THE ROUND-UP
The Latest from the F4W Staff
NEWS
Judge dismisses murder charges against Jimmy Snuka
NJPW Fan Festival results: Tomoyuki Oka debuts; Jushin Liger & Tiger Mask IV team up
Details on Alberto Del Rio’s arrest & brawl with his brother in Austria
WWE Raw video highlights: Goldberg appears on The Kevin Owens Show
Charlotte Flair to defend her title against Bayley at the Royal Rumble
WWE Raw live results: Goldberg returns on the first episode of 2017
WWE debuting new Network show after tonight’s Raw
WWE bringing WrestleMania back to New Orleans in 2018
AUDIO
WOR: Raw report, Goldberg, Royal Rumble, Del Rio fights, mailbag, more! 1/3
WOL: WrestleMania 2017 and 2018, Royal Rumble, Raw and Smackdown, more! 1/2
WOR: WrestleMania 2018, Raw, Tokyo Dome, Ronda Rousey, more! 1/2
B&V: Granny reviews NXT Japan, NWA World Championship Wrestling from January 1987! 1/1
Smackdown and 205 Live are tonight from Jacksonville.
NEW JAPAN WRESTLE KINGDOM 11 FROM THE TOKYO DOME ON NEW JAPAN WORLD IN ENGLISH AND JAPANESE STARTING AT 2:30 A.M. LATE TUESDAY NIGHT EASTERN TIME
New Japan 20 man Royal Rumble rules match
Tiger Mask W (Kota Ibushi) vs. Tiger the Dark (ACH)
Young Bucks vs. Rocky Romero & Trent Baretta for IWGP Jr. tag titles
Gauntlet series for trios titles with Satoshi Kojima & Ricochet & David Finlay (champions), Seiya Sanada & Evil & Bushi, Yoshi-Hashi & Will Ospreay & Jado and Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi & Hangman Page
Cody the American Nightmare vs. Juice Robinson
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole for ROH title
Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa vs. Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma for IWGP tag team titles
Kushida vs. Hiromu Takahashi for IWGP jr. tag title
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Hirooki Goto for Never Open weight title
Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for IC title
Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega for IWGP title
FIGURE FOUR WEEKLY: Figure Four Weekly 12/26/2016: Is WWE violent enough?
A couple years ago, I was working on an article for Fighting Spirit Magazine about how lopsided WWE was in terms of having too many babyfaces and not enough heels, as well as the company’s heel/face divide in general. One of the people I interviewed for the article was Kevin Sullivan, who spoke at length about how he felt that WWE heels were inherently limited because they couldn’t “commit a violent act” due to WWE’s “PG” content restrictions… Subscribers click here to continue.
WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: January 2, 2017 UFC 207 preview, Wrestlemania’s rumored matches, more
A look at Ronda Rousey going into what will be the fight that determines a lot of her legacy is the lead story of the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Find out why this fight will be looked back on as a key to her career, why it could be her last fight, and the psychological issues going into this fight. There is also a look at other aspects of the show including Cain Velasquez not fighting, and the last show for two of the longest-tenured UFC employees, booker Joe Silva and announcer Mike Goldberg. Plus, look at the ramifications of the show.
This issue also has an update on WrestleMania 33, with the three matches confirmed for the show and several others likely, plus the latest on the Undertaker situation and the different ideas Vince McMahon has been talking about, and also look at where other top stars are fitting in.
Preview the Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada match and the Tokyo Dome build, and find out what to look for from a business standpoint as well as a history standpoint. Also, have a look at the rest of the show and what to expect and a look back at some history of January 4th at the Tokyo Dome.
Mick Foley’s hip surgery situation and why he’s not having it just yet, notes on the 2017 Money in the Bank show, a look at the past 11 years with what WWE stars headlined most often and what WWE matches drew the best with a lot of surprises, inside this issue. Also, look at exactly who owns WWE right now. Find out what WrestleMania main event poll that was taken down, and also look at the situation in the U.K. Examine the NXT TV specials, Hulk Hogan, a college class on a former WWE champion, WWE and Matt Riddle, how a WWE Network special was edited, as well as stock notes, and the most watched shows of the past week on the WWE Network… Subscribers click here to continue.
ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer, or by using PayPal directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to [email protected]. For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52. If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.)
If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can choose one free classic issue, or two free classic issues with a 40-issue subscription.
WON BACK ISSUE: December 12, 1999: WWF slightly tones down product, Vince Russo on WOL, more – After a week of bad publicity which sent sponsors running and sent its stock plummeting, the kinder, gentler WWF came back with a toned down Smackdown and a slightly toned down, although you’d have to examine to closely to notice, Raw show… Subscribers click here to continue.
TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
Braun Strowman, Chris Jericho, and all three members of The New Day were announced on Raw as entrants in the Royal Rumble match. They join Goldberg and Brock Lesnar (who were previously announced as the first two entrants) in the Rumble.
John Cena will be back on SmackDown this week for a contract signing for his Royal Rumble match with AJ Styles. The Miz vs. Dean Ambrose for the Intercontinental title and Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin are also scheduled for the show.
Tonight’s episode of 205 Live features Neville vs. TJ Perkins, as well as the return of Tajiri to WWE TV.
Finn Balor spoke to ESPN about the upcoming UK Championship tournament and how being in NJPW can help Will Ospreay become a better performer.
WWE uploaded a clip from last night’s debut episode of Bring it to the Table with JBL and Paul Heyman defending three-hour episodes of Raw.
Nikki Bella impersonates Carmella in the latest video on the Bella Twins’ YouTube channel.
PRO WRESTLING
Kenny Omega spoke to Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso ahead of his IWGP Heavyweight Championship main event against Kazuchika Okada at the Tokyo Dome.
Broken Matt Hardy tweeted a message to Omega ahead of the show: “@KennyOmegamanX understands the threat of MeekMahan’s monopoly to the industry, he sees the LIGHT that exists outside. Win your war. #WK11”
As has been the case lately, there will be no intermission for this year’s Dome show.
Kurt Angle will face Cody Rhodes in a steel cage match for Northeast Wrestling on March 3rd in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Stardom’s Rossy Ogawa posted a picture with ROH’s Delirious backstage at the promotion’s show today.
MMA
Former WWE and ESPN personality Todd Grisham will be joining the UFC broadcast team later this month.
Fox Sports named Michael Bisping their 2016 Fighter of the Year.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne wrote an article that looks at Ronda Rousey’s UFC 207 loss and what’s next for her future.
Tony Ferguson said that there’s something wrong if Khabib Nurmagomedov is willing to pay what Ferguson wants to fight him and the UFC won’t after Nurmagomedov offered on Twitter to pay Ferguson $200k extra to make the fight happen.
Dominick Cruz thanked his fans, friends, family, and the media for their love and support in an Instagram post after his UFC 207 loss. Cruz also congratulated Cody Garbrandt on a good fight and said that he isn’t going away.
The UFC released the first episode of the second season of Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight on YouTube.
Bellator has full audio of today’s media conference call featuring Chael Sonnen and Tito Ortiz.
Today in Professional Wrestling History (1/3): Triple H defeats Big Show for the WWF title
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