Daily Update: Raw vs. Olympics, Jon Stewart to SummerSlam, Punk talks McGregor
Raw Ratings get Pole-Vaulted
RAW last night did a virtually identical 3 hour average of 2,910,000 to last week against strong Olympic competition. The show had an unusual pattern as it opened weaker than last week, at 2.88 million viewers and increased to 3.08 million for hour 2, before dropping back down to 2.78 million for the final hour.
The show was just 4th for the night in cable, behind Rizzoli and Isles, Major Crimes and the O’Reilly Factor.
The opening hour is the lowest opening hour since the early part of the Monday Night War, besides the July 4th show last month.
RAW was down 23% from the same week last year.
Dave Meltzer has more on the ratings here.
[Paul “Ace” Fontaine]
Smackdown is tonight in Austin, TX. Besides the Smackdown crew, also advertised for the show are Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, likely in a dark match. John Cena vs. Alberto Del Rio is advertised as well as a Miz TV segment with Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose.
TNA is also taping Tuesday in Orlando.
THE ROUND-UP
NJPW G1 Climax 26 finals live results: Hirooki Goto vs. Kenny Omega
Cesaro vs. Sheamus best-of-seven series to begin at SummerSlam
WWE Raw live results: Lesnar & Heyman return on SummerSlam go-home show
NXT Fort Pierce, FL, live results: Samoa Joe vs. No Way Jose
Hideo Itami & The Curious Case of The NXT Parking Lot Attacker
Figure Four Weekly: August 17, 2016; Buff Bagwell sues WWE for unpaid Network royalties – When Rene Dupree’s lawsuit against WWE over WWE Network royalties was quickly dropped a few months ago, the question coming out of it was not if there would be another such lawsuit, but when and with whom as the next plaintiff would be. The answers? August 9th and Marcus “Buff” Bagwell… Subscribers click here to continue reading.
F4W YouTube Page: Tons of clips and full free audio shows that you can tell your friends about, and much more to come! Make sure you subscribe today!
Wrestling Observer Newsletter: August 15, 2016; Gigantic Summerslam weekend preview, McGregor vs. WWE, tons more – WWE’s SummerSlam and UFC 202 anchor one of the biggest weekends for major shows of this or almost any other year. The four major events will be a Ring of Honor PPV featuring New Japan stars on 8/19, UFC 202 and NXT Takeover on 8/20, and SummerSlam and the finals of the Super J Cup on 8/21.
UFC 202 will be the biggest show as far as mainstream interest goes, since Conor McGregor is headlining against Nate Diaz. The show, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is far from the deepest when it comes to name value, but has the rematch of the biggest grossing PPV event in company history on top. Besides Diaz vs. McGregor, and a match who will determine who gets the next shot at light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, with Anthony Rumble Johnson (21-5) facing Glover Teixeira (25-4), it’s very much an ordinary show… Subscribers click here to continue reading.
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Wrestling Observer Newsletter BACK ISSUE: July 12, 1999; Chris Jericho signs with WWF, ECW to air on TNN, tons more – Details on Chris Jericho signing with WWF, ECW programming to air on TNN, plus tons more… Subscribers click here to continue reading.
TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE
As was announced on Raw last night, Jon Stewart will make his second consecutive appearance at SummerSlam as an invited guest of Mick Foley this year. The former Daily Show host played a significant role in last year’s show when he interfered in the Seth Rollins vs. John Cena title for title match. Stewart helped Rollins win, with the storyline reason being that he wanted to stop Cena from breaking Ric Flair’s World Championship record.
WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT
More additions to the WWE 2K17 roster were announced on Tuesday, including AJ Styles making his first appearance in a WWE video game.
Becky Lynch was interviewed by Sports Illustrated.
Due to overwhelming demand, NXT added more seats to their September 22nd show in Toronto.
PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
Balls Mahoney’s cause of death was officially revealed as a heart attack.
Los Ingobernables de Japon member SANADA has been announced for November’s Revolution Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling co-branded Global Wars shows in the United Kingdom.
Global Force Wrestling will partner with Franklin American Mortgage to help sponsor the Music City Bowl. GFW is the first wrestling promotion to partner with a bowl game. There will be a private event for players and coaches to meet the Jarrett’s, Scott Hall and more.
“The HANNIBAL TV” did an interview with Barbara Goodish, the widow of Frank “Bruiser Brody” Goodish that can be seen in full at this link.
Tully Blanchard discusses the management issues that caused he and Arn Anderson left the NWA’s Jim Crockett Promotions for the WWE in the late 80’s at this link.
