DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
Sin Cara announces name change to Cinta de Oro
WWE Raw video highlights: Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles
WWE Raw TV taping spoilers: United States title match
United States title match set for next week’s WWE Raw
WWE Raw live results: TLC fallout, Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles
Latest Audio:
DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: USWA 1991 TV review 12/17
WOR: Kairi Sane, RAW, RAW taping, WWE crowd, mailbag, more! 12/17
F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Harper, Sin Cara & The Ascension get WWE releases Joseph Currier looks at WWE’s latest departures.
WWE took a step forward this past weekend by resolving their situations with a few wrestlers who wanted out of the company.
In quick succession on Sunday, WWE announced that Luke Harper, Sin Cara, and The Ascension had been released: “WWE has come to terms on the releases of Jonathan Huber (Luke Harper), Sin Cara, and Ryan Parmeter (Konnor) and Eric Thompson (Viktor) of The Ascension. WWE wishes them all the best in their future endeavors.”
Harper’s release saga was nearly eight months long. He went public with his request via a statement he posted online on April 16. He spent the next five months off of television before then returning in a pretty significant angle at Clash of Champions, helping Erick Rowan defeat Roman Reigns in their no disqualification match.
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WON NEWSLETTER: December 16, 2019 Observer Newsletter: 10 Hall of Fame inductees
Our biggest issue of the year, the 2019 Hall of Fame issue is out with complete balloting results, breakdowns by category, bios of the new entrants, comparisons with how everyone did last year, as well as who will be on next year’s ballot who will be removed from next year’s ballot, breakdowns on how each new inductee did in different groups and a look back at a lot of stellar careers. We also talk about the future of the Hall of Fame.
Feature on the development of pro wrestling in France at the turn of the previous century and the wrestler generally considered most responsible for establishing pro wrestling in that country.
The two Tokyo Dome shows, as well as New Japan’s last three events of 2019. We look at the good and bad aspects of the lineups and the comparisons with last year. We look at the retirement of Jushin Liger, the signing of Dragon Lee and his change to Ryu Lee and talk about the different titles at stake.
Drug test suspensions of Robert Roode and Primo Colon and why guys can look the way they look with drug testing and how WWE’s testing greatly differs from others, a look at the releases of Luke Harper, The Ascension and Sin Cara, major change for Miz & Mrs., WWE star hints leaving, Canadian ratings, signing of Oney Lorcan, Tribute to the Troops coverage, Lana death threats, Ronda Rousey talks potential return, current plans for holiday shows, celebrity training for a WWE stint, a rundown on the different people at the last tryout camp including a former MMA champion, the boyfriend of a reality show star and a number of high level women athletes including a former WNBA player, an incident at a house show, value of WWE stock, most-watched show on the WWE Network as well as a rundown of all the WWE and NXT arena events over the past week with business notes , results and highlights.
2019 Tokyo Sports awards, including what wrestles historically have had the most MVP trophies and the most match of the year trophies.
TLC PPV including the changes in the show and the ticket demand.
Next Wednesday ratings battle and why it is the most interesting in several weeks.
Dave Bautista’s career, the NWO, and look back at the program that made Bautista’s career and the good and the bad of the NWO.
New Japan tag team tournament, whether the changes in format worked, the business of the final night, standings, match-by-match coverage and star ratings of the last night.
Saturday’s UFC show from D.C. with the business notes on the show and match-by-match coverage.
Look back at the life of Andy Robin, a U.K. star who was one of the greatest performers in the history of pro wrestling in Scotland.
Full coverage of all the WWE and AEW television shows from the past week.
In-depth looks at the ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE
Additional notes by Joseph Currier
WWE
After Kairi Sane’s injury at TLC, Madison Square Garden is now advertising that Becky Lynch will defend her Raw Women’s Championship against Asuka and Charlotte Flair in a triple threat cage match at WWE’s December 26 house show. The match was originally advertised as Asuka & Sane defending the Women’s Tag Team titles against Lynch & Charlotte.
Slated for tonight’s WWE Backstage are Alexa Bliss and William Shatner.
WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded the Prime Target special building up tomorrow’s Shayna Baszler vs. Rhea Ripley NXT Women’s Championship match.
Xavier Woods talked about how he injured his Achilles on The New Day’s new podcast.
NXT’s Deonna Purrazzo appeared on Raw last night, losing a match against Asuka.
WWE uploaded a new holiday video.
WWE has a Playlist video of storyline arrests.
Pro Wrestling
Our own Dave Meltzer will be doing a live show January 4th just hours prior to the first night of Wrestle Kingdom 14. It will take place at Toudoukan at 11 a.m. Ticket information here.
Kazuchika Okada will be one of the torch relay runners for next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
New Japan is releasing an album of piano covers of their theme songs tomorrow.
A truck driver has been arrested in relation to the death of Matt Travis.
The NWA announced that their January 24 PPV will be called “Hard Times.”
NJPW’s English-language website has an interview with Hiromu Takahashi.
Sky Sports went behind the scenes with North Wrestling.
Here is the latest episode of Sammy Guevara’s vlog.
MMA
Brian Ortega, who had to pull out of this weekend’s UFC event in Busan, is hoping to return sometime in early 2020 and still wants to face The Korean Zombie.
UFC prelims on ESPN 2 this weekend scored 865,000 viewers.
UFC recently held a combine at their Performance Institute in Shanghai.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: WCW’s final Starrcade
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