Daily Update: Kota Ibushi, Kevin Von Erich, Google trends

Dave Meltzer talks Kota Ibushi, Kevin Von Erich's birthday, and weekend combat sports Google trends.

Author:
Dave Meltzer
Publish date:
May 15, 2022

Daily Update

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This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Roman Reigns cutting back on WWE appearances, Kota Ibushi-NJPW issues

Roman Reigns schedule in detail, what he is working, next title defense, current plans on his biggest summer match.
Behind the issues with Kota Ibushi and New Japan, where they started, where it stands and who is trying to smooth things over
WrestleMania Backlash, business numbers, match-by-match with star ratings and poll results
Update on all the big AEW & WWE summer shows, how tickets are moving, secondary market interest and million dollar gates
The unique ending of the UFC strawweight title reign by Rose Namajunas and what it says about scoring, cornering and how open scoring plays a part in this
Complete UFC 274 coverage with PPV numbers, TV numbers, match-by-match, what next and more
The Hall of Fame career of Daniel Cormier, someone who made it to the top in two different sports and becoming a UFC champion having never trained in striking until nearly the age of 30
Major joint promotion show lineup
Ratings for the past week, where wrestling ranks on cable, where AEW ranks as far as youngest skewing sports shows, how each AEW segment did, and realistic comparisons with last year's numbers
Wrestling at Arena Mexico
Juice Robinson and his NJPW contract
Best of the Super Juniors notes
Tammy Sytch updates including sad situation with Bill DeMott
Ted DiBiase sued by Mississippi Department of Human Services
The life of popular referee and office person Charlie Smith of GCW fame
Legend of the 90s coming out of retirement again
A look back at the British Bulldogs
Lowest rated cable station
Match of the week and performer of the week
AEW and Warner Media update
Upcoming AEW shows
Tony Khan talks Bret Hart in AEW
Blackpool Combat Club original idea
Amazing UFC business run
UFC revenue and how much goes to fighters
Upcoming UFC matches
Former WWE wrestler wins in Bare Knuckle fighting
Strange booking of Lacey Evans
Questions about the Money in the Bank in 2022
International TV ratings
Streaming numbers

This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter: April 4, 2005 Observer Newsletter back issue: WrestleMania 21 preview, All Japan Women shuts down

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Sunday News Update

Bryan and I will be back talking the weekend shows and latest news. You can also send questions to the show regarding the main stories of the past week and the current issue to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

As far as an update on Kota Ibushi, he has not been fired at this point so they are not giving up on the relationship but obviously New Japan and Bushiroad is very unhappy with the publicity. He has toned down on Twitter in the last 36 hours. Ibushi's only tweet of note in the last three days translated into "I will fight until the end. I will not surrender to them." The only wrestlers who have really commented are Toru Yano on his podcast, saying he wasn't happy that Ibushi confused the fans but said he was still a New Japan wrestler and as still his friend. Kenny Omega tweeted in Japanese, "Fire of resurrection will burn bright again someday. Let's hang on until then everybody."

Kevin Von Erich turned 65 today.

We're looking for your thoughts on last night's New Japan Capital Collision show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
We're also looking for reports on these shows
WWE last night in Florence, SC
WWE tonight in Roanoke, VA
NJPW tonight in Philadelphia, PA

New Japan tonight in Philadelphia at the 2300 Arena
Jeff Cobb vs. Willie Mack
David Finlay vs. Danny Limelight
Karl Fredericks vs. QT Marshall
Brody King vs. Jake Something
Alex Coughlin & Kevin Knight & The DKC vs. Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs & JR Kratos
Yuya Uemura vs. Killer Kross
Minoru Suzuki vs. Tony Deppen
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Chris Dickinson
Will Ospreay vs. Homicide
Tom Lawlor vs. Fred Rosser for the Strong title and Rosser must leave NJPW if he doesn't win the title

There was a fight between a wrestler and fan at an indie show over the weekend that has gotten a lot of talk. This is the incident.
Regarding searches for the combat sports this week, no pro wrestling broke into the top 20 all week. Only two things did all week, both yesterday. UFC was No. 12 at 100,000 and the Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano boxing match was No. 15, also at 100,000.
Mike "Virgil" Jones announced he had stage two colon cancer. Best wishes to him.

Day two of the New Japan Best of the Super Juniors tournament will be Tuesday at 5:30 a.m. with these matches
Douki vs. Lindaman
Bushi vs. El Phantasmo
Robbie Eagles vs. Wheeler Yuta
TJP vs. Master Wato
El Desperado vs. Titan

Dr. AnnaMaria De Mars, who is the mother of Ronda Rousey, started last night at the Carlo fight in her new role as part of the California State Athletic Commission. De Mars was the first American woman to win a judo world championship.

