SUN. UPDATE Wrestling Observer 04/15/2012

--Dana White last night said no matter what, no Mark Hunt in the title match with Junior Dos Santos.  That leaves Frank Mir and Fabricio Werdum as the most likely candidates should Alistair Overeem not get licensed.

 

--On TV on Tuesday, they advertised Brock Lesnar for Raw tomorrow.  I would expect they'll also have footage of Chris Jericho breaking C.M. Punk's trophy for Most Metal Athlete in the Golden God Revolver Awards show. After doing the show, Jericho flew into Europe and Punk vs. Jericho will be headlining all the Raw brand house shows for the rest of the tour, with Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger vs. Zack Ryder & John Cena as the other main match.     

 

--If the biggest tree falls in an empty forest, how much noise does it make?  We'll find out with next week's UFC buyrate. Rashad Evans has done some of the best work at promoting a fight in a long time, but so much of it has been on Fuel which most UFC fans don't get and even fewer ever watch.  They had one video after another during yesterday's Sweden coverage and if that fight had been on Spike in prime time, Saturday's show would be doing huge business. 

The Evans vs. Jones Countdown show airs Tuesday night on Fuel at 9:30 p.m as a lead-in to UFC Tonight.  It's only a 30 minute Countdown show. The first two Primetimes of Evans vs. Jones are replayed from 6-7 p.m. on Fuel tonight.  The last two weeks of Ultimate Fighter will air 9-11 p.m. on Fuel, and yesterday's show from Stockholm replays at 11 p.m. tonight.  It's a good show.  No matches of the year, but almost every match good. 

 

--Some WWE dates for the November European tour: 11/2 in Hamburg, Germany, 11/3 in Leipzig, Germany, 11/7 in Belfast and 11/8 in Zurich.

 

--Mike Mooneyham has a real good story on Scott Hall after his last arrest.

 

--There is a survey for the WWE 13 video game.

 

--Tiny Lister, who starred in No Holds Barred and worked a PPV main event with Hulk Hogan in a tag match, is in a new Coors Light TV commercial. (thanks to Andy MacConney)  

 

--Larry Zbyszko was not in Toronto last night for the convention and the show because his visa expired and he never renewed it, thus was not allowed into Canada.

 

--Jeff Hardy, RVD and Beer Money will headline on Thursday's New Japan television show on BS Asahi.  They are airing matches from the 2011 Tokyo Dome show, with Hardy vs. Tetsuya Naito, Beer Money vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Strongman for the tag titles, RVD vs. Toru Yano and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Go Shiozaki.

 

--There will be a 24 hour wrestling show on Pulse 98.4 in the U.K. starting at 8 p.m. Greenwich time on 4/21.  Among those who will be guests on the show are Jeff Jarrett, Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan, Drew McDonald (who wrestled in Stampede Wrestling and is a WWE scout) and Rory McAllister of the Highlanders tag team. 

 

--Rey Mysterio and C.M. Punk appear at the Philadelphia Comic Con. Mysterio appears on 6/3 and Punk on 6/2.

 

--I don't know how this list is compiled, but John Cena is listed as the second most influential athlete on Twitter today behind Chad Ochocinco.  C.M. Punk is listed as No. 8.  Tim Tebow is listed as No. 10.  Oh, and Zack Ryder is No. 13 and Tiger Woods is No. 17.  And they are all more influential than A-Rod, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, Manny Pacquiao, The Rock, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kobe Bryant.

 

--In today's Newday, there is a Jon Jones-Rashad Evans story but it's not available on the web. It's mostly stuff from Friday's conference call. Evans said that Greg Jackson was all about winning coach of the year awards.

 

--Mick Foley was on the Boston Celtics radio network last night.  Radio host Sean Grande is a big fan and has Jim Ross on whenever they are in Oklahoma City.  Grande was the associate editor of a wrestling newsletter in the 80s when he was a kid.  Foley sat in for the third quarter and part of the fourth quarter of the Celtics game with the Nets last night.  He came across very likeable.

Cedric Maxwell, Grande's partner, wasn't too keen on Foley being there before he got there, but lightened up upon meeting him.  Foley said his son Huey was a big basketball fan and the Nets were his favorite team.  They talked a lot about wrestling, referencing Vince, Joey Styles, and ECW as well as plugging Foley's new children's book. (thanks to Andrew Thurston)

 

--Boston Celtics center Greg Stiemsma tweeted a photo with Foley after the game.

 

--For yesterday's UFC show, I went 4-1, as did Mike Sawyer and Oliver Copp in predictions.  Josh Nason was 3-2 and Todd Martin and Mike Sempervive were both 2-3.

 

What did you think of Bellator?

Excellent 17.9%

Good 39.3%

Average 10.7%

Fair 21.4%

Poor 10.7%
78.5% of those responding didn't see the show

 

What did you think of The Ultimate Fighter?

Excellent 12.9%

Good 37.1%

Average 24.2%

Fair 16.1%

Poor 9.7%
60.0% of those responding didn't see the show

 

Do you think James Storm wins the TNA title Sunday?

