By Dave Meltzer
Members can now access all the latest audio shows and the new issue of the Observer. HERE
We’re looking for reports on tonight’s WWE show in Toronto (John Cena vs. Seth Rollins; Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens), ROH in California, PA (Briscoes vs. Young Bucks, Roderick Strong vs. Michael Elgin, Matt Taven & Michael Bennett vs. Kenny King & Rhett Titus non-title, Moose & Ray Rowe & Hanson vs. Jay Lethal & Donovan Dijak & J Diesel, Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian vs. Takaaki Watanabe & Will Ferrara; ACH vs. Caprice Coleman) and NXT in Largo, FL at Dave Meltzer
Our only weekend poll will be for New Japan’s Destruction in Kobe show.
New Japan World Pro Wrestling Returns at 8 p.m. Eastern (one hour early) on AXS TV
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Katsuyori Shibata for IC title
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Hirooki Goto for Never title
Lion Fight Muay Thai kickboxing at 9 p.m. Eastern on AXS TV
Bellator tonight at 9 p.m. from the State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, TX
Vinicius Queiroz vs. Ewerton Teixeira
Henry Corrales vs. Emmanuel Sanchez
Joey Beltran vs. Kendall Grove
Joe Warren vs. L.C. Davis
We are looking for reports on Saturday’s WWE shows in Rochester, NY (John Cena vs Seth Rollins; Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens) and Cleveland (Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt; Randy Orton vs. Sheamus), ROH in Lockport, NY (Jay Lethal vs. Stevie Richards non-title, Adam Cole vs. ACH vs. Michael Elgin vs. Moose, Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian vs. Briscoes, Young Bucks vs. War Machine, Roderick Strong vs. Takaaki Watanabe, Kenny King & Rhett Titus vs. Donovan Dijak & J Diesel, Caprice Coleman vs. Pepper Parks and Veda Scott vs. Sumie Sakai.
UFC from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday
FS 2 at 8 p.m.
Shinsho Anzai vs. Roger Zapata
Kajan Johnson vs. Naoyuki Kotani
Nick Hein vs. Yusuke Kasyua
Keita Nakamura vs. Li Jingliang
FS 1 at 10 p.m.
Katsunori Kikuno vs. Diego Brandao
Mizuto Hirota vs. Teruto Ishihara in the finals of the Road to Japan tournament
Takeya Mizugaki vs. George Roop
Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Chico Camus
Gegard Mousasi vs. Uriah Hall
Josh Barnett vs. Roy Nelson
New Japan Destruction in Kobe airs live at 3 a.m. Eastern Sunday morning at midnight Pacific (Saturday night) on New Japan World
Sho Tanaka & Yohei Komatsu vs. Jay White & David Finlay
Yuji Nagata & Jushin Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Captain New Japan & Juice Robinson
Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma & Ryusuke Taguchi & Mascara Dorada vs. Tomohiro Ishii & Yoshi-Hashi & Rocky Romero & Baretta
Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima & Matt Sydal vs. Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows & Kenny Omega
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tetsuya Naito
Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba vs. A.J. Styles & Tama Tonga & Cody Hall
Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish vs. Alex Shelley & Kushida for IWGP jr. tag titles
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale for the Tokyo Dome title shot
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Hirooki Goto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the IC title
Sunday has WWE in Syracuse, NY (John Cena vs. Seth Rollins; Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens) and Erie PA (Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt; Randy Orton vs. Sheamus).
Shooto Brazil live on UFC Fight Pass Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern time
Raw will be live from Buffalo on Monday night. Even though Brock Lesnar is headlining both the MSG special the following Saturday and the next PPV, at this point he is not advertised for the show. That would make sense to change but we haven’t heard that it is.
Smackdown will be taped in Albany, NY. No John Cena or Randy Orton scheduled for Albany.
