs. Bushi
\nRyusuke Taguchi vs. Yoh<\/p>\n
Smackdown and 205 Live will be taped on Tuesday at the O2 Arena in London while Raw has a house show in Paris, France.<\/p>\n
NEW JAPAN BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS DAY THREE\u00a0IN AOMORI WEDNESDAY AT 5:30 A.M. ON NEW JAPAN WORLD<\/p>\n
Yota Tsuji vs. Brody King
\nFlip Gordon & Ren Narita vs. Jado & Robbie Eagles
\nRyusuke Taguchi & Shota Umino vs. Taichi & Desperado
\nJuice Robinson & Will Ospreay & Bandido vs. Rocky Romero & Yoh & Toa Henare
\nTetsuya Naito & Bushi vs. Phantasmo & Gedo
\nJonathan Gresham vs. Taka Michinoku
\nTiger Mask vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
\nTitan vs. Shingo Takagi
\nMarty Scurll vs. Taiji\u00a0Ishimori
\nDragon Lee vs. Sho<\/p>\n
Wednesday has Raw in Birmingham, UK and Smackdown in Magdeburg, Germany.<\/p>\n
F4W NEWSLETTER:\u00a0Figure Four Weekly: Looking at AEW’s build to Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes<\/p>\n
A brother vs. brother match will be one of the key pieces of All Elite Wrestling’s Double or Nothing card.<\/p>\n
After weeks of teases, Dustin Rhodes was confirmed as his brother Cody’s opponent for Double or Nothing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 25. Dustin issued a statement about his status with WWE after the announcement was made, revealing that he had requested his release from WWE and was granted it. Dustin also posted a video where he said goodbye to his Goldust character.<\/p>\n
WON NEWSLETTER:\u00a0May 13, 2019 Observer Newsletter: AEW UK PPV details, WWE wild card rule, more\u00a0<\/p>\n
An update on AEW distribution, PPV, television and streaming, is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.\u00a0Look at the full distribution around the world for Double or Nothing, as well as updating where things stand when it comes to television.<\/p>\n
Look at pricing, preshow, who is carrying it, how strong ITV 4 is, how this compares with WWE’s distribution and probable viewership, where things stand with U.K. television, details on Casino Battle Royale plans, the main championship, updating the show and lots of new signings.<\/p>\n
Go in-depth on not just the XFL television deal and finances, but the lessons of the deal and how the deal is a 180 from the UFC deal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Also look at the changes in Raw and Smackdown this past week, why they were made, where NBC Universal and FOX stand, WWE star power, how the European tour affected this week’s television, how it affects touring, plus updates on the Money In The Bank show.<\/p>\n
Also look at the 2019 Best of the Super Juniors tournament, including what matches to watch out for, the schedule, the positioning of Will Ospreay, and the schedule.<\/p>\n
Look at the two New Japan Dontaku events, what the events say about both Japan and U.S. popularity, the story behind Okada vs. Sanada, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.<\/p>\n
ORDERING INFO:\u00a0\u00a0Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered\u00a0 via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to\u00a0dave@wrestlingobserver.com\u00a0or by going to\u00a0www.paypal.com\u00a0directing funds to\u00a0dave@wrestlingobserver.com.<\/p>\n
Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.<\/p>\n
In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.<\/p>\n
For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.<\/p>\n
If you order by\u00a0 mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell,CA\u00a0 95009-1228, you can get $1\u00a0off in every price range.<\/p>\n
FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE<\/u><\/p>\n
by Bryan Rose, Ethan Renner and Joseph Currier<\/em><\/p>\n WWE \u00a0<\/p>\n Pro Wrestling \u00a0<\/p>\n UFC\/MMA Daily Pro Wrestling History:\u00a0Verne Gagne retires as AWA Champion<\/p>\n F4W Empire Convention Info:<\/p>\n Ed in San Antonio presents PODER~!<\/em> at the FSW arena on Friday 5\/24 – Showtime is at noon – Main event: Bryan Alvarez vs. Logan Stunt Purchase tickets here.\u00a0<\/p>\n CONTACT INFORMATION<\/p>\n Poll opinions:\u00a0dave@wrestlingobserver.com DAILY UPDATE Latest News WWE Network to air Bret Hart vs. Tom Magee match, documentary\u00a0 Lars Sullivan apologizes for past ‘inappropriate remarks’\u00a0 \u00a0 LAX’s Santana suffered MCL tear at Impact Code Red show El Desperado & Flip Gordon out of NJPW BOSJ, replacements set\u00a0\u00a0 TV title changes hands at ROH War of the Worlds: Toronto\u00a0…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5412\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThe Bret Hart vs. Tom Magee match and documentary special is listed as airing on the WWE Network from 11 to 11:30 p.m. Eastern time on Monday night.