PCO suffered what was believed t have been a shoulder injury at last night's Impact tapings in Kissimmee, FL.
Regarding last night's show in the Katlyn Chookagian vs. Amanda Ribas judging, Derek Cleary gave only round two to Chookagian. Sal D'Amato gave Chookagian rounds two and three as did Junichiro Kamijo so she won a spit decision. Media scores were 83 percent for Chookagian so it seems the consensus whe won the fight winning rounds two and three. While kept secret, after the fight Marcelo Ribas, father of Amanda, noted that Amanda had done the fight with a totally ruptured biceps 25 days before the fight.
Kento Miyahara retained the Triple Crown over Champion Carnival winner Yuma Aoyagi today in Sapporo.
Stardom did a live PPV show earlier today from Korakuen Hall:
Ruaka won three-way over Hanan and Rina
Ami Sorei b Saya Iida
Syuri & Mirai d Maika & Himeka 15:00
Elimination match: Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid & Saki Kashima & Fukigen Death b Mayu Iwatani & Hazuki & Koguma & Momo Kohgo when Kashima beat Kohgo, Giulia & Natsupoi & Thekla & Mai Sakurai b Tam Nakano & Unagi Sayaka & Mina Shirakawa & Waka Tsukiyama when Sakurai cradled Tsukiyama, Utami Hayashishita won five-way to become the leader of Queens Quest over Saya Kamitani, AZM, Hina and Lady C

WWE

On Smackdown Friday night, the dark match results were Los Lotharios over Viking Raiders (Lotharios worked as babyfaces in the match as a surprise) and Bobby Lashley over Happy Corbin in the main event with a spear, (thanks to Bradley Augenstein).
On today's USFL broadcast on NBC, they did a promotion spot for Raw. One of the announcers, Jac Collinsworth (the son of Cris Collinsworth) after the promo aired asked Jason Garrett if he was a wrestling fan. Garrett said he grew up loving Bruno Sammartino and they showed a photo of Sammartino who Garrett called the Babe Ruth of wrestling. (thanks to Barry Werner)

AEW

The 7/13 show in Savannah, GA had a good first day of sales Friday with 3,339 tickets out.

UFC

Gregor Gillespie noted he was removed from the UFC rankings but said he was not leaving UFC and UFC has always been great to him. He hasn't fought in one year and said UFC has been offering him fights and he's been agreeing to them but the opponents keep turning him down. He mentioned Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler and Rafael dos Anjos as people who turned down fights with him.

Other Notes

Former WCW announcer Chris Cruise wrote a letter to the Maryland State Athletic Commission trying to get Ric Flair denied a wrestling license due to having a pacemaker and his age. There is no indication Flair's match is scheduled for the state of Maryland.
Stand Alone Wrestling on 5/21 in Norwich CT at Pistol Pete's features Davey Richards, Serpentico, Marko Stunt and Lince Dorado. There is also a Fan Fest before the show with Bob Backlund, Sabu, Nuncio, Gangrel, Kalisto and Manny Fernandez along with the wrestlers on the show.
Jonathan Gresham was stripped of his Progress title after losing via DQ to Gene Munny.
TVG hosts yesterday spoke heavily about Mick Foley after a horse named Cactus Jack raced in the tenth race in Los Angeles.
Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling from last night in East Carondelet, IL: Ax Allwardt b Jimmy Razor, The Intern b Brandon Barretta-DQ, Big Texan b Payton Ayres, Kowalski b Gary Jackson to win the Central States title, Curtis Wylde & Danny Dollar & Jayson Breed b Mauler McDarby & Rick Ruby & Frankie D, King Christopher Hargas b Bill McNeil in 2/3 falls, Bobby D won the Bruiser Brody Memorial Battle Royal throwing out Kowalski, Flash Flanagan b Attila Khan & Travis Cook in a handicap match to win Khan's Classic championship (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)
CWE from Friday night in Winnipeg: James Roth b Cory Diamond in 2/3 falls, Sammy Peppes & Bryce Bentley b Bobby & Brenden Collins, Moses Luke NC Kevy Chevy, Rob Stardom b Adrien Burtin last man standing, Bobby Schink & Travis Cole & Big Vito b Mike Mission & Tyler James & Dragneel, Kevin Cannon & Shaun Martens & Kevin O'Doyle b A.J. Sanchez in a handicap match, Chad Daniels b Danny Duggan-DQ, Mentallo b Tommy Lee Curtis to keep the CWE title. Adam Knight showed up to challenge Mentallo for the title.
NFC on 5/21 outside under a tent for the 20th anniversary show