Daily Update: Saudi Arabia, WWE notes, Rousey talks UFC 229

THE ROUND-UP

THE LATEST NEWS

Eddie Guerrero documentary to air on WWE’s YouTube channel
WWE Syracuse, NY, live results: Reigns teams with Ambrose
NXT Southaven, MS, live results: Six-man tag, Ciampa vs. Ohno
Ryan Bader dominates Matt Mitrione to advance to Bellator Grand Prix final
Impact Wrestling ratings down for Bound for Glory go-home show

THE LATEST AUDIO

F4D: WWE Australia, RAW Monday, Crown Jewel, more! 10/13
WOR: FSM’s Will Cooling on the latest ongoings in the UK 10/12

Today’s schedule includes WWE Raw in Binghamton, NY, Smackdown in Raleigh, NC, NXT U.K. TV tapings in Plymouth, UK, as well as NXT events in Owesnboro, KY and Tampa as well as OTT in Dublin at the National Stadium. We’re looking for reports on all of those shows to [email protected].

BELLATOR AT 9 P.M. ON PARAMOUNT AND DAZN  

Henry Corrales (146) vs. Andy Main (145.6)
Alexander Shlemenko (185.2) vs. Anatoly Tokov (185.8)
Cheick Kongo (239.2) vs. Timothy Johnson (265.6)
Benson Henderson (155.8) vs. Saad Awad (155.8)
Fedor Emelianenko (236) vs. Chael Sonnen (227) in the heavyweight Grand Prix semifinals

PROFESSIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE FROM THE LONG BEACH ARENA AT 9 P.M. ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK

Lightweight tournament semifinals

Will Brooks (20-4) vs. Rashid Magomedov (21-2)
Islam Mamedov (15-2) vs. Thiago Tavares (22-8-1)

Light heavyweight tournament semifinals

Maxinm Grishin (28-7) vs. Smealinho Rama (11-4)
Dan Spohn (18-5) vs. Sean O’Connell (18-10)

Sunday has Raw in Allentown, PA, Smackdown in Charlottesville, VA, ROH in Philadelphia for TV tapings (Mark & Jay Briscoe vs. Young Bucks vs. Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian for tag titles, Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham & ? vs. The Kingdom, Cody vs. Kenny King, Sumie Sakai & Madison Rayne & Jenny Rose vs. Dr. Britt Baker & Karen Q & Kelly Klein and Jeff Cobb vs. Shane Taylor) and OTT in Dublin at the National Stadium (Kushida vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Tetsuya Naito & Sanada & Evil vs. Shane Strickland & Flamita & Bandido, Satoshi Kojima & Michael May vs. Sean Guinness & Hirooki Goto, Minoru Suzuki vs. Timothy Thatcher, Kings of the North vs. More Than Hype).

Monday has Raw in Philadelphia and a Smackdown house show in Richmond, VA. Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey are scheduled for the show.    

The 1,000th episode of Smackdown takes place on Tuesday in Washington, DC. Announced matches at the show are Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Rey Mysterio, plus Mixed Match Challenge with Miz & Asuka vs. Rusev & Lana and Bobby Lashley & Mickie James vs. Bobby Roode & Natalya.  Edge will be there doing a Cutting Edge promo segment and Evolution will reuinite with HHH, Randy Orton, Ric Flair and Dave Bautista. Kane is also scheduled.

NEW JAPAN SUPER JUNIOR TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT STARTS TUESDAY AT 5:30 A.M. EASTERN FROM TOKYO KORAKUEN HALL ON NEW JAPAN WORLD

Toa Henare & Shota Umino & Ren Narita vs. Ayato Yoshida & Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Kota Ibushi & Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens
Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano & Baretta & Chuckie T vs. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa
Taiji Ishimori & Robbie Eagles vs. Jushin Liger & Tiger Mask
Ryusuke Taguchi &ACH vs. Volador Jr. & Soberano Jr.
Kushida & Chris Sabin vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Desperado
Bushi & Shingo Takagi vs. Sho & Yoh


F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Recapping WWE Super Show-Down

Going into Super Show-Down in Melbourne, Australia on Saturday, it wasn’t entirely clear whether it would be more of a major stadium show or a glorified live event. There were elements of both on display at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Without even factoring in entrances or the post-match angle, Triple H vs. The Undertaker was nearly 30 minutes long. It was obvious that they were attempting to deliver on the epic “last-time ever” main event that had been promised.


WON NEWSLETTER: October 15, 2018 Observer Newsletter: Highs and lows of UFC 229, plus tons of news

The biggest show in UFC history took place this past week. Look at the economics, the lessons, what it says about the fan base, the promotion and the regulators in how things escalated into the brawl that took place. Examine how Conor McGregor benefited from the brawl, likelihood of a rematch, as well as all the changes in upcoming cards and the making jokes out of the various championships.

There is also the regular coverage of UFC 229 with a look at the matches and poll results.

This issue addresses the next two major WWE shows, Evolution and Crown Jewel. Look at the issues facing WWE and Saudi Arabia, why the issues are so much deeper than women not being allowed to perform, and the return of Shawn Michaels.

