MON. UPDATE: Wrestling Observer 04/16/2012

--On the $67 million number for WrestleMania that WWE announced earlier today, that is the current estimate of all revenues derived from the live show itself (live gate, merchandise and worldwide PPV).  That is not a number that includes events like Fan Axxess, the Hall of Fame and such.  It is actually be a significant margin the largest grossing single event in pro wrestling history.  That is not WWE's cut of the revenue because the vast majority of that income is PPV, which gets split with the cable companies.

 

--C.M. Punk vs. Chris Jericho for the WWE title is now official for the 4/29 Extreme Rules PPV, as if anyone didn't expect that coming in.

 

--The swanton off the cage was meant to be an injury angle for Kurt Angle to get some rest.  No time frame for a return other than he usually comes back way too fast.

 

--As far as TNA went, nobody had any explanation as to why the crowd was how it was, but people were very down about it.

 

--If you attended TNA at a theater, let me know the experience, attendance, and if there were technical issues as there were in a lot of places which led to cancellations and refunds

 

--Ben Askren:

"The USOC random tests Olympic athletes in all sports.  Dana saying testing his fighters would be impossible is a bold face lie.  Just making a statement about a level playing field.  I didn't say it wouldn't be expensive, just that it is not possible."

 

--Dana White's response is not to address what he said, but instead:

"When ambien can't sleep, it takes Ben Askren.  The most boring fighter in MMA history.  I would rather watch flies fuck. Ben makes Fitch look like Wanderlei Silva."

 

--And Victor Conte on the impossibility of UFC doing random drug testing:

"He means it's impossible to randomly drug test fighters without catching hundreds of them doping."

 

--Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal today at http://www.lvrj.com/sports/ has a story about Ryan Braun and Alistair Overeem.  He called UFC's drug testing policy a bad joke.  Not a good day to be Dana White in his home town. 

 

--New matches announced for the 5/12 TNA iPPV from Toronto, called Border Wars, are Fit Finlay vs. Roderick Strong, Eddie Edwards vs. Rhino and Mark & Jay Briscoe vs. Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas in a Fight Without Honor.  While not announced, Lance Storm vs. Mike Bennett will eventually be added. 

 

--Shane Douglas' Extreme Reunion promotion on 4/28 in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory at 7 p.m. has announced Shane Douglas vs. Sabu as the main event, billed cleverly as "The Night the Line was Erased.," plus Jerry Lynn vs. Justin Credible, Al Snow vs. C.W. Anderson, Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke & Tracy Smothers vs. Stevie Richards & Blue Meanie & ?, Raven vs. Gary Wolfe, Balls Mahoney vs. Axl Rotten, plus 2 Cold Scorpio, Sandman, New Jack, Mustafa, Danny Doring, Joel Gertner, Bob Artese, Stephen DeAnglis, John Finnegan, Mike Kehner and more.  There will also be a Fan Fest from 9 a.m. to Noon with all the stars.  They are also looking for hot women (isn't everyone) to be the new Queen of Extreme Reunion so you can apply at talent@extremereunion.net  The promotion noted that due to the configuration of the building, this show will not be offered as an iPPV.  They are also working on future shows as this is meant to be the start of a new ECW style promotion.

 

--Brock Lesnar's new ring gear at http://www.wwe.com/f/styles/superstar_profile/public/talent/profile/2012/04/brocklesnar_2-full.png  Yes, Lesnar is getting to wear clothing that has sponsors, which was a hell of a deal he cut for himself and he's the first person in history to have the right under a WWE contract.  

 

--Lance Storm talks WrestleMania weekend, his thoughts on his ROH match as well as his thoughts on the Hall of Fame at http://www.stormwrestling.com/041412.html  A good read. 

 

--For Fuel tomorrow night, the schedule is Best of Pride at 7 p.m., a replay of Friday's Ultimate Fighter at 8 p.m., a replay of the Prime Time show with Jones vs. Evans at 9 p.m., the Countdown show (debut) at 9:30 p.m., UFC Tonight at 10 p.m. and Ultimate Insider at 10:30 p.m.  

   

What did you think of Saturday night's ROH TV show?

