DAILY UPDATE
Latest News
NJPW notes: Jr. title match set for MSG, G1 schedule announced
WWE SmackDown ratings basically even with last week
ROH TV results: Matt Taven issues an open challenge
AXS TV renews WOW Women of Wrestling for second season
WWE to announce Tampa as host city for WrestleMania 36
Tommaso Ciampa to undergo neck surgery
WWE 205 Live tournament semifinals set for next week
WWE SmackDown video highlights: Samoa Joe wins United States title
NJPW 47th Anniversary show results: Jay White vs. Will Ospreay
Latest Audio
WOL: Ciampa surgery, Joe wins US Title, WOW renewed, WrestleMania, more! 3/6
Pacific Rim: King Kong Bundy’s NJPW run, Stardom iPPV news 3/6
WOR: Tommaso Ciampa injury, Raw & UFC ratings, SmackDown recap 3/6
DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: ‘Tag Team’ retro TV review 3/5
F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Roman Reigns announces his leukemia is in remission
“When I made my announcement, I said that I was going to swing for the fences. We did better than that, y’all. We didn’t just swing for the fences, we hit a home run.”
The entire professional wrestling world breathed the sigh of relief they’ve been waiting four months for as Roman Reigns announced last Monday that his leukemia is in remission.
Reigns shared the positive update while appearing on WWE television for the first time since revealing his battle with leukemia, which had returned 11 years after he was first diagnosed with the disease.
WON NEWSLETTER: March 4, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Roman Reigns returns to WWE after leukemia remission
The return of Roman Reigns and information on leukemia and how some athletes have returned quickly while having it is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
This issue is back to the usual format with a news filled issue, including comparisons of Georges St-Pierre to the other all-time greats in MMA, as well as details regarding the comings and goings in WWE including Bruce Prichard, TJP, Tye Dillinger, Arn Anderson and others.
Look at the background of the hiring of Prichard and departure of Anderson, Prichard’s past roles in WWE, how long Prichard is committed to doing live events with Conrad Thompson, and what this hire says about Vince McMahon.
Also look at plans for 2020 WrestleMania, 2019 Fan Axxess, Hardy’s contract, WWE injury updates, XFL notes, how AAF negotiated with WWE to buy XFL name, how that led to Vince doing the XFL, and football on WWE Network. Also look at how the AAF is doing.
Also look at “Fighting with my Family,” WWE star running for mayor has a major hurdle based on his past, Ric Flair’s real birthday party, Flair and Hogan history, Nikki Bella wins award, and new WWE signees.
Read notes from all the WWE and NXT events at arenas this past week, with results, highlights and business notes.
Have a look at the Matt Hughes situation, with what he’s alleged to have done, his response, and what others have said about him as well as his life post-accident.
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WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
WWE announced that the neck surgery NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa is undergoing is an anterior cervical fusion. Ciampa is scheduled to have the surgery tomorrow. WWE has yet to announce how they’ll handle the situation with the NXT Championship.
A tribute graphic for King Kong Bundy aired at the start of last night’s SmackDown and today’s NXT UK episode.
Colby Corino worked as an enhancement wrestler on last night’s 205 Live and faced Mike Kanellis. Steve Corino tweeted about his son’s appearance: “So proud. For so many reasons.”
The WWE Performance Center’s YouTube account has a video on Fandango training for his return to the ring. Fandango underwent surgery for a labrum tear in his shoulder in June.
Pat McAfee’s second video for WWE is about his first official day on the job with the company.
Nia Jax told the Sporting News that this year’s Royal Rumble was probably the highlight of her career thus far.
WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded Daniel Bryan’s WWE Championship win against Randy Orton and Batista from WrestleMania 30.
Pro Wrestling
Jungle Boy (Jack Perry) wrote about the passing of his father, Luke Perry: “He was a lot of things to a lot of people. To me, he was always Dad. He loved supported me in everything, and inspired me to be the best that I could possibly be. I’ve learned so much from you, and my heart is broken thinking about everything you won’t be here for. I’ll miss you every day that I walk this earth. I’ll do whatever I can to carry on your legacy and make you proud. I love you Dad.”
Jungle Boy will no longer be wrestling at Bar Wrestling’s show in Los Angeles on March 13 or PCW Ultra’s event in Wilmington, California on March 29. Penelope Ford is replacing him at the Bar Wrestling show and will team with Luchasaurus against Taya Valkyrie & PJ Black.
After dropping their traditional green color scheme, Pro Wrestling NOAH revealed their new logo.
NJPW held a 10-bell salute for King Kong Bundy at this morning’s 47th Anniversary show.
Ethan Page signed a two-year deal with Impact Wrestling that kicked in at the beginning of this year.
The Kris Wolf Retirement Show will take place for Pro Wrestling: EVE in London, England on April 26.
Bandido vs. PJ Black has been added to ROH’s TV tapings in Las Vegas on March 16.
LA Park vs. Masato Tanaka is set for Joey Janela’s Spring Break 3, part two in Jersey City, New Jersey on April 6.
Tanaka vs. David Starr will take place at Beyond Wrestling’s Uncharted Territory show in Worcester, Massachusetts on April 3.
Timothy Thatcher vs. Hideki Suzuki is the first match to be announced for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport in Jersey City, New Jersey on April 4.
MJF and Ace Romero are the latest entrants to be announced for MLW’s 40-wrestler Battle Riot match that’s taking place in Queens, New York on April 5. Pentagon Jr., Davey Boy Smith Jr., and Minoru Tanaka have also been confirmed for the match. It will air as part of a two-hour live special on beIN Sports.
MJF will face Brian Pillman Jr. at MLW’s show in Queens on April 4.
The New York Post has an interview with Cody Rhodes.
Diamond Dallas Page, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, and Vickie Guerrero have been announced for January’s Chris Jericho Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager at Sea Cruise. Guerrero will be the “guest cruise director.”
UFC/MMA
BJ Penn will have at least one more fight in the UFC, with him set to face Clay Guida at UFC 237 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 11.
Ariel Helwani tweeted an update on Robert Whittaker: “A little less than a month after his medical scare, I’m told UFC middleweight champ Robert Whittaker is feeling a lot better and improving every day. A summer return (late) is definitely a possibility if recovery goes as planned.”
During an appearance on the MMA Hour, Ben Askren spoke about his relationship with Dana White: “Dana’s disdain for me is just so clear and evident. It’s so hilarious, because he keeps saying, ‘No, I like you, Ben. I don’t dislike you.’ But then literally every action, every body language tells a totally different story, that he is like somehow repulsed by me. He hasn’t liked me forever. He didn’t like me in 2013 when they refused to sign me; he doesn’t like me now. I have offered to sit down with the guy multiple times to be reasonable, like two adults should do. He’s not taken me up one time. I genuinely don’t know what his problem with me is.”
Junior dos Santos thinks it would be ridiculous if Brock Lesnar gets a title shot against Daniel Cormier already: “This thing where Daniel Cormier wants to fight Brock Lesnar; I know he wants to make money, but it doesn’t make any sense. The only one who wants to see that fight or make that fight is him. Nobody else wants to see that. Of course Brock Lesnar he’s a very polemic guy so people like to watch him and they pay to watch him, that’s why he wants to fight him. But man, that would be ridiculous to have him back in the sport and have him fighting for the title already. It would be kind of disrespect to all of us in the sport and even with the organization. I don’t think that’s the thing to make, but whatever. Politics are politics.”
Derrick Lewis said he can’t retire without facing Francis Ngannou again.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: Vader wins AJPW Triple Crown
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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