UFC
CM Punk did an interview with Hot 97 and expressed surprise at WWE wrestlers getting worked by Conor McGregor’s critical comments. He also talked about not missing wrestling.
A new fight has been announced for the UFC show in Manila on October 15th between flyweights Kyoji Horiguchi (17-2) vs. Ali Bagautinov (15-5). Horiguchi could be in line for a title shot with a win in that one.
Dana White hinted at future major UFC announcements on the Colin Cowherd show.
SUMMER SLAM / SUPER CHINA BUFFET DAY EVENTS CALENDAR
With just under a week to go until WWE SummerSlam, that means it is almost time for the F4W Empire’s third biggest yearly event, Super China Buffet Day~! Of Course, the Vegas and WrestleMania conventions are bigger events, but this holiday is WORLD WIDE! To participate, simply visit a Super China Buffet (any buffet will do) with your friends and family in YOUR area and tell us about it in the Empire Get-Together forum on The Board~!
Each year, groups of WWE fans (not a requirement) get together in the name of SummerSlam for a Sunday afternoon meal and then continue the fun at a viewing location to watch the WWE’s summer classic. Our own Bryan Alvarez hosts a buffet and viewing party in his area of Seattle, as do many other Empire members all across the globe. Alvarez claims that everyone is welcome, so feel free to show up unannounced. Check out the Empire-Get Together forum NOW to see where your local group is meeting. If there is not any nearby, start your own, and make a post about it! A good time will be had by all.
AUGUST
ROH: DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR XIV PPV; 6:00pm PDT, THIS Friday August 19, Sam’s Town Live, 5111 Boulder Highway – Las Vegas, NV 89122. Tickets. ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: ADAM COLE vs JAY LETHAL (c)
19 – AAW; 115 Bourbon Street, 3359 w 115th Street Merrionette Park, IL, 8:00pm Bell Time, tickets. Trailer for our last show: United We Stand.
19 – We Watch Wrestling: LIVE podcast recording; Copper Still 4485 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
19 – Superkick’d Pro Wrestling Rock Show: Blazed; The Great Hall, 1087 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1H3
19 – House of Glory Wrestling; Jamaica, NY, The Hardys, Drew Galloway, Ethan Carter III and Mickie James will appear.
19 – Pure Wrestling Association: VIEX, Nanaimo, British Columbia
20 – Empire State Wrestling; St. Johnsburg Fire Hall, located at 7165 Ward Road, North Tonawanda, NY featuring extreme wrestling icon Raven. Bell time is 6 p.m. Tickets here.
20 – Border City Wrestling: Heatwave; Royal Canadian Legion Col. Paul Poisson Branch 261, 12326 Lanoue Street, Tecumseh, Ontario N8N 1N3. Our regular ticket outlets (P-Jays Variety, Helou’s Sports Cards, & Silver Tee Golf) – Border City Wrestling will be conducting a professional wrestling seminar before the BCW Heatwave show, with one of the greatest minds in the history of the wrestling business, Uncle Zeb Colter himself, Dutch Mantell! The seminar will start at Noon. The cost is $60.
20 – Pure Wrestling Association: VIEX, Nanaimo, British Columbia
20 – LIVE PRO WRESTLING! “FIGHTING BACK 6: WRESTLING WITH CANCER”; Vanier Columbus Club
260 McArthur Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
20 – Pure Wrestling Association: Carrotfest, Bradford, Ontario; Featuring Brutus the Barber Beefcake. Free 11:30am event. Plus, 2015’s Carrot Cup will be airing in Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, Brantford, Guelph and Stratford on Rogers TV 20 on August 19th at 9pm.
20 – ROH: National TV Taping; 6:00pm PDT, Sam’s Town Live, 5111 Boulder Highway, Las Vegas, NV 89122. Tickets. ROH World TV Championship: Shibata will face the winner of the Mark Briscoe vs Bobby Fish match from Death Before Dishonor.
20 – Fighting Back 6: Wrestling with Cancer; Vanier Columbus Club, 260 McArthur Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
20 – Reality of Wrestling: Summer of Champions 3; Featuring Kurt Angle, from the World Gym Arena in Texas City, TX. The event is preceded by a VIP Meet and Greet session to feature WWE Hall of Famer Booker T, Kurt Angle and Queen Sharmell. Tickets. Proceeds will be going to the Booker T Fights For Kids Foundation.
20 – Best In The West; Fresno, CA, VFW Hall #8900, located at 3585 N Blythe, Featuring Jeff Cobb, Joey Ryan, and Mustufa Saed.