\nWWE put out a press release saying that Kofi Kingston will be visiting his home country of Ghana, West Africa from May 30 through June 2. It will include a courtesy call from the President of Ghana H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. A WWE film crew will be there to document the trip for a future documentary.
\nKingston wrote on Instagram: \u201cWell it\u2019s officially official. For the first time since 1993, I\u2019m going back to my home country! Though it was 26 years ago, I still have so many vivid memories of my last visit to Ghana. I\u2019m beyond excited to make many more in a few short weeks!\u201d
\nThe WWE Network will no longer be available on the following devices as of May 21: Amazon Fire Tablets, Apple TV 3rd Generation and earlier models, LG 2016 and earlier models, PlayStation 3, Samsung 2016 and earlier models, Samsung and Sony Blu-Ray Players, Sony non-Android TVs, Windows 10 Desktop, and Xbox 360.
\nWWE stock closed the week at $84.03 per share, up slightly from yesterday.
\nNikki Cross says she needs to change in an interview after a loss on Main Event, saying it may be time to step out of the dark.
\nPaige talked to Comic Book about how she became the manager for the new tag team of Kairi Sane and Asuka. “I pitched to manage Ronda Rousey, kind of like the Paul Heyman-Brock Lesnar thing,” she said. “And then also be with Asuka, because Asuka had trouble speaking on the mic sometimes. As much as she’s an amazing athlete, an incredible wrestler, and I was like, ‘I’ll help her, give me the microphone, I’ll talk for her.’ And then Paul Heyman called me one day and said, ‘We have a great role for you. You can be the next me with these two women.’ I was like, ‘Wow, what a crazy tag team, they’re incredible…. Absolutely, I’ll take it!'”
\nComic Book also talked to Becky Lynch about Money in the Bank and SmackDown Live.
\nKofi Kingston also\u00a0got\u00a0new tattoos this week.
\nGoldberg has started to train in preparation for his match next month in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
\nTickets are still available for the F4W\/Wrestling Observer Live\u00a0Q&A featuring Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez that will take place the morning of Double or Nothing (May 25) in Las Vegas, Nevada. More information can be found here.
\nWillie Mack told Wrestling Inc that he wasn\u2019t sure of his Lucha Underground status, saying “I’m not sure because I’m still a part of them. If they want me, they can call me. But I’m just trying to do other stuff and keep everything going and positive because I’m a chill dude and I’m just gonna sit this thing out and see what happens.”
\nNJPW has revealed ticket information for Wrestle Kingdom 14, including the logo for next year\u2019s shows.
\nA falls count anywhere match between Sami Callihan and Mance Warner is set for MLW\u2019s TV tapings in Waukesha, Wisconsin on June 1. In storyline, the match between the two friends was made by Salina de la Renta.
\nShawn Spears (the former Tye Dillinger) appeared on this week\u2019s episode of the Edge & Christian podcast.
\nKenny Omega on Twitter wrote that starting next week there will be a mailbag section for BTE.
\nMichael Elgin talked to Wrestling Inc about turning down NJPW to join Impact Wrestling.
\nAccess covered the David Arquette\/Jungle Boy match that was a tribute for Jungle Boy\u2019s father Luke Perry.
