Wrestling Observer Notes

Wednesday's News, Notes & Links

--Nothing has been said regarding a replacement for Alistair Overeem, nor do I expect an announcement in the next few days, depending on if Overeem asks to get his "B" sample tested.  Overeem tested positive for testosterone at greater than a 10-1 ratio. The Olympic cutoff is 4-1. The actual ratio was not released.

Frank Mir has already released a statement saying that if Overeem can't fight, that he will gladly take the title opportunity if given. Smart man. UFC is likely to choose either Mir or Cain Velasquez for the shot and who they perceive the people most want to see in that spot will be part of the decision making process.  There was a recent example (and I don't want to say it publicly who the two guys were) but both were up for a fairly recent title shot and one campaigned publicly for it, the other was told that he should as well, but he decided he needed a break and wanted to go to the beach that weekend. Guess who got the title shot. In other words, Cain needs to be avoiding the beach. 

Mir may have the edge since he's coming off a submission win over Nogueira and Cain is coming off a knockout loss to Dos Santos. But the flip side is that Velasquez is probably the better fighter and even with less charisma is probably the one better for UFC business as a potential champion. 

 

--USA Network won the ratings race last week with a 2.0 rating followed by 1.4 for Disney and 1.4 for Fox News.  FX was No. 10 with a 1.0 average, Syfy was No. 14 with an 0.8 average and Spike was No. 23 with an 0.7 average.  Raw last week was No. 2 and No. 3 on cable since most of the highly rated cable shows are in hiatus.  The Nick Kids Choice awards were first.  It was No. 7 and No. 8 in 18-34 and No. 1 and No. 3 in 18-49.

 

--There will be an Internet PPV interview with Vince Russo produced by Kayfabe Commentaries on 6/1 at 8 p.m. The interview will take place before a live audience in Monroe, NJ, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.  They will be selling tickets to the event and the VIP package includes a private booking seminar with Russo prior to the show. Holy shit.

Side note: I'm looking at doing our first iPPV. Plans include a physique and nutrition seminar with Roy Nelson. 

 

--There was the most unreal article by Eric Holden at Yahoo listing 10 wrestlers from the 90s who could have been successful UFC fighters.  I don't even want to spoil it for you as it's so freaking awesome in a mind-blowing way.  That's three stories in a row right there. Next thing you know, somebody is going to report the WrestleMania buy rate.   

 

--John Cena will be a guest on the Syfy series Dream Machines later this season. A custom-built vehicle built for Cena as part of the show will be shown Monday night on Raw from Washington, DC to help promote the episode.

 

--There was a really strange Ric Flair interview today on Charlotte sports talk.  He claimed his match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24 was his last match, said Vince McMahon was the best marketer alive and noted he's wearing both of his Hall of Fame rings. (Ric does love those rings, so that's a shoot.)

He said pro wrestling is The Rock's home and Hollywood is his superficial home. I wish I had a superficial home where I was making $30 million. He said he loved Brock Lesnar returning to wrestling and hopes his health holds up. He was unaware about Jay Strongbow's death and said that he hadn't seen him in ten years. (thanks to Daniel Klitts)

 

--For those who ordered the ROH show, and for that matter, for those who didn't, the two matches from the second night that didn't air are now available on youtube.  Adam Cole vs. Kyle O'Reilly is up, as is Rhett Titus & Kenny King vs. Young Bucks in a street fight.

 

Will Daniel Bryan get a similar reaction at TV this coming week?

Similar, but not quite as vociferous 64.5%

No, Monday was a complete aberration 22.0%

It will be exactly the same as this week 13.5%

 

What did you think of RAW?

Excellent 72.1%

Good 22.7%

Average 2.3%

Fair 1.2%

Poor 1.7%

        4.0% of those responding didn't see the show

 

--The German TV feed of Raw on Monday night was described as unbearable, with the feed constantly stuttering and cutting out.  On the screen they said, "Sorry, there are feed problems from Miami."  (thanks to Markus Gronemann)

 

--Today is the 80th anniversary of the professional wrestling debut of Yvon Robert, whose first match was April 4, 1932 in Montreal at the old Mount Royal Arena, where he made John Charette before 5,500 fans underneath the Gus Sonnenberg vs. Pat McGill main event.  If you don't know the name, you probably should.  Robert was a multi-time world champion and not only the biggest pro wrestling star ever in Eastern Canada, but is generally considered the second biggest star behind Maurice "Rocket" Richard (an NHL legend) in the history of Quebec sports.  He was a far bigger cultural star than Hulk Hogan or Steve Austin in their wildest dreams were, and pretty much anyone short of El Santo or Rikidozan.  (thanks to Pat Laprade)  

 

--Fit Finlay makes his ROH debut on 5/12 in Toronto.

 

--Maven Huffman, a former WWE wrestler best known for winning the first season of Tough Enough, was arrested earlier this week on going to multiple doctors to fill prescriptions for the same ailment.  Huffman is accused of going to three different doctors, getting three different prescriptions to Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, going to different pharmacies to fill them to avoid suspicion, and coming out with about 1,000 ills.  He was released on $2,000 bond and is facing up to five years in prison.

 

--An article on Chief Jay Strongbow here. The New York Times will be doing a Strongbow obit and there are not a lot of wrestlers in history that the Times covered the death of.

 

--Pope D'Angelo Dinero was at the Nashville Predators vs. Minnesota Wild NHL game in Nashville last night.  The team mascot Gnash challenged a fan in a Minnesota Wild jersey to an arm wrestling match.  Then right before the arm wrestling match was to start, Gnash claimed his shoulder was acting up and he had to pull out, but had a replacement.  Pope's entrance music played and he came out wearing a Predators jersey and won the arm wrestling match and plugged Lockdown on 4/15 in Nashville.  (thanks to Chris Kunkel)

 

--Damien Sandow will be starting on the Smackdown brand shortly.

 

--Eric Young will be hosting a TV series called Fish America on Animal Planet.  Young is billed as an avid outdoorsman as well as pro wrestler and will go around the country fishing and doing comedy.

 

--The Miz will be hosting The Challenge: Battle of the Exes reunion on MTV tonight at 10 p.m.

 

--Lance Storm talks his WrestleMania predictions.

 

--APW Gym Wars featuring Colt Cabana vs. Rik Luxury.

 

--NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling on 4/7 in Bailyton, TN at North Greene High School.

 

--A promotional video for Adam Pearce vs. Colt Cabana's NWA title match is here.

 

--Three different promotions in Western Canada have merged, Aggression MMA, Armageddon Fighting Championships and AX Combat.  the new promotion will be called Aggression Fighting Championships.  The first show is 4/14 in Victoria, BC and then 6/8 in Edmonton and 6/15 in Calgary.

 

--FSW on 4/6 at Sam's Town in Las Vegas at 7:30 p.m. featuring Mikey Nichols and Shane Haste from Australia against Reno Scum.

 

--Super Fight League has its second show in Dandigarh, India headlined by Todd Duffee vs. Neil Grove, Paul Kelly vs. Ryan Healy and Alexander Shlemenko vs. Minowa-man will air live at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday morning Eastern time at Youtube.

 

--Here's this week's UCW tv show.

--The next show at the Auditorio in Tijuana is 4/13 headlined by Cibernetico & Mesias vs. El Texano Jr. & Toscano and Damian 666 & Bestia 666 & Halloween vs. Arandu & Mortiz & TJ Boy.

 

--Hoodslam on Friday night in Oakland, CA at the Metro Operahouse headlined by Sinn Bohdi and Brian Kendrick.  It's more of a comedy wrestling show.