DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
UFC 245 live results: Three title fights
NWA Into the Fire live results: Nick Aldis vs. James Storm
Colt Cabana finishes run with Ring of Honor
WWE SmackDown posts second-lowest viewership for FOX episode
WWE Main Event results: Ricochet vs. Cedric Alexander
Warrior Wrestling results: Minoru Suzuki vs. Tom Lawlor
Seth Rollins WWE 365 episode to premiere later this month
WWE SmackDown video highlights: TLC go-home show
WWE 205 Live results: Nese vs. Burch, Joaquin Wilde debuts
PCO wins Ring of Honor World title at Final Battle
WWE SmackDown live results: Final build to TLC
ROH Final Battle live results: Rush vs. PCO
Latest Audio:
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JNPO: 2019 MMA year in review, part 1 12/13
F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Harper, Sin Cara & The Ascension get WWE releases Joseph Currier looks at WWE’s latest departures.
WWE took a step forward this past weekend by resolving their situations with a few wrestlers who wanted out of the company.
In quick succession on Sunday, WWE announced that Luke Harper, Sin Cara, and The Ascension had been released: “WWE has come to terms on the releases of Jonathan Huber (Luke Harper), Sin Cara, and Ryan Parmeter (Konnor) and Eric Thompson (Viktor) of The Ascension. WWE wishes them all the best in their future endeavors.”
Harper’s release saga was nearly eight months long. He went public with his request via a statement he posted online on April 16. He spent the next five months off of television before then returning in a pretty significant angle at Clash of Champions, helping Erick Rowan defeat Roman Reigns in their no disqualification match.
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WON NEWSLETTER: December 16, 2019 Observer Newsletter: 10 Hall of Fame inductees
Our biggest issue of the year, the 2019 Hall of Fame issue is out with complete balloting results, breakdowns by category, bios of the new entrants, comparisons with how everyone did last year, as well as who will be on next year’s ballot who will be removed from next year’s ballot, breakdowns on how each new inductee did in different groups and a look back at a lot of stellar careers. We also talk about the future of the Hall of Fame.
Feature on the development of pro wrestling in France at the turn of the previous century and the wrestler generally considered most responsible for establishing pro wrestling in that country.
The two Tokyo Dome shows, as well as New Japan’s last three events of 2019. We look at the good and bad aspects of the lineups and the comparisons with last year. We look at the retirement of Jushin Liger, the signing of Dragon Lee and his change to Ryu Lee and talk about the different titles at stake.
Drug test suspensions of Robert Roode and Primo Colon and why guys can look the way they look with drug testing and how WWE’s testing greatly differs from others, a look at the releases of Luke Harper, The Ascension and Sin Cara, major change for Miz & Mrs., WWE star hints leaving, Canadian ratings, signing of Oney Lorcan, Tribute to the Troops coverage, Lana death threats, Ronda Rousey talks potential return, current plans for holiday shows, celebrity training for a WWE stint, a rundown on the different people at the last tryout camp including a former MMA champion, the boyfriend of a reality show star and a number of high level women athletes including a former WNBA player, an incident at a house show, value of WWE stock, most-watched show on the WWE Network as well as a rundown of all the WWE and NXT arena events over the past week with business notes , results and highlights.
2019 Tokyo Sports awards, including what wrestles historically have had the most MVP trophies and the most match of the year trophies.
TLC PPV including the changes in the show and the ticket demand.
Next Wednesday ratings battle and why it is the most interesting in several weeks.
Dave Bautista’s career, the NWO, and look back at the program that made Bautista’s career and the good and the bad of the NWO.
New Japan tag team tournament, whether the changes in format worked, the business of the final night, standings, match-by-match coverage and star ratings of the last night.
Saturday’s UFC show from D.C. with the business notes on the show and match-by-match coverage.
Look back at the life of Andy Robin, a U.K. star who was one of the greatest performers in the history of pro wrestling in Scotland.
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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SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
Cathy Kelley, Matt Hardy, Dana Brooke, Drake Maverick, Shelton Benjamin, Chad Gable, Rachael Evers, Mansoor, D-Von Dudley, Paul Ellering, WWE’s The Bump’s Kayla Braxton, McKenzie Mitchell, Evan T. Mack & Dan Vollmayer, and Minnesota Timberwolves player Jeff Teague are advertised to appear during the WWE Watch Along that will stream on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter during TLC tomorrow.
Jim Ross tweeted a message of support to NXT UK’s Piper Niven after she announced that she was going through an episode of Bell’s palsy: “You look great, young lady! Bell’s palsy is just another bump in the road for you. I’ve had it three times and our only option is to fight through it. Stay positive. You have a bright future.”
On Instagram, John Morrison posted videos of him training at the WWE Performance Center.
Alexa Bliss will appear on Tuesday’s episode of WWE Backstage.
Next week’s 205 Live will be part one of a Best Of episode looking at the cruiserweight divisions best matches of 2019.
WWE announced a partnership with social media app TikTok and launched their official account on it yesterday.
Pro Wrestling
AEW announced that Awesome Kong (w/ Brandi Rhodes) will be in action on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite. Her opponent has yet to be revealed.
Shane Taylor tweeted after losing the ROH TV title to Dragon Lee at Final Battle: “In 3+ years – Idols became peers/rivals/friends. – I went from dark match to being THE MATCH night in and night out. – I made history & did it my way. Anyone who’s ever watched, cheered, booed, bought a shirt or supported me while in a @ringofhonor ring. Thank you. #NEXTCHAPTER”
Impact Wrestling made the official announcement that Brian Cage vs. RVD will take place at their Hard to Kill PPV in Dallas on January 12.
Mercedes Martinez won the Shine Championship from Allysin Kay last night.
On his podcast this week, Jim Cornette said he’s retiring from doing TV pro wrestling commentary.
MMA
The UFC released the final episode of Embedded for tonight’s PPV.
The official poster for Conor McGregor vs. Cowboy Cerrone at UFC 246 has been revealed.
Dana White explained why McGregor will be next in line for a lightweight title shot if he defeats Cerrone: “C’mon guys, look what Conor’s done over the last however many years. Then he loses to Khabib (Nurmagomedov) in a fight that was — when you talk about bad blood — it’s like the next level of bad blood. Gaethje was on his way up, too. We’ve offered Gaethje a lot of fights that Gaethje hasn’t taken, either. So Conor’s in line next for (a title) fight if he beats Cowboy.”
Nurmagomedov thinks McGregor vs. Cerrone is like the minor leagues.
Jon Jones said there’s a very strong possibility that he fights at heavyweight next year.
Jose Aldo now plans on fighting until he’s at least 40 years old.
Cody Garbrandt vs. Raphael Assuncao is being finalized for the UFC’s Fight Night show in Columbus on March 28.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: Jeff Hardy wins WWE title at Armageddon 2008
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