THE ROUND-UP
THE LATEST NEWS
KUSHIDA, Stardom talent set for ROH Best in the World
WWE Raw ratings down against big NBA and NHL playoff games
WWE reveals bracket for UK Championship tournament
Report: WWE getting $265 million annually for Raw, SD deal details
WWE 205 Live results: Cruiserweight title on the line
Matches set for PWG Threemendous V
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors night 9 results: Ospreay vs. Kanemaru
Samoa Joe qualifies for WWE Money in the Bank
Mixed tag, Lynch vs. Flair set for next week’s WWE SmackDown
CM Punk-Colt Cabana-Chris Amann defamation case kicks off
WWE SmackDown live results: Daniel Bryan vs. Samoa Joe
THE LATEST AUDIO
F4D: Smackdown, Chopping Block, HISTORY OR HISTORY, more! 5/30
WOL: Raw and Smackdown TV deal details, CM Punk trial, more! 5/30
B&V&C: Retro Raw and Nitro from 19 years ago this week! 5/29
F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: WWE cashes in on TV rights boom
The company appears set to cash in on the live sports television rights boom they’ve been banking on since before their last deal with NBC Universal was agreed to in 2014. The Hollywood Reporter first reported on May 16th that the USA Network would likely be retaining Raw, with NBC Universal paying as much as three times more for the show than they did previously, which would equate to somewhere around $240 million annually. But in prioritizing Raw, it meant that SmackDown would be shopped around to other suitors.
WON NEWSLETTER: May 28, 2018 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE making massive money for TV deals, more
The two biggest stories from an industry business perspective broke on consecutive days, the WWE deal with FOX and the UFC deal with ESPN. This issue has the most detailed coverage of both stories you’ll find anywhere, from the money, what the money means to both sides, what the deals entail, how this changes things for both companies and much more.
Look at Jimmy Pitaro’s thoughts on UFC to ESPN, the aging of the UFC and WWE audience, is UFC really the youngest skewing sport, the good and bad of the ESPN deal, the value of the WWE and its stock, Vince McMahon’s personal value with the stock, the timing and why these deals came in the way they did, value of streaming vs. television, the archaic pay structure in WWE, and the difference in television hours of WWE and UFC going forward with the new deals.
Read about the big shows upcoming, New Japan at the Cow Palace, All In, NXT Chicago, Money in the Bank and SummerSlam with a lesson on ticket sales, the secondary market and where people are coming from who are attending these shows.
Check out the angle this past week that could lead to one of the biggest matches in the history of Mexican wrestling, L.A. Park vs. Rush in a mask vs. hair match.
This issue updates the plans for PPV shows and time running with the latest changes made, an update on the legal situation with C.M. Punk and Dr. Christopher Amann. Look at the idea of other groups streaming on WWE Network and the latest talk on it.
Read the plans for a WWE summer tournament, Dwayne Johnson’s latest business, movies with wrestlers, Cena & Nikki Bella, More WWE injury updates, wrestlers returning to WWE, U.K. tournament first round matches, new WWE signing, next MSG card, Mauro Ranallo news, TV ratings in the U.K., most-watched shows for the week on WWE Network, as well as a look at all the WWE & NXT live shows of the past week with match-by-match coverage and business notes.
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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WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
After briefly reaching $60 per share for the first time ever, WWE stock closed at $58.96 today. That’s very slightly (0.41 percent) down from yesterday.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, John Cena gave his thoughts on his match with The Undertaker from WrestleMania: “I did not do well in this match. My ‘WrestleMania Moment’ was to spend the time in the crowd and not do well in a very short performance, but I loved it because it got the job done. The focus was not me, the focus was someone else. Often times, we look at things so selfishly, asking, ‘What’s in it for me?’ Well, what was in it for me was the chance to reintroduce a WWE icon. I had to stretch the suspension of disbelief to its breaking point to do it, but it was awesome. Every single week, the crowd would chant at the top of its lungs and no one thought I would be sitting in the crowd at WrestleMania, but I was able to do that. I was able to go out and be handily defeated in three minutes and bring back an icon. That is a message to any performer who is complaining about their spot or that, creatively, they have nothing going for them. I’ve been first, I’ve been in the middle, I’ve been last. I just want to go out there and do something. There are a few performers who share my ideology, with The Miz being one of them. That’s why he is skyrocketing into a new bracket as we speak, and I can’t wait to see what he does next week. But there is also a lot of disdain and complacency. You should be happy with any sort of role, even if it is getting your tail kicked in.”
Enzo Amore, who returned to social media after police concluded their investigation into him and found insufficient evidence to press charges, reiterated his claim that he wasn’t aware of the rape allegation against him before it was made public: “I hate to be the 1 to pull the nipple out of the baby’s mouth.. but NO. I WAS NOT CONTACTED ONCE BY THE POLICE BEFORE JAN. 22nd. #bigFACTS. Don’t believe my last tweet? Your an armchair detective? The police have an open line: call em & ask… they’ll call u back in 4 months.”
United States Champion Jeff Hardy defeated Shelton Benjamin in last night’s pre-SmackDown dark match. SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella defeated Charlotte Flair after 205 Live went off the air, with Carmella sending Charlotte face-first into a turnbuckle pad and using her feet on the ropes for leverage. Charlotte stood tall after the match.
