WWE News: Dave Meltzer’s Monday wrestling news update

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Monday Update

–Bryan and I will be back tonight talking Raw, Andrade, AEW vs. WWE on Saturday, Ricky Hatton, weekend shows and more with Wrestling Observer Radio.

–The WWE stock buyback program announced this morning led to the stock going up to $204.49 per share.

–Smackdown on Friday did 1.32 million viewers and an 0.37 in 18-49.  That’s well down from usual, but Colorado vs. Houston on ESPN did 2.61 million and 0.60, so that’s strong competition, plus Jesse Watters did 4.91 million and 0.37.  Last week went against tougher NFL competition but AJ Lee and Brock Lesnar’s return saved it.  Nobody knew about Cody Rhodes’  return on Friday, but they did know Lesnar would be there.

–There is some talk about how a lot of people may be unhappy Saturday thinking that they can access Wrestlepalooza for free because they believe ESPN has not done a good job of telling those who have ESPN, that 35 million of those who get it on TV will still have to spend another $29.99 for the show.  Awful Announcing  has  the story.

–I don’t know if this will provide competition  or not, but Bad Bunny announced a surprise show on Saturday night that will be live streamed on Amazon Prime from Puerto Rico.  Many think this will be a giant event.  It won’t hurt AEW, since that’s in the afternoon, but does go head-to-head with WWE.  I don’t anticipate it making much of a difference but people have claimed to me that it will.  The show will air free at 8:30 p.m., so it starts 90 minutes into the Wrestlepalooza show.  (thanks to Michael Botta)

–John Cena kicked off Raw at 7 p.m. tonight from Springfield,MA.  It’s sold out with just over 7,300 fans.  The big thing is an angle with AJ  Lee, CM Punk Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch in one of the best angles of  this year, Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez, Dragon Lee vs. Grande Americano and Penta vs. Kofi Kingston.  The NFL has a double header with the Houston Texans vs. Tampa Bay Bucs at 7 p.m., head-to-head with Raw.  There is also a Chargers v.s Raiders game at 10 p.m. but Raw will be over  by that time.

–Regarding Zandokan Jr., he was injured in the Brody King & Bandido vs. Zandokan Jr. & Difunto AEW tag title match on Friday.  He did fly to Texas and beat Blue Panther Jr. on the MLW show the next night in North Richland Hills, TX but was limited.  He was replaced on Sunday’s show at Arena Mexico as Ultimo Guerrero teamed with Barboza & Difundto to  face Mistico & Titan & Atlantis Jr.  But he is booked for tomorrow in Guadalajara.

–In an update from what we’ve talked about that is interesting, on a CMLL affiliated show this coming Saturday in Saltillo, Mascara Dorada was booked in the main event.  Keep in mind that on Wednesday, Mascara Dorada faces Mortos in London, ONT with the winner joining Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita in what on paper looks like a great unified title match.  The card was changed today.  Dorada is off the card and Mistico & Neon’s third man was called a mystery partner.  Added to the show is Mortos, who in theory could not possibly be on that show if he were to win Wednesday.  Anyway, if you bet on the Dorada vs. Mortos match, the odds will have swung greatly.

–The Mascarita Sagrada on the Worlds Collide show was not the famous Mascarita Sagrada from the 90s, but a newer version.  A lot of people were talking about how amazing it was that a  60 year old guy could do what he did.  Well, because a 60 year old guy can’t do what he did.  The  Mini Abismo Negro was the same wrestler who the night before was on the ROH Dean 3 show as Demus, that was taped a week earlier.

–Mistico vs. Ultimo  Guerreo in the second round of the Opera Cup is the first match announced for MLW on 10/4 in Long Beach at the Thunder Studios Arena.

–Matt Riddle lost the MLW tite Saturday night in a three-way where Mads Krule Krugger was added at the last minute and won the title. Donovan Dijak was the third guy.   According to those in MLW, Riddle will be on the Long Beach show and is still with the company.  Some saw the title change, in the wake of Riddle’s comments over the last week after a story broke of him missing a charity show in the U.K., (he did repay the promotion for his deposit) that the title change may have been it for him there.

–The Sabu documentary debuts tonight onthe Kinema streaming service.

–The Smashing Machine  will be screened  next Monday at 7 p.m. at  selected IMAX theaters.   There is one close enough to me that I may attend, but given what I have to cover with WWE, AEW and CMLL having big shows this weekend, I may not be able to pull it off.

–ESPN will air the Wrestlepalooza preview on ESPN 2 on Friday at 2 p.m. Eastern and also on ESPN News at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday, followed by midnight, 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Saturday morning as well.

–Anthony Hernandez is out of his 10/18 UFC main event in Vancouver, BC against Reinier de Ridder and will be replaced by Brendan Allen.

–In the world freestyle wrestling world championships in Zagreb, Croatia, Trent Hiidlay won the world title at 202 pounds, Levi Haines took second at 174 and Kyle Snyder goes for the gold tomorrow at 213.

–Teddy Long turns 70 today.  Other birthdays of wrestlers who have passed away include Curtis Iaukea (1937), Man Mountain Mike (1940) and Adrian Adonis (1953).

–Gori Guerrero, the father of Eddy, made his pro wrestling debut 88 years ago today in Guadalajara.  He was 16 and used the name Joe Morgan (long before a guy would become super famous as Joe Morgan).  (thanks to Tony Richards)

–ISPW on Thursday at 7 p.m at the West Paterson Boys & Girls Club in Woodland Park, NJ and 9/19 at Wild West City in Byram Township, NJ.  They also have Rumble for the Raiders on 9/26 at Lincoln Parks’ Boro Field  in Lincoln Park, NJ with The Head Bangers and Jillian Hall.  They have a 9/27 WrestleCon from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as the Parsippany, NJ PAL, with Raven, Perry Saturn,Terri Runnels, Steve Blackman, Adam Bomb and others.

–Boca Raton Championship Wrestling on 11/2 at Mizner Park in Boca Raton announced Ricky Morton vs. Kerry Morton.

 –Sha Samuels vs. Michael Oku for the British title on the 10/5 RevPro show at Porchester Hall in London.

–Former TNA announcer Leitia Cline suffered a broken jaw, broken ribs, broken sternum and a collapsed lung in an auto accident on Friday with her boyfriend in Columbia, TN.  She said she needs her mouth wired shut.  

–Hardys defending against the Nemeths will headline Thursday’s Impact on AXS.  Also on the show is Indi Hartwell vs. Dani Luna, Mustafa Ali vs.Brian Myers and The EleganceTrio vs. Masha Slamovich & The Iinspiration.

–Wrestle Pro on Sunday at the Rahway, NJ Rec Center has Kilr Kross vs. Richard Holiday, Max Caster vs. CPA, Mike Santana vs. Jordan Oliver, Lady Frost vs. Rebecca Scott plus Megran Bayne, The Righteous, Bear Bronson and Ava Everett.

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