We’re looking for your thoughts on today’s New Japan Destruction in Kobe show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to Dave Meltzer
We’re also looking for reports on last night’s WWE show in Rochester, NY, NXT in Fort Pierce, FL and today’s WWE shows in Syracuse, NY (John Cena vs. Seth Rollins, Ryback vs. Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho vs. Luke Harper) and Erie PA (Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt & Braun Strowman; Randy Orton vs. Sheamus). Send to NEWSTIPS
Shooto Brazil live on UFC Fight Pass Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern time
Raw will be live from Buffalo on Monday night. Even though Brock Lesnar is headlining both the MSG special the following Saturday and the next PPV, at this point he is not advertised for the show. That would make sense to change but we haven’t heard that it is.
Smackdown will be taped in Albany, NY. No John Cena or Randy Orton scheduled for Albany.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
We’ve got a double issue of the Observer this week because of coverage of so many big shows and all the stuff that has come out of the past week with WWE. Sept. 28, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Sting, Night of Champions, Bellator Dynamite, more
Our lead story covers the Sting injury, the Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar Hell in a Cell match and the interesting back story and questions it brings up, lots of long-term looking at where WWE is headed as well as full coverage of the Night of Champions show. We also cover the second season news for Lucha Underground, the Atlantis vs. La Sombra mask vs. mask match, Akira Hokuto’s announcement about her breast cancer, Bellator’s Dynamite show and what went right and wrong, New Japan’s Destruction in Okayama, ROH’s All-Star Extravaganza, the Pro Wrestling NOAH angle where they tease the end of the company, USADA responds to Thomas Hauser, Josh Gross’ story on the Vitor Belfort drug test and why it’s not nearly as simple as people are making it out to be, AAA’s next major show and record low ratings.
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The Wrestling Observer ranges weekly from 35,000 to 50,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA internationally. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sties and has the most complete look at the pro wrestling and MMA business anywhere, plus history pieces available nowhere else
Our lead story covers the WWE weekend, notably the Sting injury and Undertaker-Lesnar announcement.
We go through the injury, including Sting’s interview comments after the fact and his description of Seth Rollins and the injury, as well as his current thoughts on if he will wrestle again. We also talk about what he does and doesn’t know, what he’s said publicly about the injury, why the match wasn’t stopped, and what we can learn from it.
We also look at how the Lesnar vs. Undertaker Hell in a Cell match changes WrestleMania, and look at those potential changes. We look at the different directions they can go with the key talent for next year’s show. We also look at the rest of Hell in a Cell as far as what is on the books and what name isn’t listed yet in the top matches. We look at the problem in the arena at the end of Night of Champions.
We’ve got complete Night of Champions coverage, with records, business, poll results, match-by-match coverage and star ratings.
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New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major stories of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we’ll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We’ve got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue.
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SUNDAY’S NEWS UPDATE
Shinsuke Nakamura regained the IC title from Hirooki Goto on today’s New Japan Destruction in Kobe show. The next PPV show for New Japan is King of Pro Wrestling on 10/12 at Sumo Hall, headlined by Kazuchika Okada vs. A.J. Styles for the IWGP title. While not necessary all on the next show, the challenges and such for upcoming title and big matches are Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito for the Tokyo Dome main event spot, Nakamura vs. Karl Anderson for the IC title, Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly vs. Rocky Romero & Trent Baretta for the IWGP jr. tag titles, Togi Makabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the Never title, Kenny Omega vs. Matt Sydal for the IWGP jr. title and Tiger Mask vs. Jushin Liger for the NWA jr. title. I expect a press conference to announce the show in the next day or two.
Nothing from UFC made the Google searches this weekend, nor from pro wrestling. Deontay Wilder retaining his heavyweight boxing title was No. 14 yesterday.
Jesse Ventura said that he’d consider running for Vice President with Bernie Sanders. He had talked about running with Donald Trump but opposed his immigration policy “vehemently.” He said he’s willing to agree to build a wall on the Mexican border if Donald Trump will also build one on the Canadian border. Like that’s going to happen.
WWE is looking for a Director of Communications and Operations for the Japan market.
In a trivia note, Seth Rollins, at 184 days, has held the title the longest of anyone in history after cashing in the Money in the Bank. The old record was The Miz, at 160 days. Kane had 154 days. (thanks to Emerson Witner)
La Sombra is headed to Japan for the November/December tag team tournament, likely as the partner for Tetsuya Naito.
