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Latest News
Rosemary signs two-year deal with Impact Wrestling
Jon Jones’ pre-UFC 235 tests still show trace amounts of Turinabol
Roman Reigns advertised for match at WWE Fastlane
Report: Madison Rayne departs Ring of Honor
Latest Audio
WOL: Ronda vs. Becky Twitter beef, news with Dave Meltzer 2/28
WOR: UFC 235 preview, SmackDown ratings, listener questions 2/28
F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Main roster arrivals and WWE departures
Last week was a period of arrivals and departures for WWE.
Without much advance warning, Ricochet, Aleister Black, Johnny Gargano, and Tommaso Ciampa all debuted on Raw last Monday. After news of them being backstage was reported online, WWE tweeted out pictures of them to hype that they were at the show. Triple H then opened Raw and confirmed that they would be debuting later in the night. Ricochet made a save for Finn Balor and teamed with him to defeat Bobby Lashley & Lio Rush, Black defeated Elias, and Gargano & Ciampa got a win against Raw Tag Team Champions The Revival in a non-title match.
WON NEWSLETTER: March 4, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Roman Reigns returns to WWE after leukemia remission
Roman Reigns (Leati Joseph Anoa’i, 33), returned to WWE after four months off, which included both a battle with leukemia as well as a role in the movie “Hobbs and Shaw” on the 2/25 show in Atlanta.
Georges St-Pierre announced his retirement on 2/21, seeming very happy to go out on his own terms but admitting that he was retiring now because UFC wasn’t interested in making a fight between him and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
New Japan this past week announced their first-ever 32-man New Japan Cup tournament, as well as announced its 47th anniversary show and sold out two joint Honor Rising shows with ROH.
Jeff Jarrett and his now-dormant Global Force Entertainment Company have filed a new $4.8 million lawsuit against Impact Wrestling and Anthem Entertainment in U.S. District Court in Tennessee on 2/21.
This week’s update on WrestleMania is that HHH vs. Batista is obviously a done deal.
The UFC debuted in the Czech Republic on 2/23 with a fight night event in Prague held on ESPN+ headlined by Jan Blachowicz and Thiago Santos in a light heavyweight bout.
Honky Tonk Man (Roy Wayne Ferris, 66) was announced on 2/26 as being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on 4/6 at the Barclays Center. Ferris had been asked in the past and turned it down because he didn’t like some of the restrictions in the contract claiming it would cost him independent money because he’d have to cancel dates.
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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE
by Bryan Rose and Dave Meltzer
WWE
Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch spent most of the afternoon going after one another on Twitter. After calling out Rousey for using fake prison mugshot photos, Lynch took shots at her acting ability. Rousey replied with vulgar remarks about her armbar, which led to Lynch mocking Rousey’s husband Travis Browne. Rousey’s latest tweet doesn’t seem to indicate she’s taking things in stride.
Kofi Kingston wrote on Twitter: I need to take a couple of days to process what has actually happened. Shock, sadness, emptiness, frustration, anger, confusion are but a few feelings on a roller coaster of emotions. My entire career, has been a series of ups and downs, starts and stops. I really shouldn’t be surprised, but this one hurt. We came so close. And I was ‘we’ because this journey has been bigger than just me. It’s Woods’ journey, it’s E’s Journey, it’s every one of you who has followed and supported my career for the past 11 years. To have it all stripped away so suddenly is painful, to put it mildly. I appreciate you all more than you know and I thank you all for your love and support. Mark my words: We will be back. The journey does not end here.”
There was a story making rounds because Dean Ambrose was advertised on dates past April, with the idea that he may have now agreed to a new deal. According to WWE, the advertising was dated and he will no longer be promoted for those events.
WWE.com has a oral history article about the Nation of Domination featuring D-Lo Brown, Mark Henry, Ron Simmons and The Godfather.
WWE has video of wrestlers reacting “to the brutality of the Elimination Chamber”.
Keith Lee’s WWE theme song is now on YouTube.
Sgt. Slaughter was on Busted Open Radio.
Pro Wrestling
Luke Perry, best known for his role on Beverly Hills 90210 and the father of AEW star Jungle Boy is currently hospitalized after suffering from what is being reported as a massive stroke. The latest word is that he is currently sedated, but not in a coma.
Hiroshi Tanahashi’s IWGP title loss to Jay White will be featured on tomorrow night’s New Japan show on AXS TV. Next Friday’s show will have the Kazuchika Okada vs Bad Luck Fale and Taiji Ishimori vs. Ryusuke Taguchi jr. title match.
