Daily Update: Wayne Bridges, Raw, coronavirus
DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
Tony Deppen to make ROH debut in Pure title tournament
Snickers returning as presenting sponsor for WWE WrestleMania 36
AEW Dynamite to make New Orleans and New Mexico debuts this May
David Starr bids farewell to wXw
Raw Women’s title match official for WWE WrestleMania 36
Sami Zayn wins Intercontinental title at WWE Elimination Chamber
The Undertaker appears at WWE Elimination Chamber
WWE Elimination Chamber live results: Two Chamber matches
Latest Audio:
WOL: Elimination Chamber fallout, tons of feedback and more! 3/9
WOR: Elimination Chamber, Smackdown, Scott Steiner, David Starr, more! 3/9
B&V&G: WWE Elimination Chamber 2020, plus Granny! 3/8
We’re looking for your thoughts on both the Elimination Chamber and UFC 248 shows, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]
We’re looking for reports on the TNA show on Friday in Atlanta, as well as NXT shows from Cleveland on Friday and Detroit on Saturday to [email protected]
Are you interested in attending our annual F4W/WON convention? We will hold it during AEW Double or Nothing weekend. For more information, check this post for activities and prices.
WON NEWSLETTER: 40th Annual Awards Issue The results from the 2019 WON awards are in.
One of the year’s biggest issues, our 40th annual awards issue is out this week. The issue covers these awards:
1) Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award for Wrestler of the Year; 2) MMA MVP; 3) Most Outstanding Wrestler; 4) Most Outstanding MMA Fighter; 5) Tag Team of the Year; 6) Best On Interviews; 7) Promotion of the Year; 8) Best Weekly TV show; 9) Pro Wrestling Match of the Year; 10) MMA Match of the Year; 11) U.S/Canada MVP; 12) Japan MVP; 13) Mexico MVP; 14) Europe MVP; 15) Non-heavyweight MVP; 16) Women’s Wrestling MVP; 17) Women’s MMA MVP; 18) Best Box Office Draw; 19) Feud of the Year; 20) Most Improved; 21) Most Charismatic; 22) Bryan Danielson Award/Best Technical Wrestler; 23) Bruiser Brody Award/Best Brawler; 24) Best Flying Wrestler; 25) Most Overrated; 26) Most Underrated; 27) Rookie of the Year; 28) Best Non-Wrestler; 29) Best TV announcer; 30) Worst TV announcer; 31) Best Major wrestling show; 32) Worst major wrestling show; 33) Best wrestling maneuver; 34) Most Disgusting promotional tactic; 35) Worst TV show; 36) Worst match of the year; 37) Worst feud of the year; 38) Worst promotion of the year; 39) Best Booker; 40) Promoter of the Year; 41) Best gimmick; 42) Worst gimmick; 43) Best book; 44) Best documentary
We have the top placings in every category as well as a list of winners of every award dating back to 1980.
The new issue also covers:
Coronavirus and an update on its affect on Japanese pro wrestling.
Young Bucks vs. Kenny Omega & Adam Page match and compare it to great tag team matches of the past, in particular Misawa & Kobashi vs. Kawada & Taue from 1995 and Midnight Express vs Fantastics from 1988.
AEW Revolution with business notes, storylines, match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.
Preview Elimination Chamber with early business notes and the current demand.
Folding of the Wrestle-1 promotion.
WWE and All Japan, WrestleMania ticket sales and secondary market interest, update on WrestleMania show, Jeff Hardy, John Layfield in the Hall of Fame, XFL ratings updates, Injuries and other WWE absences, notes on a new WWE wrestler who just had his first match this past week, Renee Young talks her situation and Jon Moxley, next MSG show, Notes on the Tampa Takeover show, company value, most-watched shows on WWE Network, and a rundown of all the WWE and NXT live events over the past week with highlights and business notes.
Saturday’s UFC show, looking at the key matches and stories, business notes and match-by-match coverage.
Regarding the Wednesday numbers, we’ve got full details, demos that each side won, how every segment did and what match ended up as the difference maker.
