Daily Update: Clash of Champions, Enzo & Cass, AAW
DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
VIDEO: Prime Target NXT UK TakeOver Cardiff
Dustin Rhodes signs multi-year extension with AEW
First four wrestlers set for ROH number one contender’s tournament
Two NXT house shows postponed due to Hurricane Dorian
Countdown to AEW All Out special airing on TNT
Shazza McKenzie added to Casino Battle Royale at AEW All Out
Jon Moxley unable to appear at Starrcast III
Piper Niven vs. Rhea Ripley set for next week’s NXT UK
WWE NXT results: Tag Team titles on the line
Latest Audio:
WOL: AEW first TV on TNT, All Out, Enzo and Cass 8/29
Left My Wallet: Jonathan Snowden on Shamrock, Nash and 90s sports 8/29
WOR: All Out, big weekend, Smackdown, ratings, FIEND 8/29
F4D: Tom teams with Nick Gage, light tubes, thumbtacks, also Smackdown 8/28
We will be doing weekend polls on AEW All Out, NJPW Royal Quest and WWE NXT UK Takeover, all on Saturday, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]
There is an NXT show scheduled for tonight in Orlando. The rest of the NXT weekend shows, tomorrow in Jacksonville and Saturday in Fort Pierce, are being moved as a precaution due to Hurricane Dorian.
F4W NEWSLETTER: NXT moving to USA Network Joseph Currier looks at the implications of NXT going head-to-head with AEW. Plus, Vinny’s TV reviews and live NJPW report.
The early stages of the modern-day pro wrestling war between WWE and AEW picked up last week as NXT’s move to the USA Network was officially announced.
The move will begin on Wednesday, September 18, meaning that NXT on USA will get a two-week head start before AEW premieres on TNT on October 2. NXT will become a two-hour show and will be live on USA Network, with NXT and AEW going head-to-head and airing from 8-10 p.m. Eastern time.
After debuting on USA, the NXT episodes will be made available on demand on the WWE Network every Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern. TakeOver events will continue to stream live exclusively on WWE Network.
Full Sail University will also remain the home venue of NXT, with WWE announcing NXT TV dates at Full Sail through the remainder of the year.
“The move to USA Network provides an opportunity to deepen our relationship with NBCUniversal and further build the NXT brand,” Vince McMahon said in a press release. “Over the long term, our goal is to develop a following that can be monetized to the same level as our flagship programs, Raw and SmackDown.”
“Can’t describe this announcement in any other word than PROUD,” Paul “Triple H” Levesque tweeted. “Proud of everyone involved from day one. Proud you’ve let your voice be heard and carried the banner of this brand. Proud you’ve loudly & clearly said #WeAreNXT. And I’m proud to say, we’re just getting started.”
WWE has denied that NXT going to USA is a response to AEW, with a WWE spokesman telling Deadspin that “It isn’t called counter-programming if you continue to air a series on the same day/time as it has been on for nearly five years.” Though it may be spin, the statement has enough truth to it that WWE doesn’t look completely ridiculous. NXT (in its one-hour taped format on the WWE Network) has long been a Wednesday night show, but it’s hard to believe that WWE wouldn’t have counter-programmed AEW regardless of what night it aired on.
It’s a smart business move for WWE to give AEW competition on Wednesday nights. It’s been estimated that USA is paying WWE $30-50 million per year, though the length of the deal isn’t known. When TNA would face any competition from WWE, the ratings for Impact would decrease. AEW is going to need to put on a must-see show that has a broad coalition of viewers. They have a significant core fanbase made up of those who are already invested in The Elite, but they have to go beyond that and draw casual fans, lapsed fans, people who are dissatisfied with WWE, and others who like WWE but are willing to try out a new product. The most important thing for the future of AEW is that they build their audience and make as much money as possible on their second TV deal. Having to go against NXT is inevitably going to cannibalize some of their viewership. The only question is how big of a hit AEW is going to take.
WON NEWSLETTER: September 2, 2019 Observer Newsletter: Changes in the wrestling landscape in the coming weeks
Questions regarding NXT vs. AEW’s upcoming showdown that will determine the wrestling landscape is the lead topic of discussion in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
We raise fourteen questions regarding the Wednesday Night War, and discuss what the answers will tell us about the global pro wrestling scene, as well as when we might have those answers.
We also break down what Google searches over the last 90 days in the United States can tell us about the upcoming Wednesday Night War, as well as what oddsmakers think about who will win in the ratings.
Along those lines, we also look at the AEW ticket sales information for their fourth and fifth weeks of television, and talk about what they might indicate.
Also in the new issue, we have full coverage of the Super-J Cup, including star ratings from the San Francisco show of the tour.