Yes 60.1%

No 39.9%

 

--2CW from Friday night in Watertown, NY before 650 fans:  Loca Vida b Muscle Marcos, Sean Carr & Kage & I.B. Green b Kevin Graham & Punisher Van Slyuke & Zaquary Springate III in a tables mach, Jason Axe b Isys Ephex in a bloodbath, Mark & Jay Briscoe b  Jimmy Olsen & Colin Delaney, Matt Milan b Pete D. Order & The Beast & Superbad in a handicap elimination match, Brodie Lee won four-way over Jay Freddie, Slyk Wagner Brown and Kevin Steen to take the 2CW title (Steen stole the belt after the match), Sgt. Slaughter & Jason Wayne b Insurgency-DQ (thanks to David Rude)

 

--William Towner (btexp999@yahoo.com) is looking for the results of a pro wrestling show held between July 4 and July 7, 1980 in Myrtle Beach, SC.

 

--The Tom Watson vs. Murilo Ninja Rua match from last year aired last night at 11:30 p.m. on Ch. 5 in the U.K., which is huge exposure for BAMMA, since there are only five main terrestrial network stations in the U.K.   Plus it would appear they got the deal from UFC, which used to air shows on Five as recently as a few months ago (thanks to Matt Singh)

 

--Absolute Intense Wrestling has a Girls Night Out show at 4 p.m. today at Turner's Hall in Cleveland.  It's an all-women's show with Mia Yim vs. Allysin Kay as the main event in a street fight.

 

--River City Wrestling from last night in Winnipeg:  Buddy Wiser b Zamil, Vinnie Valiant b Dorado, Bobby Collins b Samuel, Bugsy Slugg b James Beaver, Billy Blaze & Cliff Corleone b Dick Walker & Damon Marx (thanks to Paul Ranville)  

 

--USWO from last night in Nashville before 38 fans:  Hot Rod Biggs b Cody Green, Steven Green b Charles Jackson III, Miss Rachel b Convict, Steven Green b Big Time Sexy, Justin Grandberry b L.T. Falk, Slade NC Shabba Shabbazz (thanks to Jimmie Daniel)

 

--UIPW from last night in Toronto before 100 fans:  Ashley Sixx b Brent B, Rip Impact b Sebastian Suave, Jennifer Blake b Mawmi Tsunami, R.J. City b Scotty O'Shea, Josh Alexander b Mike Rollins, Shawn LaFleur won three-way over Colby Corino and Alex Vega, Ethan Page & Joey Kings b Lionel Knight & Christopher Bishop, Steve Corino b Michael Elgin, Josh Alexander b Steve Corino to win UIPW title

 

--Mid Missouri Wrestling Alliance from last night in St. Louis:  Dave Osborne b Andrew Wilder, Jimmy D b LaMarcus Clinton, Max Archer b Ace Hawkins, Brandon Espinosa b Gary Jackson, Johnny Courageous b Ken Casa, Frankie D b Bill Murray, Abe & Gabe b Big Texan & Tony Raze, Dave Vaughn b Chase King (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)

 

--GOUGE's 6th anniversary show from last night in Roxboro, NC:  Mike West b Crumb the Bum, Seymour Snott & Rob McBride b Frank Stalletto & Tank Lawson, Otto Schwanz b The Taker, Damien Wayne b Mickey Gambino, Sideshow Phil & Jageem the Dream b Gluteus Maximus & Baron von Fox, Jimmy Jack Funk Jr. b Lou Marconi.  Next show is 4/26 at Rebus Works in Raleigh, NC.

 

--Future Stars of Wrestling from yesterday in Hollywood, FL:  Chasyn Rance b Chico Adams & Maxx Stardom, Johnny Vandal b Blain Rage, J.T. Flash b Mikhail Ivanov, Aliens b Tech Squad and Beast Brody & Joey Saint, Tommy Vandal b Derek Drexl, Jesse Neal b Headbanger Mosh.  Next show is 6/2 at VFW Post 2500 in Hollywood.

 

--Championship Wrestling Entertainment from last night in Stuart, FL:  Beast Brody b David Thraxtin, Aaron Epic b Jeff Brooks, James Anthony b Chico Adams, Tech Squad b Legion of Wolves, Chasyn Rance b Blain Rage, Oliver Grimsley b JB Cool.  Next show is 5/12 at Cruisers Billiards & Bar. (thanks to Al Haft)

 

--APW from last night in Hayward, CA: J.R. Kratons b Levi Shapiro, Matt Carlos & Shane West & Vennis DeMarco b Dos Perfectos & James Watkins, Dave Dutra b Daniel Torch, Carnival of Shadows b Dalton Frost & Sir Samurai and Chicano Flame & Technismo, Sheik Han Abadi b Wiseguy, Derek Sanders b Boyce LeGrande, Dylan Drake & Adam Thornstowe b Perry Von Vicious & Damien Grundy, Will Rood b Rik Luxury to win Internet title, Timothy Thatcher b A.J. Kirsch to retain Universal title.  

 

--Heartland Wrestling Association's 2012 Heartland Cup is 4/20 and 4/21 in Hamilton, OH at the Great Miami Events Center.  It's a two-night tournament with first round matches of Michael Elgin vs. B.J. Whitmer, Steve Corino vs. Ron Mathis, Jake Crist vs. Chad Collyer, Dave Crist vs. Alex Colon, Drake Younger vs. Jesse Emerson, D.J. Hyde vs. Chrisjen Hayme, Billy Roc vs. Remi Wilkins and Nick Cutler vs. Gerome Phillips.