WWE interviewed NASCAR drivers Hermie & Elliott Sadler and NHL player Jacob Slavin backstage at SmackDown in North Carolina.
Total Bellas averaged 505,000 viewers on Sunday night, down from 517,000 for last week’s season premiere and again marking the lowest viewership in series history. The episode averaged a 0.24 rating in the 18-49 demo, which is down from last week’s 0.27. Total Bellas moved from Wednesdays to Sundays for this season.
ESPN ran a story on WWE and Gerald Brisco’s recruitment of Duke amateur wrestler Jacob Kasper.
Bret Hart tweeted about the honorary degree that he’s receiving from Mount Royal University this Friday: “I enrolled at @mountroyal4u in 77 to learn film. I ended up taking a different path that allowed me to see the world while representing Calgary and Canada. I am extremely proud to receive an honorary Bachelor of Physical Literacy from Mount Royal University this Friday #MRUGrad”
Daniel Bryan discussed the Greatest Royal Rumble with Inside the Ropes, noting that Titus O’Neil punched him in the face “really hard” when he got in the ring. Bryan said he understood O’Neil’s frustration when his slip was played on the video screen.
Niagara Falls Review has an interview with Trish Stratus, who spoke about how she prepared to return to the ring for the women’s Royal Rumble earlier this year.
Fozzy’s “Painless” and Halestorm’s “Uncomfortable” are the official theme songs for NXT TakeOver: Chicago.
Dave Bautista has been announced as the star for a movie called “Dogtown,” which is based on the comic book series “Body Bags.” The movie is being made by independent production company Bold Films. Bautista tweeted about the role: “For a few years I’ve been looking for the vehicle that would launch me right into that ‘Badass Action Hero’ category…. and this is it! #Dogtown”
Pro Wrestling
Best of the Super Juniors continued this morning with a B Block show in Fukushima:
KUSHIDA defeated El Desperado
Hiromu Takahashi defeated Chris Sabin
Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Sho
Marty Scurll defeated Dragon Lee
KUSHIDA, Takahashi, Scurll, and Dragon Lee now have six points. Desperado, Sabin, Sho, and Taguchi have four.
A Block action continues in Aomori tomorrow with Yoh vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Will Ospreay vs. Tiger Mask IV, Taiji Ishimori vs. ACH, and Flip Gordon vs. BUSHI.
Nick Hausman of WrestleZone attended day two of the civil trial for Dr. Chris Amann’s lawsuit against CM Punk and Colt Cabana and has notes from the morning and afternoon.
Cabana apologized for not being able to make a show for Compound Pro Wrestling in Tulsa, Oklahoma this Friday due to mandatory court obligations. The show has been postponed since Cabana is unable to appear.
The NWA uploaded video of Nick Aldis’ title defense against Cabana from China.
CMLL revealed that Rey Fenix will be coming to the promotion soon.
The Young Bucks, Hangman Page & Marty Scurll vs. The Briscoes, Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Lance Archer is set for ROH’s show in San Antonio on June 15th. That’s in advance of The Young Bucks challenging for The Briscoes’ Tag Team titles at Best in the World on June 29th.
Silas Young vs. Jonathan Gresham vs. Cheeseburger vs. Punishment Martinez vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Hangman Page has been announced for ROH in Dallas on June 16th. The stipulation is that if anyone pins Young, they’ll get an immediate shot at his TV title.
UFC/MMA
UFC’s David Shaw said the company’s 10 shows on ESPN TV (as part of their new TV deal) are going to be “treated as premium events” like UFC on Fox cards were, and ESPN+ shows are going to be paced like TV cards because of international deals.
Sara McMann revealed that she’s 12 weeks pregnant.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is in talks with the UFC to make his first title defense in September or October.
Daily Professional Wrestling History: Terry Gordy becomes first UWF Heavyweight Champion
12th Annual F4W Empire Vegas Convention
Greetings friends and fans of the F4W / Wrestling Observer website. It’s time to announce the details of the 12th annual F4W / Wrestling Observer Empire Las Vegas Convention~!
This year’s event will be taking place in Las Vegas from August 16th to the 20th and will again be in conjunction with WWE’s SummerSlam weekend a.k.a. Super China Buffet Day~! There will still be the usual events, but our big draw will be WWE’s summer blockbuster PPV, SummerSlam. As per tradition, we will all gorge ourselves at a Las Vegas buffet, and then watch SummerSlam in a rented out movie theater. All information and ticketing prices are available now. Sign up ASAP as spots are limited for some events.
This year will also feature a Future Stars Wrestling show which will include the first ever Gladys Gibson Doubles Match Classic! Already booked for the show are the teams Mia Yim & Leva Bates, Hudson Envy & Shotzi Blackheart, Samantha Heights & Brittany Blake, and Miranda Alize & Kylie Rae. Kris Wolf will also be appearing along with many more future stars. There may even be a classic star or two making an appearance. You won’t want to miss this show! Check out the convention’s Facebook page for all additional information.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Poll opinions: [email protected]
Feedback: [email protected]
Show results and news tips: [email protected]
Wrestling Observer Radio questions: [email protected]
Support the Empire~! with F4W shirts. Grab yours today!