The issue also features an update on the upcoming Clash of Champions show, including an updated card, and a look at how the show is doing on the secondary ticket market.
We also have a historical piece covering Harley Race’s key years on top, 1977-1981.
Dragon Gate’s Dangerous Gate show is also covered in the issue.
We also have news and notes on all of the top wrestling and MMA promotions in the world.
We have full coverage of all the WWE television shows from the past week.
As always, we have in-depth looks at the ratings of all the major shows,the key demos for the WWE shows and what can be learned from them.
We also have the results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE
– A couple of updates to the Observer notes today on Clash of Champions. Two new matches are confirmed as being on the current lineup: a Women’s Tag Team title match plus the Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan match.
– Those at WWE also say that they have no interest in Enzo & Cass coming in. The current issue talked of an idea to bring them in as a big surprise on NXT TV.
– AAW runs its two-night Jim Lynam Memorial Tournament from the Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago. Very few tickets remain for tonight and tomorrow night has been sold out for weeks. First round bouts are:
Jake Atlas vs. Jacob Fatu
MJF vs. Colt Cabana
Laredo Kid vs. Ace Austin
Trey Miguel vs. Myron Reed
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Eddie Kingston
Jake Something vs. Josh Alexander
Curt Stallion vs. Joey Lynch
Ace Romero vs,.Willie Mack
Tonight also has LAX defending the tag titles against the Besties in the World and Sami Callihan vs. Good Brother #3, and Penta 0M & Rey Fenix appear.
– Impact announced a new broadcast deal with Tap Digital Media Ventures for Impact airing weekly on Tap Edge in the Philippines starting in September. They will air the weekly shows as well as all the PPVs. New shows will air Saturday nights at 9 p.m. on SkyCable Ch. 218.
WWE
Ricochet appears Tuesday for WWE Night at Fenway Park in Boston for the Red Sox game.
WWE has pulled a 10/17 house show date in Corbin, KY from its schedule.
Austin Theory vs. Josh Briggs has been signed for the Evolve title on 9/21 in Queens,NY.
UFC
Sam Brady vs Court McGee has been added to the 10/18 show in Boston according to MMA Junkie.
Saturday’s UFC show from China starts at 3 a.m. Eastern time for prelims (midnight Friday Pacific) and 6 a.m. for the main card from Shenzhen, China. The entire show is on ESPN+.
James Krause vs. Sergio Moraes has been added to the 11/16 show in Sao Paulo, Brazil according to MMA Fighting..
Ian Heinisch vs. Brad Tavares has been added to 10/26 in Singapore according to ESPN and MMA Fighting.
Callan Potter vs. Maki Pitolo has been added to 10/5 in Melbourne according to news released today by UFC.
MISCELLANEOUS
Riptide Wrestling from Monday in Brighton, UK:
First show: Mike Bird b Cassius, Veda Scott b Gene Munny, Kurtis Chapman b Jordan Breaks, TK Cooper won three-way over Mike Bailey and Cara Noir, Cassius b Chakara, Kyle Fletcher & Chris Brookes b Charli Evans & Millie McKenzie, Chuck Mambo b Rampage Brown
Second show: Jordynne Grace b Rob Lias, Ashmore won four-way of The OJMO, Paul Robinson and Connor Mills, Session Moth Martina & Rocky Mac b Chief Deputy Dunne & Los Federals Santos Jr., Lord Gideon Grey b David Starr, Spike Trivet & Damon Moser b TK Cooper & Chuck Mambo, Cassius b Kurtis Chapman (thanks to Shannon Walsh and wrestlingwithdemons.net)
Border City Wrestling from Sunday in Tecumseh, ONT: Kurt Henrik & Mr. Atlantis b Tomer Shalom & Asmodeus, John E. Bravo b Nolan Edwards, Tyson Dux & Alexa Nicole b Kaoru & Tunku Amir, Jumai Kyng b Tyler Tirva, Ryan Wright & Rey St. John b Bret McLeod & Nathan Newton, D-Lo Brown b Bhupinder Singh,N8 Mattson & Nate Bock & Billy Ray Daniels b Matrox & Blake 182 & Lou Crack, El Reverso b Jackson Stone, Rohit Raju & Raj Singh b Aiden Prince & Brent Banks to win tag titles (thanks to Leonard Brand)
Dominic Garrini, who has a strong BJJ background, debuts for MLW on their 9/7 show in Dallas.
Saturday’s MLW Fusion TV show has Jacob Fatu vs. Tom Lawlor for the MLW title.
Simon Grimm (Simon Gotch) vs. Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella) has been added to the 9/14 Bloodsport show in Atlantic City.
Wrestlnig Epiecenter talked to Tony Schiavone.
Londonist has an article on Pro Wrestling Eve.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: WWF SummerSlam 1992 at Wembley Stadium
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