WWN is doing a recruitment camp from 4/12 to 4/14 in Port Richey, FL. Those instructing at the camp will be WWE personnel Terry Taylor, Norman Smiley, Serena Deeb, wrestler Oney Lorcan, referee Drake Wuertz and WWN head of creative Gabe Sapolsky. Those who stand out will get invited to a WWE Performance Center tryout and/or regular bookings for Evolve and other WWN events. Participants will get tryout matches and be allowed to use their footage, professional photos, and be taught wrestling, ring entrances, promos, usage of social media and working with the announcers. For more info go to www.WWNLive.com or write to [email protected].
ROH has uploaded a Jay White vs. Will Ospreay match from War of the Worlds back in 2017. They will face each other at New Japan’s anniversary show on 3/6.
ROH tickets for 6/1 in Kent, WA at the ShoWare Center and 6/2 in Portland, OR at the Viking Pavilion go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m.
Jacob Fatu and Josef Samael will appear at MLW Intimidation Games this Saturday.
The term “Deadman Talking” that Starrcast applied for a trademark on was not for a podcast, but it was a name they would use for proposed speaking tour events. There is no deal in play for an Undertaker podcast.
CWE will be doing a 38 city tour across Canada including a show on 4/23 in Killarney, MB headlined by Psicosis, Vinny Marseglia, TK O’Ryan, Cheeseburger and Jimmy Jacobs.
Eve Pro Wrestling on 3/8 and 3/9 in Bethnal Green, London at the Resistance Gallery with Commando Bolshoi from Japan, Dr. Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, Nina Samuels, and Mercedes Martinez.
The German Wrestling Federation has a live streaming show on Saturday night at 1 p.m. Eastern time with the GWF Light Heavyweight World Cup with first round matches of El Phantasmo vs. Jonny Storm, Justin Wylde vs. A-Kid, Lucky Kid vs XCem Kalan and Matt Cross vs. Angelico. The winners meet in a four-way championship match. The show can be viewed free on YouTube and Twitch.
Saturday’s Wrestle Rampage show in Adelaide, Australia was canceled due to a heat wave. Well, as reasons go, that’s a new one. Adam Brooks, scheduled as a headliner, is now working AAW in Perth that night.
Some matches coming up in Australia are Joey Ryan vs. Jordynne Grace on 3/8 in Melbourne, Brian Cage vs Scorpio Sky on 3/9 in Melbourne, Brody King vs. Jack Bonza vs, Matt Diamond vs. Abyss on 3/11 in Sydney. This will be Abyss’ last independent date in Australia.
Penta 0M & Rey Fenix vs. Sam Adonis & DJZ headlines tonight at the Rex Theater in Pittsburgh for WrestleRex, plus Sinn Bodhi vs. Beastman.
NFC MMA on 3/8 at Center Stage in Atlanta.
MCW on 3/9 in Hollywood, MD at the Volunteer Fire Department has appearances by Kevin Nash, Koko B. Ware and Madison Rayne.
Real Shoot Wrestling on Saturday night in Mannington, WV at the Mannington Gym.
Tennessee veteran Tony Givens is having what is billed as his retirement match on 3/30 in Kingsport, TN, teaming with Chase Owens against Chris Richards & Josh Cody in Kingsport TN at the Civic Auditorium for Innovate Wrestling.
UFC/MMA
According to Ariel Helwani, Vitor Belfort is on his way to Las Vegas and it is expected that he will announce that his officially a part of ONE Championship. He has been recently seen with CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
Jon Jones says he would rather face Brock Lesnar than Daniel Cormier, as “people have already seen me make ‘DC’ cry twice already.”
A fight between Greg Hardy and Dmitry Smoliakov is being worked on for UFC on ESPN 3 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Poliana Botelho will fight Lauren Mueller at UFC 236.
Justin Burlinson has signed a multi-fight deal with Bellator.
Conor McGregor will be in Chicago on 3/15 for a pre-St. Patrick’s Day kickoff event.
UFC has announced a multi-year marketing sponsorship with Oscar Mayer and Devour frozen foods. Both will become corporate sponsors of UFC and will launch UFC-themed products at retail locations around the country.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: Ole Anderson & Stan Hansen win NWA Tag Team Titles
Ed in San Antonio presents the WRESTLEMANIA Weekend Events (more to be added):
Sunday, April 6th, at 12:00 pm: Lunch (all you can eat) at Churrascaria Plataforma ($90 per person), located at 316 W. 49th street in Manhattan. Purchase tickets here~!
Luxury Bus to MetLife Stadium for Wrestlemania: We will depart from the Hilton Midtown (site of Wrestlecon) located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas. Departure time is 4:00 pm and will return from MetLife approximately 30 mins after the event. Times are subject to change, and cost $67.00 per person for the round trip. Purchase tickets here~!
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