We’ve got a double issue of the Observer this week because of coverage of so many big shows and all the stuff that has come out of the past week with WWE. Sept. 28, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Sting, Night of Champions, Bellator Dynamite, more
Our lead story covers the Sting injury, the Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar Hell in a Cell match and the interesting back story and questions it brings up, lots of long-term looking at where WWE is headed as well as full coverage of the Night of Champions show. We also cover the second season news for Lucha Underground, the Atlantis vs. La Sombra mask vs. mask match, Akira Hokuto’s announcement about her breast cancer, Bellator’s Dynamite show and what went right and wrong, New Japan’s Destruction in Okayama, ROH’s All-Star Extravaganza, the Pro Wrestling NOAH angle where they tease the end of the company, USADA responds to Thomas Hauser, Josh Gross’ story on the Vitor Belfort drug test and why it’s not nearly as simple as people are making it out to be, AAA’s next major show and record low ratings.
Rates are:
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.
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The Wrestling Observer ranges weekly from 35,000 to 50,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA internationally. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sties and has the most complete look at the pro wrestling and MMA business anywhere, plus history pieces available nowhere else
Our lead story covers the WWE weekend, notably the Sting injury and Undertaker-Lesnar announcement.
We go through the injury, including Sting’s interview comments after the fact and his description of Seth Rollins and the injury, as well as his current thoughts on if he will wrestle again. We also talk about what he does and doesn’t know, what he’s said publicly about the injury, why the match wasn’t stopped, and what we can learn from it.
We also look at how the Lesnar vs. Undertaker Hell in a Cell match changes WrestleMania, and look at those potential changes. We look at the different directions they can go with the key talent for next year’s show. We also look at the rest of Hell in a Cell as far as what is on the books and what name isn’t listed yet in the top matches. We look at the problem in the arena at the end of Night of Champions.
We’ve got complete Night of Champions coverage, with records, business, poll results, match-by-match coverage and star ratings.
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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.
New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major stories of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we’ll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We’ve got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue.
Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.
FRIDAY’S NEWS UPDATE
–Again, want to apologize for all the web site problems which are being fixed right now. Members can now access all the latest audio shows and the new issue of the Observer. HERE
–Expect some angles at Sunday’s New Japan PPV show since they have to set up the undercard for another PPV on 10/12 at Sumo Hall, King of Pro Wrestling, which is the company’s biggest event of the fall season. That’s the show where Kazuchika Okada defends the IWGP title against A.J. Styles.
–Dustin & Cody Runnels will be presenting the trophies on Wednesday to the winners of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Tournament
–WWE has told us for the 10/3 Madison Square Garden show, the entire card will air live on the Network. It won’t be like the Sumo Hall show where the first half hour was cut off. So even though they are only pushing Brock Lesnar vs. Big Show and the New Day vs. Dudleys, all the matches will be airing. As noted before, the New Day vs. Dudleys is not just a house show match but being pushed because there will be a storyline direction that will then lead to Hell in a Cell in Los Angeles three weeks later.
–Judge Joseph Matika put bail on Tammy Sytch at $2,000 today at her hearing after being brought in by police after missing three court appearances. She has another hearing on 10/7 regarding two other DUI cases not related to the case she was arrested for today.
–We don’t have much for today in the international title histories other than a note that on this day in 1981, Fishman beat Perro Aguayo to win the WWF light heavyweight title in Los Angeles, which was an NWA territory although they did work closely with WWF and book talent to New Japan.
–Tyron Woodley, from the infamous Ferguson, MO suburb of St. Louis, threw out the first pitch at the St. Louis Cardinals game last night and did a pregame interview on the broadcast. Woodley faces Johny Hendricks on the 10/3 UFC show in Houston. During the game, the announcers were raving about what a great talker and nice guy he is. Woodley said he was a lot more nervous throwing out the first pitch than he is going into the Octagon. (thanks to Irvin Muchnick)
–WWE.com and the WWE Network received several honors this past week by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. The WWE app earned gold awards for Mobile Apps/Sites, Entertainment and Mobile Apps/Sites in Sports (I thought they weren’t sports), and three silver awards for Media Streaming, Best Streaming Video and Integrated Mobile Experience. The WWE network won eight Silver Awards for Best Web site, Best Features and Video Channels and Network Categories as well as Visual Appeal. There were a number of other awards including WrestleMania 30 with silver medals for Excellence in Entertainment Social Media and Sports Social Media.