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.
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 [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.
In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.
For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.
MONDAY NEWS UPDATE
Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio covering Raw and the rest of the news. Our awards show is up on the site right now from Saturday night. You can send questions to tonight’s show to [email protected]
Wayne Bridges, one of the greats of British wrestling from the 60s through the 80s passed away yesterday at the age of 83. We’ll have a major story on him later this week in the Observer but he was a multi-time world champion who had big matches against the likes of Kendo Nagasaki, Mike Marino, Pat Roach, John Quinn and the other major heavyweights of that era. He worked regularly in New Japan and later the UWF in Japan and worked in North America in 1974-75. .
The stock market today was a disaster to say the least with the Dow falling below 24,000 due to fears brought on by the coronavirus situation is getting worse. All kinds of businesses and public gatherings are in jeopardy. WWE stock hasn’t dropped as bad as the market in general but it still closed today at $41.16 per share, down $1.54 per share.
Edge, scheduled to be on Raw tonight, has been advertised for a week for a confrontation with Randy Orton. In theory the advertised return of Edge should help the number, as should coming off last night’s PPV show. Angel Garza vs. Rey Mysterio will be on the show. Drew McIntyre will also wrestle.
Elimination Chamber had the usual level of WWE B PPV interest even with the lack of major stars and singles world title matches for both the men and women. It did 200,000 searches yesterday, good for fourth place. That’s well under the 2.1 million for the UFC show the night before, but well ahead of last week’s AEW Revolution show which did 100,000.
New Japan is expected to make a decision regarding starting back next Monday or not within the next few days.
WWE
The name of the Bruce Willis movie that Cathy Jo Perry (Lana) is in that we reported in the issue this week is called “Cosmic Sin.” The story is about humans and scientists fighting to save the human race from aliens attempting to take over the planet. Perry will play the best sniper and lead assassin fighting to save the human race.
The WWE Network debuts “WWE: The Day Of” on Friday covering the day of the recent Super Showdown show in Saudi Arabia.
NXT dates have been announced for 5/1 in Washington, DC at the Entertainment & Sports Arena, 5/2 in Bethlehem, PA at the Wind Creek Event Center and 5/3 in Poughkeepsie, NY at the Mid Hudson Civic Center.
AEW
Matt Cross and Britt Baker are starring in a movie called “Powerbomb” about an independent wrestler trying to break into the big-time but also thinking of leaving wrestling completely for his family. It will be released on DVD and VOD platforms on 4/14. Also in the movie are Gregory Iron, Dick Justice and Roni Jonah from the pro wrestling independent scene.
MISCELLANEOUS
The TV station Reelz on Sunday will be doing its Autopsy features on Chyna at 7 p.m. (this has aired before) and will premiere an episode on Chris Benoit at 8 and 11 p.m. Eastern The Benoit episode will also be repeated on 3/19 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
In a response to issues with the coronavirus, Combate Americas announced that shows on 3/13 in Tucson, 3/20 in Mexico City and 3/27 in San Antonio are being postponed until later in the year. Refunds for all shows are being given. They will also start running shows on 4/3 in a pro wrestling TV studio format until the problems are quelled.
MMA Fighting reported former UFC fighter Abel Trujllo has accepted a plea bargain to avoid felony charges in a child sexual exploitation case regarding promoting obscenity to a minor and sexual exploitation of a child. He was arrested in July after exchanging inappropriate sexual messages with a minor. The victim said Trujllo was sending her nude photos. She blocked him but months later he tried to contact her again. After a search warrant of Trujllo’s phone, he admitted he had multiple conversations with women under the age of 18 as well as having sent nude photos. His sentencing will be on 4/6.
Destiny Wrestling on 3/22 at Santino Marella’s Don Kolov Arena in Mississauga, ONT featuring Jordan Devlin, Trent Seven, Tyler Bate and Josh Alexander.
Cage Fury Fighting Championships on UFC Fight Pas on 3/21
Daily Pro Wrestling History: The Steiners win WCW Tag Team titles
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