DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
UFC on ESPN+ 33 live results: Smith vs. Rakic, Lawler vs. Magny
NXT on USA to air on Tuesday for additional week
This week’s AEW Dynamite confirmed for Wednesday
Big E vs. Sheamus set for WWE Payback
WWE SmackDown overnight ratings up for ThunderDome week two
WWE SmackDown video highlights: Reigns aligns with Paul Heyman
New champions crowned at NJPW Summer Struggle in Jingu
NJPW Summer Struggle in Jingu live results: EVIL vs. Tetsuya Naito
WWE 205 Live results: The Brian Kendrick returns
NJPW Strong results: Road to Fighting Spirit Unleashed
Rey Mysterio to face Seth Rollins on WWE Raw
Paul Heyman appears with Roman Reigns on WWE SmackDown
Matt Riddle vs. Baron Corbin added to WWE Payback
Sami Zayn returns to WWE TV on SmackDown
ROH Pure title tournament to begin airing weekend of September 12
WWE SmackDown live results: Payback contract signing
Latest Audio:
WOR: Remembering Bob Armstrong, Andreas Hale talks Big E-Miz, Dana White 8/28
F4D: Lance Storm on Bob Armstrong, Thunderdome, leg slapping, injuries in wrestling, more! 8/28
WON NEWSLETTER: August 31, 2020 Observer Newsletter: Death of Bob Armstrong, WWE ThunderDome debut
A look at the life and wrestling career of Bob Armstrong is the lead in this week’s double issue of the Observer. We go through what made him a star, his appeal in the Southeast, his role in the famed Atlanta promotion war, what his booking by Bill Watts in Florida inspired more than a decade later, the Roddy Piper feud, the numbers Georgia wrestling did on cable, his success in different territories and his authority roles later in his career.
Also in this issue:
Thunderdome, what hit, what missed, what audience came back for it, what has been learned so far, the sweetheart business deal, the Payback card and booking, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.
Television situation changing for Bellator and what that means, including the unique nature of their ownership that explains why it was purchased in the first place.
Karrion Kross injury and Tuesday’s NXT show to fill the title vacancy.
A look back at the first NXT Takeover and at the 30th show, with match-by-match coverage, star ratings and poll results.
New Japan’s first major outdoor stadium show in 21 years, the last non-Tokyo Dome stadium show before this, what Jingu Stadium is most known for historically, an show preview and a look at this past week’s Korakuen Hall show.
The economics of WWE, the Sonya Deville court hearing, return to action of the U.K. crew and plans, Renee Young talks her time in WWE, Big E/Miz talk, WWE new hires, Orton and Flair talk their angle, how wrestling did compared to other sports this past week, Canadian & U.K. ratings, rewriting of Raw this past week, most watched shows on WWE network this past week and company current market value.
Saturday’s UFC show with business notes and match-by-match coverage.
Return of CMLL, its plans for this year’s anniversary show and how the voting for specific matches is doing.
Television viewers per home for the biggest sports events of the past week and how wrestling fits in.
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
WWE uploaded their tribute video for “Bullet” Bob Armstrong.
WWE also released a behind-the-scenes video on Renee Young’s final night with the company at SummerSlam.
Dominik Mysterio spoke to TalkSport about his match against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam: “Putting the match together, I couldn’t have picked a better person to help me with that than Seth and my dad. We also had the help of our producer Jamie Noble, another man who is outstanding at what he does. So I’m nothing but thankful to those guys for how they helped me and guided me through this crazy debut match at SummerSlam. Overall, I was very happy with the match.”
Dominik also discussed the reaction to his match backstage: “But the reaction backstage was crazy. I got very emotional, hugged my mom, hugged my dad, hugged Jamie, Seth — the whole deal. Everyone was very happy and clapping for me, so it was a surreal moment. I definitely gave the bossman [Vince McMahon] a hug afterwards and thanked him for the opportunity. It was just a crazy experience. From seeing other people and other wrestlers finish their matches and walk through gorilla and hug Vince and stuff like that, having that be my turn to do it… I’m forever grateful.”
In an interview with the Metro, Triple H was asked about the measures NXT will have in place following the #SpeakingOut movement: “Part of this is why we started [NXT UK] in the first place — to professionalize and put that system into place where everyone can feel safe and protected, and have a working environment that is inclusive of everyone and the opportunity to do what we do. ‘We take every allegation very seriously, and you can refer back to our policy. It’s zero tolerance for things of this manner. We look into everything. We look into it, we go from there to see what is legitimate, what is not, what is real, what isn’t, and deal with it accordingly.”