Excellent 55.6%

Good 25.9%

Average 7.4%

Fair 4.9%

Poor 6.2%

        54.2% of those responding didn't see the show

 

What did you think of Jones vs. Evans Prime Time 2

Excellent 42.6%

Good 42.6%

Average 4.9%

Fair 4.9%

Poor 4.9%

        65.5% of those responding didn't see the show.  People are liking this, but not many are watching since the move to FX.

 

What do you think of the way UFC is handling the Overeem situation?

Bad, not wanting to expand testing at this point exposes an agenda 62.0%

Fine, they shouldn't do anything until the commission rules 23.4%

Fine, they should leave all testing and rulings to the commission 14.6%

 

Best TV show of the past week

Raw 30.5%
UFC from Sweden 22.1%

Impact 20.5%
ROH 10.1%
UFC Prime Time Evans vs. Jones 5.8%

UFC Insider Evans vs. Jones 3.2%

Bellator 2.6%

Ultimate Fighter 2.6%

Smackdown 1.6%

MMA Uncensored 0.6%

UFC Tonight 0.3%

 

--Bruno Santos is out Bellator's middleweight tournament semifinals this weekend with a shoulder injury.  Andreas Spang will now be facing Brian Rogers on the show in Cleveland.

 

--Several WWE wrestlers are scheduled to appear at the 6/27 Brooklyn Cyclones game for Anti-Bullying Night at MCU Park.  The wrestlers will be there for a pregame rally at 5:30 p.m. to address the audience against Bullying, and to encourage fans to sign up for Be a Star.

 

--Mick Foley has said that he has written a blog about Dean Ambrose but will not publish it until his new book deal.  They are working an angle between the two to lead to Ambrose's having a television debut that means something right off the bat.

 

--Devon Nicholson has issued a grandstand challenge to Kurt Angle for an amateur wrestling match.  He ran down Angle for making a mockery of amateur wrestling and said that he tore his MCL in early November but is still competing and training and won't get surgery until after the Olympics in the event has can represent Canada, since he's first alternate.  Keep in mind Nicholson does want to work for TNA since he's unlikely to be in WWE since he's sued the promotion.

 

--Dave Musgrave talks about the great time he had at WrestleReunion in Toronto at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/112658

 

--Andrew Garvey of Fighters Only magazine noted that the note on BAMMA being on Ch. 5 in the U.K. which sounds like a big deal on paper, being on one of the few terrestrial channels, probably doesn't mean as much as you'd think.  UFC was on Ch. 5 until last year and it didn't seem to make a lot of difference.  Garvey also noted he never saw any ads for BAMMA and only found out about it when Michael Schiavello wrote something on Facebook about it two minutes before the show went on the air.  He said the only people who would have known about it were those who stumbled onto it switching channels around and much of the target audience would be out on a Saturday night.

 

--There were two fighters and one pro wrestler in yesterday's Ice Breaker Triathlon in Granite Bay, CA.  It was a 1/2 mile swim, a 13 mile bicycle race and 4 mile run.  Competing were Nick and Nate Diaz, as well as area independent wrestler Sir Samurai.

 

--Regarding Larry Zbyszko missing WrestleReunion, he had called promoter Sal Corrente five weeks or so ago and said his passport was expiring and was advanced $500 to renew and expedite the passport.  He was told to expedite it so he'd have it in a week and there would be no issue.  He called Corrente on 4/9 to tell him he still didn't have his passport and when asked why he didn't expedite it as he was told, said someone told him not to waste the money.  The passport is expected to come in this week, but unfortunately, that meant he missed the entire event.  Corrente was upset because they were looking at photo ops of Zbyszko with Bruno Sammartino as well as with Rick Martel (two former AWA champions together).  The advance money was given back out of Zbyszko's pay for the Miami WrestleReunion but they did lose money on the plane flight purchased to get him to Toronto.

 

--An interview with Edge from this weekend's Wizard World Comic Con in Toronto is at http://biffampop.com/2012/04/15/wwe-interview-edge-at-toronto-comic-con

 

--TNA developmental wrestler Jessie Godderz & Rudy Switchblade won the OVW tag titles this past week.  Godderz, a bodybuilder described as way not ready when he did a house show tour with TNA, is currently in Planet muscle Magazine (pages 116-120) and Exercise & Health Magazine (pages 66-72).