\nBrandi Rhodes is featured in this month\u2019s Muscle and Fitness magazine.
\nThe second episode of NJPW\u2019s official English podcast is now up. It features Chris Charlton and Gino Gambino.
\nJerry Lawler and Baron Von Raschke will be at Crusherfest, which will take place on June 8 and 9. The event is centered around an unveiling of a statue of The Crusher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
\nMemorial services for Florida promoter Paul Spiegel will will be at 2:00 pm on this Saturday at Memorial Park 5750 49th. St. in St .Petersburg.<\/p>\n
\nESPN reported that the UFC is close to finalizing Tony Ferguson vs. Donald Cerrone for UFC 238, which will be held in Chicago on June 8. Cerrone had challenged Conor McGregor after winning at a UFC Fight Night event this past Saturday. As recently as Tuesday, when appearing on The Jim Rome Show, Dana White had said that a fight between the two made sense to put together.
\nAriel Helwani tweeted about Cerrone\u2019s decision to face Ferguson: \u201cCredit to Cerrone on this one. They sent out feelers about the McGregor fight after the Iaquinta win, but there wasn\u2019t much movement so they moved on again. Justin Gaethje was also discussed a potential return fight for Ferguson but didn\u2019t materialize, obviously. The beauty in this for Cerrone is the fight is in 29 days. So if all goes well, it\u2019s not like he took himself out of the running for McGregor. Wouldn\u2019t be surprised if the winner of this fight ends up becoming the McGregor frontrunner when it\u2019s all said and done, too.\u201d
\nBethe Correia weighed in at 141 for her UFC 237 bantamweight fight against Irene Aldana, and will forfeit 30 percent of her purse.
\nThe scheduled UFC 237 Diego Ferreira vs. Francisco Trinaldo lightweight fight has been called off by the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission. Ferreira fell ill with kidney stones and could not weigh in. Trinaldo had already successfully made weight before the fight was called off.
\nAll other fighters for Saturday\u2019s UFC 237 card made weight. The ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC 237 can be found here.
\nThe UFC uploaded episode five of Embedded for Saturday\u2019s PPV.
\nBritish heavyweight MMA fighter and former Glory kickboxer Chi Lewis-Perry had a verbal exchange with Jon Jones at a fitness expo in Birmingham, England. The two have had issues dating back to when Daniel Cormier brought Lewis-Perry in as a sparring partner before their scheduled 2016 fight, according to MMA Fighting. There is a video of the exchange here.
\nFrankie Edgar issued a challenge to UFC Featherweight Max Holloway on Instagram. The two have been scheduled to face off twice before, but injuries caused changes to opponents both times.
\nBloody Elbow\u2019s John Nash has an interesting tweet thread here, with some informed speculation on the finances of the UFC\/ESPN PPV deal.
\nThe Bellator 221 weigh-ins were held today. A prelim bantamweight fight between Askar Askar and Taylor Moore was called off when Askar missed weight by five pounds. A prelim bantamweight bout between Jose Leon and Christian Rodriguez was changed to a 140-pound catchweight fight after Rodriguez missed weight. Leon agreed to the catchweight, but Rodriguez will give up half of his purse.
\nJake Hager does an interview with MMA Fighting here. He says he should be ready to fight for the Bellator Heavyweight Championship by next year.
\nThe Professional Fighters League kicked off their 2019 season last night. Kayla Harrison beat Larissa Pacheco in the main event, 30-25, 30-27, 30-27. Lilian Garcia debuted as the cage announcer for the PFL. Full results from the show are here<\/p>\n
\n
\nEmpire dinner on Friday 5\/24 at\u00a08:30 p.m. at Texas de Brazil – Price is $82\u00a0– All you can eat meat and salad, sodas, tea, and coffee, plus dessert included
\nEmpire suite party on Friday 5\/24 for those who were not\u00a0able to get the Q&A package –\u00a0Price is $25<\/p>\n
\n
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