20 – NXT: Takeover at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Samoa Joe vs Shinsuke Nakamura; Asuka vs Bailey; Revival vs Ciampa and Gargano
UFC 202 – DIAZ vs. MCGREGOR 2, THIS Saturday, August 20, from Las Vegas, NV
F4W SUPER CHINA BUFFET DAY! This Sunday, August 21, Check out the Empire Get-Together forum on THE BOARD~! Or just show up at Bryan’s house.
WWE: SUMMERSLAM; The Barclays Center THIS Sunday, August 21, in Brooklyn, New York. It will be the twenty-ninth event under the SummerSlam chronology and the second consecutive SummerSlam to be hosted in the Barclays Center.
21 – Pure Wrestling Association: VIEX, Nanaimo, British Columbia
21 – NWX: Live Pro Wrestling at the CWF Wrestling School on 20 Hartzel Rd in St Catharines
21 – SMASH Wrestling: Super Showdown IV; Pickering, Ontario, Pickering Recreation Complex, 1867 Valley Farm Road, Pickering, Ontario L1V 3Y7. Tickets
21 – Octagon & Tinieblas Jr. vs. Fuerza Guerrera & Pirata Morgan headlines in Houston at the Arena Theater.
26 – We Watch Wrestling: LIVE podcast recording; The Wythe Hotel 80 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249. Tickets.
26 – All Star Wrestling; Cloverdale, BC at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds Alice McKay Building,
7:30 PM – 10 PM, Doors open at 630pm, Cloverdale Fair Grounds. Alice McKay Building, 6050 A 176 St.
Surrey, British Columbia V3S 4E7
26 – Absolute Intense Wrestling; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 1355 W. 70th St. Cleveland, OH
26 – Conflict Wrestling: Black or White; 7 PM – 10 PM, Moose Lodge, 655 Wabanaki Dr, Kitchener, Ontario N2C 2G3. Tickets available.
26 – Bellator 160; The Pond in Anaheim, live on Spike TV, Benson Henderson vs Patricio Pitbull Freire
27 – ROH: Field of Honor; Brooklyn, NY, MCU Park, ROH World Championship 4 Corner Survival: ROH World Champion: Jay Lethal vs. Adam Cole vs. Tetsuya naito vs. Hiroshi. Tickets.
27 – Battlearts: Summer Heat; 4880 Tomken Road, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 1J8
27 – LuchaTO at the Benelife Wellness Centre, 68 Tycos Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M6B 1V9
27 – UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Maia vs. Condit; Vancouver, BC.
28 – Steel City Pro Wrestling: End Game; 222 Queenston Rd, Hamilton, ON L8K 1G6, Canada
28 – Destiny wrestling: Summer Heat; Battlearts Wrestling Academy. Featuring MOOSE!
SEPTEMBER
1 – AAW; Berwyn Eagles Club, 6309 W 26th St Berwyn, IL, 7:30pm Bell Time
2 – MOONSHINE BRANDED WRESTLING: Italo-Canadian Hall, 1101 DiPietro Street, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, Doors @ 6:00p Bell @ 7:00pm, Tickets: $10 CDN or $5 USD
3 – UFC Fight Night: Arlovski vs. Barnett; Hamburg, Germany
6 – SMASH-WRESTLING, Oshawa Music Hall, 39 King St E, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 1B2. Tickets Available.
10 – Pure Wrestling Association: COWEX – Duncan, British Columbia
10 – New England Fights 25: HEROES & VILLAINS; Lewiston, MA. Tickets.
10 – Barrie Wrestling: Back to School 3; 49 Ferris Lane, Barrie, Ontario, Canada
10 – UFC 203: Miocic vs. Overeem; Cleveland, Ohio
16 – Pure Wrestling Association: Lake Cowichan, British Columbia
16 – Pure Wrestling Association: Private Event in Ontario
16 – ROH: Reloaded Tour; Pittsburgh, PA, Stage AE, 7:30 pm, tickets
17 – Pure Wrestling Association: Alpine Club – Kitchener, Ontario
17 – Pure Wrestling Association: Courtenay, British Columbia
17 – ROH: Reloaded Tour; Lockport (Buffalo), NY, 7:00 pm, tickets
17 – UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson; Hidalgo, Texas, State Farm Arena
18 – SMASH VS PROGRESS: Smash Wrestling welcomes our friends from Progress Wrestling, England’s biggest wrestling company.
18 – Pure Wrestling Association: Gold River, British Columbia
18 – Alpha-1 Wrestling presents #Matrats2
TODAY IN PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING HISTORY (8/16): The Great Muta wins IWGP gold
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