 

--WSU's King and Queen tournament from Saturday night in Dunellen, NJ:  Jana & Johnny Knockout b Rich Michaels & Nikki Syx, Jennifer Cruz & Mike Dennis b Dixie McGuire & Austin Williams, Jenny Rose & Cannonball b Nicollette the Monkey & Nicky Oceans, Tina San Antonio & Jack Spade b Rick Cataldo & J.D. Smoothie, Jennifer Cruz & Mike Dennis b Jana & Johnny Knockout, Jessicka Havok b Marti Belle, Allisyn Kay & Sassy Stephanie b Alicia & Brittney Savage, Gene Snitksy b Vic Voorhees.  Next show is 4/28 in Deer Park, NY at the NYWC Sportatorium as a DVD taping with Jessicka Havoc vs. Mercedes Martinez for the WSU title.

 

--CWE on 4/20 in Winnipeg at the Maples Community Center has Sid Vicious & Nate Hardy vs. Zack Mercury & The Axe as the main event.

 

--Tulalip Championship Wrestling from Saturday night in Marysville, WA:   Calibur X b Dave Turner, Draven Vargas & Nate Andrews b Chase Helms & Brickhouse Bereta, Jonas Albert Robinson b C.J. Edwards, Mike Santiago over Demarcus James and Home Boy Quiz, Christopher Ryseck & Kellen Raeth b Aaron Bolo & Wildcard, Azul Angel NC Jorel Nelson.  Next show is 5/12 in Marsyville, WA at the Pacific Rim. (thanks to Charles Short)

 

--IWA East Coast on 5/4 in Clendenin, WV at the Middle School headlined by Rhino vs B.J. Whitmer plus Mad Man Pondo, Drake Younger, Chance Prophet and more.

 

--Empire Championship Wrestling on Thursday night at The Masquerade in Atlanta and Friday at the Academy Theater in Avondale Estates, GA..

 

--A spinal injury has forced Shana Nelson to pull out of her match with Sarah D'Alelio at the debut of the all-women Invicta Fighting Championships in Kansas City at Memorial Hall on 4/28.  Vanessa Marsical (2-0), a 38-year-old former Royce Gracie student from El Segundo, will now face D'Alelio.  D'Alelio's last fight was against Ronda Rousey which she lost quickly via armbar.  Marloes Coenen, the former Strikeforce champion who lost the title to Miesha Tate, will faced Romy Ruyssen in the main event.    

 

--Laredo Wrestling Entertainment in Houston on Friday night at the Funplex and Saturday night at Las Cumbres Club.  Both shows are headlined by Dr. Wagner Jr. & Hernandez & El Sicodelico Jr. vs. Damian 666 & Bestia 666 & X-Fly, plus Cinthia & Rossy Moreno vs. Alissa Flash & Jessica James.

 

--Trent Vandrisse does the first podcast interview ever with Dean Hill at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/psp/2012/04/15/ovw-overview

 

--Bobby Lashley talks to Mister Saint Laurent about training to be a boxer, alleged racism in WWE, WWE creative, Paul Heyman, Jim Cornette and more at http://www.MLW.com

 

--559 Fights on 4/21 in Hanford, CA at the kings Fairgrounds featuring area local fighters with Fresno's Kristen Gatz vs. Gilroy's Brianna Van Buren as the main event.  Steven Juarez, a state high school champion in 2004 from Hanford High makes his debut against wrestler Gerardo Garcia.

 

--NWA Anarchy from Saturday night in Cornelia, GA before 120 fans:  Bobby Moore & Andrew Pendleton III b Jacob Ashworth & Skirra Corvus, Najasism NC Jerry Rhymer, Anthony Henry b John Skyler, Steven Walters b C.B. Gibson, Seth Delay b Brandon Parker, Seven & Bryan Casanova & Shaun Tempers & Bo Newsome & Jacoby Boykins b Azrael & Dany Only & Stryknyn & Shadow Jackson & Nemesis.  Azrael vs. Tempers headlines on 4/28. (thanks to Larry Goodman) 

 

--A promotion running East Texas and Louisiana is looking for Robert Fuller and Jimmy Golden as they are booking TV this week and would like one or both on their new show.  Contact Harry at 903-812-3347.