Daily Update: WWE notes, Cody, ROH Women's title tournament
DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
XFL ratings decline in third week, continue to hold up better than 2001
Samoa Joe suspended 30 days for WWE wellness policy violation
Doug Williams, Jonathan Gresham set for ROH Pure title tournament
WWE Raw video highlights: Super ShowDown go-home show
The Undertaker traveling to Saudi Arabia for WWE Super ShowDown
Mysterio replacing Rusev in WWE Super ShowDown gauntlet match
Edge advertised for March 9 episode of WWE Raw
New Japan Cup 2020 participants, opening round matches revealed
NJPW reveals full card for 48th Anniversary show
Two matches set for WWE Raw next week, Beth Phoenix to appear
Latest Audio:
WOL: RAW, AEW Revolution, Edge return, tons more! 2/25
DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: ICW 1986 TV review 2/25
WOR: New Japan, BTE, RAW, WrestleMania, more! 2/25
F4D: Filthy Tom Lawlor on Friday Night Smackdown, more! 2/24
WON NEWSLETTER: February 24, 2020 Observer Newsletter: Coronavirus affects Japanese wrestling, WrestleMania update STARDOM and NJPW events affected by coronavirus, a look ahead at WrestleMania weekend, and more.
We’ve got a WrestleMania update with new matches, an updated card, details on the women’s aspect of the show with new bouts and stars from the past who are scheduled and who are not scheduled.
Also covered in the new issue:
Ticket sales for all the WWE shows that week, as well as how the secondary market is doing right now for the WWE & AEW major events.
More on both the Super Showdown and Elimination Chamber shows.
How the Coronavirus has affected some major shows that were scheduled. We look at the Stardom cancellations, the empty arena show on YouTube, another promotion with a worldwide audience doing an empty arena show, as well a how New Japan is handling the situation.
Complete coverage of NXT Takeover Portland, with business notes, update on Matt Riddle, match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results on the show.
Update WWE talks regarding how WrestleMania will be broadcast this year, what AEW should be looking for, XFL ratings and analysis, NXT Japan update, Tito Ortiz training with WWE, Bill Goldberg’s dates, former WWE star tells story about Trump, new WWE documentary, Matt Hardy update, Injury updates, foreign ratings, return of John Cena, WWE bans former star from getting talent for their podcast and why, debut of former top star in Mexico, update on MSG, stock price update, most-watched shows on the WWE Network as well as a look at all the NXT and WWE arena events held over the past week.
Complete coverage of the UFC show from Rio Rancho, NM this past week, with business notes.
Update on the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony.
A note on the biggest Wednesday night ratings movers.
Revolution Pro High Stakes headlined by Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr., and how Ospreay’s in-ring style has changed so much over the past year. We look at how pro wrestling handles weight classes as compared to real sports, why going back in time may provide a more updated view than what we have now about weight classes and pro wrestling.
2019 stats on WWE performers including who won this year’s Iron Man award, a well as wins and losses.
Our 2019 Awards ballot.
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.
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
WWE
Today is the one-year anniversary of Roman Reigns announcing that his leukemia is in remission. Reigns tweeted this afternoon: “Sharing this life with millions of people is one of the things that makes being a @WWE Superstar amazing. Life has struggles and setbacks, but the power and prayers of this Universe gave me the strength to fight back. Thank y’all for your support. We got much more to do!!!”
Ric Flair turns 71 years old today.Charlotte Flair wished her father a happy birthday: “Happy Birthday Dad @RicFlairNatrBoy I love you as big as the sky! My favorite thing is waking you up late at night on the road with FaceTime so you can motive, encourage or just listen to me. (I’ll cherish our long talks) can’t wait to see you tomorrow!!”
WWE uploaded a Milestone video on Flair’s WWE title wins.
EVOLVE/indie referee Jake Clemons was the referee who did the fast count during Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens in the main event of last night’s Raw. It was revealed after the match that Clemons was wearing a Seth Rollins T-shirt. Owens then powerbombed him through a table.
PWInsider reported that The Undertaker is scheduled for the March 9 episode of Raw in Washington, D.C.
Ten months after breaking his leg, NXT referee Tom Castor is returning to the ring tomorrow.
During an appearance on Better Together with Maria Menounos, Cathy Kelley spoke about her decision to leave WWE:
“It was a really hard decision. WWE and wrestling, in general, meant so much to me. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting and I thought about where my journey has taken me. There are so many pivotal moments in my life that felt like either a step back or I was stagnant that when I removed myself, I felt like my life catapulted forward. I’ve always been really good about knowing, if you trust your gut, you know when something isn’t serving you or when it’s the right time to move on. That’s where I was towards the end of being at WWE. It was about timing, trusting my gut, trusting my intuition. I genuinely feel like my journey and career are just beginning.”
“There are so many things that I want to do and especially with the WWE schedule, it’s so time-consuming because you are traveling so much. Being me, I wanted to do everything. I wanted to work as much as possible and that wouldn’t allow me to do the other things I wanted to do.”
NXT’s Kushida, Mercedes Martinez, Deonna Purrazzo, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Taynara, and Cameron Grimes have been added to WWN’s Accelerate: Initiate in Tampa at noon Eastern time on Thursday, April 2. There will be six men’s singles matches and two women’s fatal four-ways at the show. The winners will advance to a men’s six-way elimination match and women’s singles match at Accelerate: Conclusion to determine the tournament winners. Accelerate: Conclusion is taking place at 4 p.m. Eastern on April 2.
Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch will face Eddie Kingston & Joe Gacy at Accelerate: Conclusion. Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner have also been announced for Conclusion.
Matt Hardy uploaded a video titled “DEAR DR RKO” to YouTube.
Other Wrestling
Downstait will perform Cody’s theme music “Kingdom” live at this Saturday’s Revolution PPV.
Cody spoke to Sports Illustrated about his steel cage match against Wardlow from last week’s Dynamite: “The cage has to be lowered, that was my rule. So I ended up with the highest cage I could possibly get, and that cost me. I’m terrified of heights. That’s why my eyes are closed. I thought about it all day. Tony Khan was adamant that I didn’t do it. I’ve never seen a boss like him and how he leads, and the way he cares about his investments. Too many people were trying to talk me out of it. Typically, I’m by the ‘Go position’ during our show, but I stayed away.”
TNT uploaded video of Jon Moxley’s appearance on their AEW Unrestricted podcast.
As part of The Elite Team series of children’s books, a Hangman Page book titled “Adam & The Golden Horseshoe” will be released on May 24.
Australian wrestler Kellyanne has been announced for ROH’s Women’s Championship tournament. She joins Sumie Sakai as the first two wrestlers confirmed for the 16-woman tournament, which will begin with first round matches taking place at Quest for Gold in Philadelphia on April 24.
Impact Wrestling is holding TV tapings at the Columbus Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio on April 24 and April 25.
WWN uploaded Mansoor vs. AR Fox from EVOLVE 144.
Fite TV is offering a bundle of nine live streams for WrestleCon’s WrestleMania week shows.
MMA
UFC 251 will take place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia on June 6 (June 7 local time). Valentina Shevchenko defending her flyweight title against Joannne Calderwood has been confirmed for the PPV.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: The Rock wins WWF title at No Way Out 2001
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