by David Bixenspan | [email protected] | Follow @davidbix
Tonight on TV:
Tough Enough is on USA Network at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT with a new episode titled “Swallow Your Pride, It’s Good For You.” The promos have been built around one of the challengers (if you want to find out who, it doesn’t take much effort) suffering an injury during a challeng. Last night on Raw, Big Show threatened to show up on “Tough Enough, the reality show” and punch out the male contestants, so presumably he shows up in some form.
Total Divas is on E! at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT with a new episode titled “Eat Your Heart Out.” Nikki and Eva’s peace talks come to a very negative end; while on stage, Nattie takes a large risk; Paige’s first WrestleMania brings her to tears; meanwhile, Brie and Bryan get the results back from their fertility testing. There are a few preview clips on WWE’s YouTube channel, including Brie and Bryan at the fertility clininc and a Nikki Bella/Eva Marie heart to heart.
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO at 9:00 ET/PT has a featured on domestic violence in MMA. There’s a trailer on HBO’s YouTube channel showing a section of the part about Jon Koppenhaver/War Machine’s attack on Christy Mack/Christine Mackinday. Full description from HBO:
Outside of the Cage. Last summer, just as news of Baltimore running back Ray Rice’s violent assault on his fiancée in a hotel elevator was about to make headlines, a far more brutal domestic violence attack involving a pro athlete had just taken place. But the beating that nearly killed former adult film star Christy Mack, allegedly at the hands of the MMA welterweight known as War Machine, flew largely under the radar.
High-profile sports like football and boxing, the father of all fight sports, have long dealt with athletes’ domestic violence toward women. But the newly minted American combat sport Mixed Martial Arts, which showcases the world’s most violent athletes, has largely escaped mainstream scrutiny of its fighters’ conduct. REAL SPORTS correspondent David Scott investigates domestic violence among pro MMA fighters and efforts by MMA organizations to address it, and talks to Christy Mack, who for the first time tells the harrowing story of what she says was an abusive relationship with a trained professional fighter and the assault that nearly took her life.
If you’re attending tonight’s SmackDown taping, please send a report to [email protected].
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The newest issue of Figure Four Weekly is up on the site for subscribers (subscribe here) with an extensive look at the new NWA Classics streaming service, the Houston Wrestling library, and Houston’s place in wrestling history. Among the topics covered are:
* What made Houston Wrestling unique and how the town evolved.
* What’s on the NWA Classics service so far and why it’s awesome.
* What other libraries are still around?
And much more. Plus, as always, we have all of the usual reviews and international news.
Also, now available for the first time on Kindle (meaning Kindle devices and anything with the Kindle app) is Fall Guys, the seminal 1937 book that has been described as being like the 1930s version of the Wrestling Observer. It was surprisingly not on Kindle already, so we put together a nice version with a full table of contents w/ chapter marks, proper formatting on everything, etc. Right now it’s available from the American, Canadian, and Australian Amazon/Kindle stores OR you can also buy it from anywhere in the world on PayHip, who will provide you with both Kindle and ePub (every other e-reader) format files, and you can either sideload them to your device or have them email it to your Kindle.
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The Conor McGregor phenomenon and the new direction of women in WWE and a history of women in WWE are the lead stories in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The issue is on the site right now at July 20, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: UFC 189 report, WWE calls up NXT women
Web site subscriptions, which include access to both current and older newsletters as well as every audio show in the history of the site are at Sign up here for as low as $9.99 per month!
You can also order the print Observer right now and get it delivered to your door via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer
You can also order at www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected]
Rates are:
For the United States, it is $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to [email protected] For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.
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 talks about the Conor McGregor phenomenon, how it ushered in the new era of UFC, the business notes on the show, McGregor’s popularity in Ireland, why iPPV numbers probably set records, U.K. reaction, what to learn from McGregor vs. Mendes, how risky a gamble this fight was, similar gambles from the past, the story of the fight, McGregor vs. Aldo next, Ultimate Fighter and a full rundown of UFC 189.
We also look at WWE’s bringing up Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks this past week, and a look back at the history of women performers in WWE dating back to the Wendi Richter vs. Fabulous Moolah match in 1984. We look at the forgotten best women’s matches in main roster history and best workers, and failed attempt to market athletic women, what really happened with Aja Kong, We also look at the different ways this can go, how the angles changed, how the angle was done, as well as how UFC made it work and what was the same and different.
We also look at what may be UFC’s biggest event of 2016, the UFC 200 show.
We also look at the NXT show in Brooklyn and the busy weekend in the New York area, notes on when the next WWE network number will be released and what it would be up to, as well as break-even, and the peak number. We look at advance sales for Battleground and the card, Lennox Lewis admits to almost doing a mixed match with Brock Lesnar in 2003, the story behind that fight and why it never happened, William Regal explains what WWE is looking for in new talent in a fascinating interview, notes on the future of Smackdown, who are planned to be focal point of NXT, Ziggler, Cody Runnels, update on Tyson Kidd, key WWE exec gets fired and new major WWE stock purchase by one of the richest men in Holland.
We also look at an update on several legal proceedings involving WWE suits, notes on Tough Enough, as well as a rundown of the weekend NXT and WWE house shows with business notes on the shows.
We also look at this year’s UFC induction ceremony, how it has changed, its future goals, and the speeches by Bas Rutten, B.J. Penn, Matt Hughes Frank Trigg, Lori Blatnick and many others. We look at the histories of all the inductees as well.
We also have more on Fedor Emelianenko being shopped around for a comeback at the age of 38. We look at who he is, what he said just a few months ago about a comeback, if it is realistic to expect a match with Brock Lesnar, what Fedor said directly a few months ago about a match with Lesnar, as well as how UFC or Bellator can use him.