Dustin Runnels confirmed that he was going to the 10/7 NXT Takeover show. Dustin & Cody Runnels will be at the show at Full Sail University presenting the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team tournament trophies to the team that wins the finals.\
George O’Brien, the co-author of the book “Wrestling to Rasslin: Ancient Sport to American Spectacle,” passed away earlier today. O’Brien went every year to the Cauliflower Alley Club banquets and would also help young Arizona based talent. He had personally paid for promising Arizona talent to fly to the U.K. and learn the European style of wrestling. John La Rocca noted it’s a sad day for the Arizona wrestling community as well as for Premier Wrestling community. O’Brien was the person who opened the door for Joe Graves to come to Premier and have his bouts with Timothy Thatcher.
Dave Meltzer’s story at MMAFighting on Daniel Cormier getting ready for Alexander Gustafsson
A story on WWE and Tivo
Gary Cooke a former pro wrestler in the 70s and 80s in the U.K. was sent to jail for 14 years as part of a paedophile ring
A story about crazy pro wrestling in the Philippines
Another historical event is that 48 years ago today in Honolulu at the HIC Arena (now the NBC Arena), Handsome Johnny Barend got married in the ring before a sellout crowd. This was one of the most famous events in the history of 50th State Wrestling. Even a few years ago on news shows, well after Barend passed away, I heard hosts talking about the night Barend married the local girl (and they remained married until his death in 2011). That led to a famous interview a week or so later on National All-Star Wrestling out of San Francisco. Ray Stevens & Pat Patterson, who were headliners on that show, and at the time the Cow Palace and HIC Arena were both hot as hell and there was a rivalry which arena would do the biggest house, and Stevens talked about how they put a wedding on in Honolulu as a cheap way to up the gate, and he guaranteed everyone that his partner, Patterson, would never stoop so low as to get married in the ring.
RFA returns to Las Vegas on 10/9 on AXS with Gilbert Smith vs. Bristol Marunde in the main event, plus Zoila Frausto returns to strawweight, a weight she’d never lost at.
Future Stars of Wrestling on Friday night in Las Vegas: Nick Bugatti b Spyder Warrior, BFFs b Paddy O’Shea & Looney Bin & Dan Joseph, Tomaste b Carlo Cannon, Vegas and Mike Dalite, Vegas Originals b Players Club-DQ, Funny Bone b Damian Drake, Reno Scum NC Pistoleros, Willie Mack b Owen Travers, Ryan Taylor won three-way over Jakob Austin Young and Paul London, Kevin Kross b Bran Cage to win the FSW title. Next show is 10/16 at the Silverton Casino.
Luster the Legend missed the show because his wife was giving birth.
Nick Massie’s wife (Young Bucks) as of this moment hasn’t given birth yet. He missed the weekend because his wife was ready to give birth.
Pro Wrestling Eclipse on 10/4 in Oshawa, ONT at the Royal Canadian Legion #43.
Quintessential Pro Wrestling, which sounds like it was named after Joel Gertner, ran last night in Reno before 130 fans: Nicole Savoy b Laura James, Kenny Lush b Jeff Cobb, Chris Hero and Adam Thornstowe co-won four-way over Scotty Mac and Artemis Spencer, Nicole Matthews b Christina Von Eeerie, JR Kratos b Chupacabra, Cheerleader Melissa b Shayna Baszler (debut), Adam Thornstowe b Chris Hero. Nicole Matthews his Baszler with a chair after her match. Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir of the Four Horsewomen were there for Baszler’s debut.
Trina Michaels talks wrestling while in a hot tub
Should Big Daddy be in the Hall of Fame?
Lucha Xtreme TV from last night in Fresno: Danny Fernandez (billed as possibly being Manny’s son) b Jesse Poole-DQ, Kevin El Divine b Chad Douglas-DQ, Prince Nagi b Lucero del Mundo, Danny Fernandez & Kevin El Divino b Chad Douglas & Jesse Poole (thanks to Jon Southerland)
ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY INTERNATIONAL (thanks to Graeme Cameron)
1938 – Lofty Bloomfield beat Dean Detton in Auckland too win the New Zealand title
1974 – Lorenzo Parente beat Mario Milano in Sydney to win the WCW Brass Knux title
2002 – Nicho & Damian 666 & Halloween beat El Satanico & Averno & Mephisto in Mexico City to win the Mexican national trios titles
2009 – Shinsuke Nakamura beat Togi Makabe in Kobe to win the vacant IWGP title