–Steve Beverly, a name some older newsletter and hotline fans will remember, noted to us that the college broadcasting class he teaches that does a Noon newscast, had Dave Brown as the guest yesterday. The usual newscast was scrapped and the show was a 30 minute interview with Brown. If the show gets posted, we will provide links. Most of the show was about his career as a weatherman, his working against drunk drivers and his retirement plans, but the interview did touch on pro wrestling and Lance Russell, and he talked about how Lance Russell first approached him to take the wrestling commentary job in 1967. I’ve always told people what a great guy Dave Brown is. He was only supposed to stay for the interview and he stayed another 75 minutes with the class giving kids individual career advice.
–Beverly also noted that on 10/24 in Jackson they are having a Lance Russell night. It’s a card that will be headlined by a Jerry Lawler vs. Terry Funk match, in Funk’s first match in a long time and I’d say maybe his last, but I’ve thought maybe his last so many times that I’m not allowed to think it even if it may be true.
–Superstars of Wrestling on 10/9 in West Palm Beach at the Armory featuring Matt Hardy vs. PJ Black and Wes Brisco vs. Matt Riddle, plus Ethan Carter III appears. There will also be a 6 p.m. meet and greet with Hardy, Carter III and Riddle.
–Drew Galloway will be back in Evolve on the 11/6 and 11//7 shows in Florida.
–Evolve announced this card for 10/17 at La Boom in Woodside, Queens, NY for an iPPV
Timothy Thatcher & T.J. Perkins vs. Trent Baretta & Rocky Romero
Drew Gulak vs. Trevor Lee – winner faces Thatcher for the title the next night
Antony Nese vs. Andrew Everett vs. Matt Cage vs. Peter Kassa
Tracy Williams vs. Willie Mack
Matt Riddle vs. Jonathan Gresham
–Lucha Underground sent out a release that Shawn Hernandez has been released from his contract. That’s been apparent since he showed up on TNA television and they got into the fight which ended up costing TNA indirectly its entire Beatdown Clan, since MVP was fired since he was the guy who recruited Hernandez, who had a valid Lucha Underground deal in place. Hernandez was the replacement for Samoa Joe, who left since TNA could no longer afford to give him the kind of contract he’d had over the past several years. Since the, Kenny King just quit to go to ROH and Low Ki also left not related to any of this.
–Metro Pro Wrestling on 10/10 in Kansas City at the Turner Rec Center. There will be a Jim Cornette Q&A at 4:30 p.m. before the show. The show will be a TV taping for Time warner Cable SportsChannel.
–Paragon Pro Wrestling announced its TV will be moving from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Eastern and Pacific on Pop TV starting a week from tomorrow.
–An obscure French MMA fighter named Sylvain Potard, who has a 7-5 record, has become relatively famous in the past few days. He did a totally naked photo shoot for a calender called “Les Dieux du Stade” a tradition where male sports stars, usually rugby players, do art nude shoots and it’s a big deal to both women and the gay community. Potard in particular became the talk of the day on social media first, and then it broke throughout France mainstream media and he was on several talk shows. (thanks to Tony Bouin)
–A wake for Jersey All Pro Wrestling promoter Frank Iadevaia takes place on Sunday at the Carmona-Bolen Funeral Home from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.
–All Japan’s Oudou tournament finals are tomorrow at Korakuen Hall. the semifinals have Akebono vs. Shuji Ishkawa of Union, and Jun Akiyama vs. Yuji Hino of K-Dojo. The winners meet in the finals that will be the main event of the show.
–Pro Wrestling Phoenix on Saturday in Council Bluffs, IA at the National Guard Armory.
–The Fight Network in Canada will be doing the prelims for tomorrow’s UFC show from 8-10 p.m. The main card will air on TSN5.