“While a lot of these things happened years ago, we take them very seriously,” Triple H said. “We also have an open policy with everybody. No one should ever feel like, ‘I didn’t wanna say anything.’ ‘That’s the exact opposite of what we want. We’re trying to make this the safe, inclusive environment for everybody that it should be.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson posted about the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman: “‘Press on with pride. Press on with purpose’ – Chadwick Boseman. This was hard to hear about. Hard to imagine the quiet pain and struggle you went thru all these years, yet still shined your powerful light and talents to inspire the world. Especially, our kids who finally saw themselves as a superhero — because of you. Rest in power, brother. My love and strength to your family. You will always press on with pride and purpose.”
Kevin Owens wrote about hearing the news of Boseman’s passing while at the drive-in with his family watching Black Panther: “Can’t believe it. I’m at the drive-in watching Black Panther with my kids as I type this. I was just thinking to myself how talented Chadwick Boseman was right before finding out he had passed. Everything he accomplished while being that sick…what a badass. #RIPChadwickBoseman”
New episodes of Miz & Mrs. season two will begin airing on the USA Network this November.
Keith Lee and Booker T have been announced as guests for the pre-Payback episode of WWE’s The Bump, which streams on the WWE Network, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow. Kofi Kingston and Cesaro will also be guests on the show.
WWE Network News reported that the Broken Skull Sessions episode with Jerry Lawler as Steve Austin’s guest will premiere on the WWE Network on Sunday, September 6.
WWE Network News also reported that a new WWE Break It Down episode focused on Sasha Banks will premiere on the Network on Friday, September 4 and a new Timeline episode focused on the rise of The Rock will premiere on Tuesday, September 1.
ICW Shug’s Hoose Party 5 night one, PROGRESS Wrestling Chapter 77, EVOLVE 125, and wXw Toronto were uploaded to the WWE Network today.
In a sneak peek clip from his WWE Chronicle episode that premiered today, Braun Strowman discussed why his mother is the source of his strength.
Wade Barrett tweeted about doing commentary for NXT this week: “Thank you for all of the nice messages about my return to @WWENXT. Crazy couple of days, but I enjoyed it so much, I’ll be back for #NXTSuperTuesday next week! Shout out to @VicJosephWWE, @TheBethPhoenix and @TomPhillipsWWE for taking it easy on new kid”
The Greatest Action Movie of All Time Tournament will begin on Monday’s episode of The New Day’s Feel the Power podcast.
Other Wrestling
Game Changer Wrestling’s The Collective, a group of events that were supposed to be held over WrestleMania 36 weekend in Tampa, has been rescheduled and will now take place at The Coliseum at The Marion County Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 9-11. It’s a 2,000-seat arena that will be scaled for maximum social distancing with attendance not exceeding 25 percent capacity. Masks will be mandatory. The full lineup of events will be revealed on Sunday. The shows will stream live on Fite TV. Ticket holders have the option to convert their Tampa tickets to the Indiana shows, rollover their tickets to 2021 or any future Collective weekend, request a refund, or convert their tickets into credit that can be applied to any GCW event over the next 12 months.
Nick Aldis will defend his NWA Worlds Heavyweight title against Mike Bennett at the debut of the United Wrestling Network’s Primetime Live weekly PPV/Fite TV series on Tuesday, September 15. The United Wrestling Network, NWA, and Thunder Studios have partnered together for Primetime Live.
Tuesday’s episode of Impact will feature Deonna Purrazzo hosting a black tie affair to celebrate her win against Jordynne Grace at Emergence night two. Purrazzo retained her Knockouts Championship against Grace in a 30-minute Iron Man match this past Tuesday.
Kenny Omega joked after a fan had a picture of him appear in the ThunderDome during last night’s SmackDown: “I was just trying to have a good time, I honestly didn’t think anyone would notice.”
Today is Stan Hansen’s 71st birthday.
MMA
Ion Cutelaba vs. Magomed Ankalaev is off tonight’s UFC Fight Night show due to Cutelaba testing positive for COVID-19. They were originally supposed to face off at UFC 252 earlier this month, but that was rebooked after Cutelaba tested positive for COVID-19 the first time. Cutelaba’s manager told ESPN that Cutelaba tested negative twice in between the two positive tests, including a negative test earlier this week.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: WWF SummerSlam 1992 at Wembley Stadium
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