Look at the unrest in New Japan and why morale has done a 180 since the G-1, the Tokyo Dome main event, the Power Struggle show, Chris Jericho in New Japan, and Tanahashi vs. Omega,

Read more on Rey Mysterio’s return to WWE, Smackdown 1,000, who is coming to Smackdown 1,000, Kevin Owens injury update, why WWE stock declined so much this past week, notes on potential of ratings on FOX and how that compares to FOX’s usual Friday numbers. 

This issue has more on the life and career of Hiroshi Wajima, a former All Japan headliner who was one of the greatest sumos of all-time. 


ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer, or by using PayPal directing funds to [email protected]

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If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can choose one free classic issue or two free classic issues with a 40-issue subscription.


SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE
Richard Blumenthal, the senior senator from Connecticut (where WWE is located), appeared on WCBS Newsradio 880 and was asked if he thinks WWE should look into backing out of their November 2 Crown Jewel show in Riyadh: “All major private interests should review and relook their relationship with the Saudi Kingdom in light of its continuing pattern of abuse of civil rights and civil liberties, contempt for the rule of law, and bombing in Yemen using the United States military equipment and possible intelligence.”
Blumenthal also responded to a question about whether he would lean on WWE to cancel Crown Jewel if more conclusive evidence that Saudi Arabia was behind journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder emerges: “I would hope that WWE will recognize on its own a conscience and conviction if there is proof that Saudi officials approved and ordered this kind of killing, and I would lean first on the United States government to do its duty so that it can lead private interests like WWE, and the first place to look is to the United States of America.”
Brandon Howard Thurston wrote an article for the Daily Beast about WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia.
PWinsider reported that Sasha Banks is scheduled to be back on the road with WWE at next week’s live events. Mickie James replaced Banks in Mixed Match Challenge last month, with WWE announcing that Banks was dealing with an undisclosed injury.
A WCW-themed episode of Table for Three will premiere on the WWE Network after Monday’s Raw. It will feature Kevin Nash, DDP, and Big Show talking about their most memorable moments from Nitro.
Pete Dunne’s United Kingdom title defense against Noam Dar will air on Wednesday’s premiere episode of NXT UK. The match was filmed at NXT UK’s July tapings in Cambridge, England.
To promote SmackDown 1000, WWE released an Attitude Era-themed SmackDown intro video with today’s roster.
Titus O’Neil and his mother were featured on the latest episode of My Son is a WWE Superstar.
EBONY ranked O’Neil on their Power 100 list for 2018.
After Seth Rollins said during an appearance at ACE Comic Con that he’d like to prove that he’s the best in the world and face Kenny Omega, Omega responded on Twitter: “An exciting proposal…Now if only there were an appropriate venue for such a historic clash…”
Pro Wrestling
Impact Wrestling released the opening video for tomorrow’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view.
Rich Swann vs. Teddy Hart, El Hijo de LA Park vs. Jimmy Yuta, and Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Vandal Ortagun aired on this week’s MLW Fusion episode.
Jim Cornette appeared on the most recent Ten Pounds of Gold video and discussed the legacy of the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. Cornette will be doing color commentary for the NWA’s 70th Anniversary Show on October 21.
Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport will take place on Thursday, April 4 in Newark, New Jersey during WrestleMania week. The show is in conjunction with Game Changer Wrestling, who put on Matt Riddle’s Bloodsport in New Orleans this year.
Jonathan Snowden wrote an article for Post Wrestling on why Kiyoshi Tamura should be in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
UFC/MMA
Ronda Rousey was interviewed by TMZ Sports about UFC 229 and the aftermath of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor. “I understand promoting fights and having to sell them,” Rousey said. “I really do. I get it. But I don’t think people have to get arrested in order to do that. I think I’ve been able to prove that you can make a fight exciting and make people really wanna see it without crossing any legal lines.”
Rousey was also asked about how Nurmagomedov should be punished: “I think that Khabib jumping out of the octagon was not as bad as throwing objects at a bus, because my friend Rose Namajunas was on that bus. My friend, Michael Chiesa, missed his fight because [he suffered an injury from broken glass]. So I just feel like there has to be equal treatment all the way across the board. I don’t think that anyone should get special treatment because they’re a bigger draw. I think that’s the same when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs, when it comes to felonies, when it comes to hit and runs or anything like that. I think there’s too much preferential treatment given to high-profile fighters. I think there needs to be equal discipline across the board because people are going to start to think that once they get to a certain level then the rules don’t apply for them.”
Ariel Helwani noted that Eddie Alvarez is very close to signing a multi-fight deal with ONE Championship.
Helwani reported that Jessica Eye vs. Katlyn Chookagian is set for UFC 231 in Toronto on December 8. Helwani also reported that the UFC is in talks to book Megan Anderson vs. Cat Zingano for UFC 232 in Las Vegas on December 29. Anderson vs. Zingano would be the backup fight for Cris Cyborg vs. Amanda Nunes.
Bellator released the final episode of their countdown series for Fedor Emelianenko vs. Chael Sonnen.
In an Instagram post, 50 Cent offered Khabib Nurmagomedov “$2 million cash” if he’ll fight for Bellator. 50 Cent wrote that he’ll deal with Dana White and Nurmagomedov’s contract later and that Zubaira Tukhugov is welcome to come to Bellator as well. Tukhugov may be released from the UFC for his role in the UFC 229 post-main event brawl.

Daily Professional Wrestling History: Money Inc. win WWF Tag Team titles


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