We also look at UFC’s Sunday show in Las Vegas and business notes on the show.
The Observer is the world’s most detailed weekly pro wrestling publication, in its 32nd year of publication, and is read by the biggest names in the pro wrestling, industry, MMA industry, sports world and on Wall Street.
We also have our regular features such as the most complete look at ratings, plus results of the major house show events each week in pro wrestling and MMA, and complete inside rundowns of all the TV shows.
Also in this week’s issue:
–A look at the big weekly event at Arena Mexico
–Build to CMLL’s big summer show
–A major big show controversy and a lot of buck passing involved
–Top matches for this year’s TripleMania
–A look at this past week’s AAA TV taping
–Wrestling returns to Royal Albert Hall in London
–A major star celebrates 30th anniversary of his pro debut
–Third generation legend makes debut
–Wrestle-1 announces its own tournament
–Coverage of Wrestle-1 show from the past week
–Notes on the G-1 debut card
–Shinya Hashimoto death anniversary show
–More on Dusty Rhodes and one of his most famous angles
–A look at the build of Starrcade 85
–GFW’s road shows and TV tapings
–A look at the Waterloo wrestling Hall of Fame and this year’s inductions
–A match of the year candidate
–Former WWE star falls into more problems
–One match which features champions from New Japan, a top star of Evolve, the TNA world champion, a Lucha Underground champion, anther TNA wrestler as well as a WWE wrestler and an ROH wrestler all in the same match
–A look at Tommy Dreamer’s next show
–Update on Alberto Del Rio
–Update on Lucha Underground
–Movie being made about a Lucha Underground star
–More on ROH over WrestleMania weekend
–This week’s upcoming ROH show in Las Vegas
–A look this past week’s ROH show
–More on the future of TNA
–Update on Davey Richards
–Something to watch for when it comes to UFC fans
–Update on Travis Browne situation
–This week’s UFC show on FS 1 and Fight Pass Titan show
–More on C.M. Punk and his debut
–More on fighters and prospective TV show ideas
–Cris Cyborg, UFC and Invicta
–New UFC fights
–Lawsuit filed regarding Bellator
–This week’s Bellator show
–Notes on how new Bellator announcer used to write for a wrestling newsletter
If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today. With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today.
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.
Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.
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Tuesday Daily Update
— Daniel Bryan’s book was officially released today, so you can now order both physical copies and the Kindle version. It’s an excellent, honest, detailed book that’s well worth checking out. It’s fascinating just how much his feelings match up with the fans on so much of what happened with him. Fox Sports has a listicle of “surprising revelations” in the book.
— Donald Cerrone has accused UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael Dos Anjos of using steroids, and Dos Anjos fired back to MMAFighting. “I train to be the champion. I’m the champion. He trains because he likes this lifestyle. He was never the WEC champion, and will never be the UFC champion. He will get beat up one more time.”
— Jonathan James Cboins, an indie wrestler who works under the name Jonboy, was arrested for sex with a minor in Middletown, Ohio over the weekend after a show.
— Alex Jones’ InfoWars.com (a conspiracy theory type site, for lack of a better description) has discovered the influence of UNITE HERE on pro MMA staying illegal in New York. The article is flawed in various ways, but this is right up their readership’s alley, so it could prove interesting if they were to rally behind it. Don’t read the comments, though. Seriously.
— Dave has his postmortem for Wednesday and Saturday’s UFC card as MMAFighting.
— Tyler Breeze talked to the Miami Herald to promote this week’s NXT house show in Miami. Lots of good stuff about how he developed his character.
— Magnus appeared on the PodNasty Wrestling Podcast to talk about all sorts of topics. On the Mickie James train angle: “The only person who did like it was the person who wrote it. He had the final say on it, we all suggested alternatives, we all thought it was not going to work and it was not going to get a reaction, and our disregard for it and that was the result of it. That was one of the reasons where we just kind of said ‘okay, it’s maybe time to wrap this thing up.'”
— Ricky Steamboat appeared on The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast. Lots of topics covered including the angle where Jake Roberts DDTed him on the floor: “Pulling the mat away and exposing the cement floor and being dropped in the DDT is very dangerous and it ended up being dangerous for me that night. I’m going to say it was a timing issue. If my memory serves me right whenever Jake would suck you in and pull you underneath his arm he would always look at the crowd for a moment and then drop you. In that moment you show that this is the end for this guy and he would have a little snicker on his face and a little bit of an attitude and then drop you. But as soon as he sucked me in he dropped me and I was waiting for that pause. The unfortunate thing that happened is that what everybody suspects when he does do the move YES when it happened my head did meet the cement and they took me away with a bad concussion. Part of my head swelled up so bad and ballooned out and I know I got in front of the camera with it but I cannot find any pictures of what my face looked like because it looked distorted.”
— Sam Shaw (based in Jacksonville, FL) and Facade (based in Pittsburgh, PA) are now accepting bookings through Bill Behrens at [email protected] and www.sbibookings.com.
— NWA Smoky Mountain presents it’s hottest event of the summer, Fire on the Mountain 2015 on Saturday, August 8 at the Civic Auditorium in Kingsport, TN! Bell Time is 8:00 PM. Already signed for this huge event: ROH Star Matt Sydal (fka WWE’s Evan Bourne), TNA Impact Wrestling Star Davey Richards, Former NWA World Champion Rob Conway, ROH Star Cedric Alexander, TNA Knockout Angelina Love, and many more. There will be a special Meet & Greet with the Stars at 6:00 PM for VIP Ticket Holders.
