Week in Wrestling - Sunday June 3, 2018
WWE Money In the Bank Update
WWE’s Money in the Bank show on 6/17 at the Allstate Arena in Chicago is largely finalized with ten matches announced for the scheduled four hour show.
- Last Man Standing - A.J. Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE title
- Nia Jax vs Ronda Rousey for the RAW Women's title
- Carmella vs. Asuka for the Smackdown women’s title
- Money in the Bank men’s match - Bobby Roode, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Rusev, The Miz, Samoa Joe and member of The New Day
- Money in the Bank women’s match - Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Ember Moon, Natalya, Naomi, Lana, and Sasha Banks
- Seth Rollins vs Elias or the Intercontinental title
- Roman Reigns vs. Jinder Mahal
- Daniel Bryan vs Big Cass
- The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Club for the tag titles
- Sami Zayn vs Bobby Lashley
WWE NEWS
CM Punk Lawsuit Update
The slander lawsuit by Dr. Christopher Amann against Phil Brooks (C.M. Punk) and Scott Colton (Colt Cabana) kicked off on 5/29 in Chicago, and basically it's filled with holes, lies, embellishments and hearsay. I see this as an open-and-shut case in the sense Punk either told the truth about his medical condition and his treatment, or he lied. If he lied, then he’d be up for damages. If he told the truth, the case should have been thrown out a long time ago and never gotten this far, let alone all the way to a trial. To be completely honest, I believe Amann at this point. Punk lied about several things and is now claiming he embellished.
More Details on FOX Deal
Sources with full knowledge of the negotiations confirmed the expected, that Smackdown will be live, airing from 8-10 p.m. on Friday nights, meaning a likely change of that crew’s road schedule. NBC Universal was stunned at losing Smackdown, never believing the bidding for the “B” show would reach $200 million, a level the show got because of the multiple suitors.
There had been hints for months that this would happen, including business stories of the negotiations that outright said FOX would choose WWE over UFC, but at the time, the belief was FOX was looking for the entire package, Raw on FOX on Mondays and Smackdown to bolster FS 1. Rupert Murdoch promised to promote Smackdown on all of its live sports programming on a network that is going to use live sports as its cornerstone, something WWE never got from NBC. They also promised a weekly studio show on FS 1, similar to UFC Tonight, so that would be the WWE content on the station. There was a quote from someone at FOX saying that they couldn’t sell UFC, but with wrestling, they can find cash and called it a big win and a great trade-off.
There had been hints for months that this would happen, including business stories of the negotiations that outright said FOX would choose WWE over UFC, but at the time, the belief was FOX was looking for the entire package, Raw on FOX on Mondays and Smackdown to bolster FS 1. Rupert Murdoch promised to promote Smackdown on all of its live sports programming on a network that is going to use live sports as its cornerstone, something WWE never got from NBC. They also promised a weekly studio show on FS 1, similar to UFC Tonight, so that would be the WWE content on the station. There was a quote from someone at FOX saying that they couldn’t sell UFC, but with wrestling, they can find cash and called it a big win and a great trade-off.
Lesnar Update
As of right now, the plan for Lesnar’s next Universal title match is SummerSlam, on 8/19 in Brooklyn. We’re told that Lesnar is tentatively headlining that show but that is not locked in stone. For Lesnar-watch, the key is whether he applies to be put back in the USADA testing pool for UFC by 6/30. If he does not, then he’s staying with WWE. If he does, there is a better chance he would be leaving and starting back in UFC on the New Year’s weekend show. Of course, with both companies cash rich, his timing of being about to be a free agent once again, while still holding the title, and the ability to play one side off the other is the best it has ever been.
Io Shirai coming to WWE
Io Shirai, who was considered the biggest star in Japanese women’s wrestling, looks to be leaving Stardom for WWE. The promotion announced her final match on 6/17 at Korakuen Hall, although this same thing happened last year, she didn’t pass medicals, and she ended up returning.
The plan is for a 6/10 show at Shinkiba in Tokyo where Shirai will do a series of one minute matches where she will face everyone on the roster. Her final show will see her reunite with Mayu Iwatani, and face Kagetsu & Hazuki. She is expected, if she passes medicals, to start in Orlando on or around 7/16.
The plan is for a 6/10 show at Shinkiba in Tokyo where Shirai will do a series of one minute matches where she will face everyone on the roster. Her final show will see her reunite with Mayu Iwatani, and face Kagetsu & Hazuki. She is expected, if she passes medicals, to start in Orlando on or around 7/16.
UK Tournament
The first round matches and bracketing was announced for the UK tournament that takes place over the next few weeks. The left side of the bracket, in order, has Zack Gibson vs. Amir Jordan, Drew Gulak vs. Jack Gallagher, Flash Morgan Webster vs. James Drake and Tyson T-Bone vs. Jordan Devlin. The right side has Tucker vs. Joe Coffey, Dave Mastiff vs. Kenny Williams, Travis Banks vs. El Ligero and Joseph Conners vs. Ashton Smith. With the exception of Gulak vs. Gallagher, which Gallagher already won, the other seven matches will take place between 6/8 and 6/10 at the Download Festival in Derby, UK. The final eight will have a one-night tournament on 6/18 at Royal Albert Hall. The winner of that tournament faces Pete Dunne for the U.K. title on 6/19 at Royal Albert Hall.
Both Royal Albert Hall shows will air on the WWE Network. They may be live, but that would be sensory overload since it’s a Monday and a Tuesday, hours before Raw and Smackdown, coming right after a Takeover in Chicago and Money in the Bank. However the WWE Network has announced a preview show on 6/7, which would indicate the shows would be airing shortly after that. WWE announced appearances by Michaels and HHH at the Albert Hall shows, with Michaels appearing on 6/18.
Both Royal Albert Hall shows will air on the WWE Network. They may be live, but that would be sensory overload since it’s a Monday and a Tuesday, hours before Raw and Smackdown, coming right after a Takeover in Chicago and Money in the Bank. However the WWE Network has announced a preview show on 6/7, which would indicate the shows would be airing shortly after that. WWE announced appearances by Michaels and HHH at the Albert Hall shows, with Michaels appearing on 6/18.
NXT NEWS
Regal Update
William Regal hasn’t been around of late due to a health issue prior to WrestleMania. It’s why at TV of late there has been talk of Mr. Regal and even the one segment with Ricochet and Dream both going to Regal’s office, but you never saw Regal because he wasn’t actually at the tapings.
New Japan Pro Wrestling News
Tomoaki Honma Returns
Fifteen months after suffering a career-threatening injury, Tomoaki Honma is set to return to the ring. Honma appeared at this Sunday's Best of the Super Juniors block finals and announced that he'll be returning at NJPW's Kizuna Road show on June 23rd in Yamagata, which is where Honma is from. Honma later issued an open challenge for anyone to face him and Togi Makabe, his regular tag team partner.
Honma suffered a cervical vertebrae injury while taking a draping DDT from Jado during a six-man tag on March 3rd, 2017. The match was stopped right away and Honma was stretchered out of the ring. He began to regain movement in his arms and legs in the days after the injury and spent three and a half months in the hospital as he underwent surgery and continued to recover.
Honma suffered a cervical vertebrae injury while taking a draping DDT from Jado during a six-man tag on March 3rd, 2017. The match was stopped right away and Honma was stretchered out of the ring. He began to regain movement in his arms and legs in the days after the injury and spent three and a half months in the hospital as he underwent surgery and continued to recover.
Cow Palace Update
It was officially announced that the 7/7 Cow Palace show will air live on AXS TV at 8 p.m. Eastern that night, meaning it goes head-to-head with UFC 226
I was told that they would start running commercials for live tickets to the Cow Palace in a few weeks. For what it’s worth, the AXS press release wrote in more than one place about seeing New Japan before 10,000 fans, so they apparently expect to get close to that number.
I was told that they would start running commercials for live tickets to the Cow Palace in a few weeks. For what it’s worth, the AXS press release wrote in more than one place about seeing New Japan before 10,000 fans, so they apparently expect to get close to that number.
Best of the Super Juniors Update
The finals for this year’s Best of the Super Juniors are set, as Hiromu Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori have advanced to the finals and will face one another on Monday morning at Korakuen Hall to decide the 25th Best of the Super Junior winner. With Will Ospreay out of the equation, it is very likely that the winner of the tournament will challenge him to a title match at Dominion on 6/9.
Ishimori advanced by beating YOH. He needed a win in order to tie with Will Opsreay, and since he beat Ospreay he would win the tiebreaker and advance to the finals. Meanwhile, Takahashi had his hands full with one of the most biggest stars in the division, KUSHIDA. In a match with tremendous heat, Takahashi managed to score the upset win after hitting an inverted piledriver and submitting KUSHIDA with a triangle.
Ishimori advanced by beating YOH. He needed a win in order to tie with Will Opsreay, and since he beat Ospreay he would win the tiebreaker and advance to the finals. Meanwhile, Takahashi had his hands full with one of the most biggest stars in the division, KUSHIDA. In a match with tremendous heat, Takahashi managed to score the upset win after hitting an inverted piledriver and submitting KUSHIDA with a triangle.
Ring of Honor News
Best in the World Update
The main event of the 6/29 ROH PPV show in Baltimore, where they are running a 5,000-seat building, is Dalton Castle defending the title against both Cody and Marty Scurll in a three-way plus Mark & Jay Briscoe vs. Young Bucks for the tag titles. There was a tease of Jay Lethal vs. Kushida, since Lethal had los several matches and now he’s beating everyone that beat him and the next guy he’s looking for is Kushida, who is booked for the show. Actually it’s pretty much a lock that match will happen on the show as well.
INDEPENDENT NEWS
Jeff Jarrett is looking at getting back into the promotional and television business with his Global Force Entertainment brand. During the week, FITE TV, which has worked with Jarrett in Impact in the past, announced a partnership with GlobalForce to develop sports and entertainment programming. Global Force will be developing as well as acquiring wrestling events and other wrestling programs for the Fight Network. They are also working to develop non-wrestling programming for an as yet unannounced digital platform.
By: Larry Causion Jr. CausionCreations.com
Posted: Sunday, June 3, 2018
Credit: Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Posted: Sunday, June 3, 2018
Credit: Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter