UFC Fight Night Tampa: Decimated
I was in attendance last night in Tampa for the UFC Fight Night card originally slated to be headlined by Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Numagomedov. The original card for this show was STACKED! What we got last night was definitely unstacked. UFC Fight Night Tampa was a rather lackluster UFC show to say the least. The main event lasted 1:48 and had about zero interest level given it was not the original main event, or even the original match as Rashad was first slated to take on Shogun Rua in a three round tilt, but Shogun pulled out with an injury.
The original main event fell apart a few weeks ago when Tony Ferguson had to back out due to injury. That meant Khabib Numagomedov had no match, so he was tossed a tomato can as a make good. Then, after all of that, in the final days leading up to the show, Lyoto Machida admits to cheating on a form because he felt guilty about taking a supplement that he probably got from Thailand based on the medical advice of his good buddy Anderson Silva. Machida admits to taking a DHEA supplement so that means no fight for Hendo either. Sure, Hendo probably shouldn’t be fighting anymore, and Machida is a terrible styles match up for him, and has already beaten him, so Machida cheating probably saved him some brain trauma, but selfishly, I wanted to see Hendo fight! If all that wasn’t bad enough, Islam Makhachev fails a urine test for PED’s AFTER missing weight on his first attempt, so Drew Dober is out a match. I know, that last one isn’t a big deal to most, but I enjoy seeing Dober fight.
UFC will continue to be bitten by the injury / PED bug as long as they continue to promote 45 plus fight shows a year. UFC is spread way too thin. The fights that actually happened last night were pretty good. We saw a decent amout of finishes including an exciting KO in the main event, but it just wasn’t what it promised to be a few months ago. I give it a six.
50,000 dollar performance bonuses:
Fight of the Night: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Omari Akhmedov via 3rd round TKO
Performance of the Night: Glover Teixeira and Michael Chiesa
[Dan Velten]
We’re looking for your thoughts on last night’s UFC on FOX show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]”>[email protected]
We’re looking for reports on today’s WWE show in Leeds, England and last night’s NXT show in Fort Pierce, FL.
Monday will be Raw from the O2 Arena in London. Raw will be on a several hour tape delay this week so we will have results up on the site before the show.
Tuesday is Smackdown from the O2 Arena in London which features Undertaker. There will be a half crew for Smackdown because there is also a house show in Manchester, England with Roman Reigns, Sheamus, Rusev, Kane, Dudleys, New Day, Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks, so they will all most likely not be on Smackdown.
Wednesday has WWE house shows in Newcastle, England, with Undertaker as the headliner, and Belfast, Northern Ireland.
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THE ROUNDUP
UFC on FOX overnight ratings as good as could be expected
Bellator 152 Patricky Pitbull vs Kevin Souza results
Undertaker now not appearing on Europe WWE Tour
UFC On FOX 19 Tampa live results: Glover Teixeira vs. Rashad Evans
UFC on FOX 19 Observer Panel Picks: Teixeira vs Evans
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Figure Four Weekly 4/11/2016: Rene Dupree files lawsuit against WWE for Network royalties, then dismisses lawsuit – All the inside information you would ever want to know about how NOT to sue WWE.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
READ IT HERE: April 11, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: A look at a historic Wrestlemania weekend, NXT Takeover
During the 70s and 80s, Blackjack Mulligan was one of the legendary characters in pro wrestling, a man whose life and career had major ups and just as legendary downs.
Robert Deroy Windham played the character and later became the patriarch of one of the most significant modern wrestling families. He went from being a John Wayne-like figure as one of the most memorable characters in the heyday of Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, to a wrestler known for no-shows and walking out on promotions, and later spent two years in prison for counterfeiting.
He returned to wrestling after being in prison, but he was a guy who was quick to throw down, and quick to leave when he was unhappy. The business was changing where there weren’t the options to go somewhere and always have a job like in his heyday.
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If you wanted to know just how big Giant Baba was to people who grew up in the 60s and 70s, the latest back issue will explain.
Check out the latest Online Wrestling Observer BACK ISSUE: February 15, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Reaction to the death of Giant Baba, 2 wrestlers have heart scares, plus tons more A look at the surprising public reaction to the death of Giant Baba, 2 wrestlers have heart attack scares, plus tons of news and notes.
SUNDAY NEWS UPDATE
The weekend audio show is up on the site right now covering last night’s UFC, WWE, the TNA situation and a lot more.
ROH announced Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Tomohiro Ishii, Kushida and Jushin Liger for its four May shows with New Japan
The only thing from wrestling or combat sports this weekend to make the Google search list was UFC was No. 6 yesterday with 100,000 searches, which is a solid number for a TV show. For a comparison, Stephen Curry had 200,000 searches and was in second place. Ahead of UFC were NBA, Curry, topics related to the earthquake in Ecuador and Anita Hill.
Things at TNA are coming to the 11th hour regarding a deal. Obviously Dixie Carter is attempting to make a deal that will allow her to maintain a majority ownership but one way or the other much of the company will be sold. There is one group that is the favorite to end up with the company but there is one more long shot play that is apparently still alive. The favorite group does have two people with wrestling experience with TNA among its key people. With TV starting Thursday, there is a feeling in the office that whatever goes down will be happening soon and that there will be changes made.
Today is International Roddy Piper day as it would have been Piper’s 62nd birthday.
WWE & Pro Wrestling
NXT will be doing tapings at Full Sail University on both 5/19 and 6/9.
Renee Young on Twitter noted that due to visa issues she wasn’t going on the tour so she won’t be at Raw tomorow.
A story on NXT can be read here.
The New Japan TV show on Friday night which was taped last July was easily the best show of the week with the Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Hirooki Goto match being even better than I remembered it.
Another good TV show is the Lucha Libre Elite show that airs on Friday nights, a tape of the top three matches from the Wednesday night show. This was the latest episode featuring a 280 pound L.A. Park against Cibernetico.
UFC & Mixed Martial Arts
Dana White announced that the UFC would be making its debut in Sioux Falls, SD on 7/13 for an FS 1 show.
In predictions from last night, Josh Nason went 5-0, while myself, Steve Juon, Ryan Frederick, John Pollock, Front Row Brian and Paul Fontaine went 4-1 and Mike Sempervive, Mike Sawyer and David Bixenspan went 3-2.
The prelims from last night’s show didn’t air in South Florida as WSVN decided to air the local news instead. That isn’t the first time the station hasn’t aired part of a UFC on FOX presentation. They’ve aired Countdown shows in late night time slots instead of the afternoon, and have cut away from shows as soon as the main event finish is over, not waiting for the post-fight interviews.
Here is a story in the Independent on the death of Joao Carvalho.
Phil Mushnick on the death of Carvalho can be read here.
MISCELLANEOUS
Gina Carano turned 34 yesterday.
Some results from Friday’s House of Hardcore show in Queens, NY: Tommy Dreamer and the locker room opened paying tribute to Balls Mahoney. Thea Trinidad b Deonna Purrazzo, Little Guido b ? with an armbar, six man tag match with Team Tremendous, Pepper Parks b Colt Cabana using a loaded elbow pad, Tony Nese won a three-way over Brian Cage and Brian Myers, Billy Gunn b Sami Callihan, Bull Dempsey b Eddie Kingston, Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. b Rhino & Tommy Dreamer when they pinned Dreamer with the killer bomb through two chairs, Rob Van Dam b Chris Hero with a frog splash. (thanks to Denis Gorman)
Cage appeared also last night for House of Hardcore, so he wasn’t at last night’s Lucha Underground tapings.
Smash Wrestling’s Gold 2K 16 tournament will be on 5/29 in Toronto at the Franklin Horner Community Center with Eric Young vs. Johnny Gargano as the main event for the Smash title. Five entrants in the tournament announced so far are Tyson Dux, Tarik, Sushi from All Japan, Mike Rollins and Kevin Bennett.
TNA has a new set of TV tapings in Orlando that start on Thursday.
Alpha one Wrestling on 5/15 at 4 p.m. in Hamilton, ONT at the Knights of Columbus with Josh Alexander vs. Heidi Lovelace and Carlito vs. Ethan Page.
Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling from last night in East Carondelet, IL before 280 fans: Attila Khan b Bobby D, Ron Powers b Big Jim Hoffarth, Ax Allwardt b Dave Vaughn, Jason Vaughn & Daniel Gunner b Britton Tucker & Waco, One-night tournament for the SICW title and Terry Funk tournament: Ken Kasa DCOR Chris Hargas, Kahagas b Sean Vincent, Ron Powers b Ax Allwardt, Curtis Wylde b Gary Jackson-DQ, Ron Powers b Kahagas to win the vacant SICW title. Flash Flanagan was the champion but he vacated the title as he needs surgery on both shoulders due to torn rotator cuffs. Terry Funk and Bob Orton were involved in a post-match brawl with Flanagan helping Powers against Travis Cook, Khan, Kahagas and Hargas (thanks to Larry Matysik and Patrick Brandmeyer)
Shine Wrestling results from Friday night in Ybor City, FL: Maria Maria b Stormie Lee, Amanda Carolina Rodriguez won three-way over Kennadi Brink and Amy Love, Tessa Blanchard b Rachel Ellering (this was set up by Blanchard talking about her father sold out arenas while Rachel’s father stood outside the ring with his hands crossed), Santana Garrett & Kimber Lee & Luscious Latasha b Marti Belle & Jayme Jameson & Andrea, Malia Hosaka b Thunderkitty, Jessicka Havok b Taylor Made via DQ so Taylor Made retained her Shine title doing a Dusty finish. Andrea hit Havok with a belt shot, Allisyn Kay b Su Yung in a Singapore cane match (thanks to Craig Russell)
Southern Championship Wrestling from Friday night in Altamonte Springs, FL: Malia Hosaka b Luscious Latasha, Rhett Giddins b Lince Dorado-COR, Towns Ellis b Derick Jordan, Chasyn Rance b Chico Adams, Braydon Knight b Josh Parker, Towns Ellis b Rhett Giddins, Braydon Knight b Chasyn Rance, Towns Ellis b Braydon Knight (thanks to Chasyn Rance)
Supreme Pro Wrestling at the SPW Arena in Sacramento tonight for its 16th Anniversary show with JR Kratos vs. Brian Tannen plus Adam Thornstowe vs. Jeff Cobb.
WLW from last night in Troy, MO: Jayden Fenix b Mike Outlaw, Math Magician b Superstar Steve Fender-DQ, Jon Webb b Kyle Roberts, Stacey O’Brien b Miss Monica Passeri, Trevor Murdoch & Superstar Steve Fender b Leland Race & Math Magician (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)
Lucha Xtreme TV from last night in Fresno: Prince Najar b Skitzo-DQ, Homicide d Brian Cage (taped last year), Chris Nar b Bigg Dogg-DQ. Next taping is 4/23 in Coalinga, CA at West Hills College with Manny Fernandez, Homicide and the Texas Hitmen.
Future Stars of Wrestling from Friday night in Las Vegas: Kevin Kross b Timothy Thatcher, Funny Bone DDQ Owen Travers, Eli Drake b Hammerstone, Willie Mack b Bryce Harrison, Kikyo b Katy Sparrow, Graves b Markus Burke, Mike Dalite b Greg Romero, Bonus Boys won three-way over Players Club and Suburban Commandos, Nick Bugatti b Hyperstreak (Thanks to Mike Trask)
I Believe in Wrestling from last night in Orlando: Jonny Vandal b Chico Adams, JD Amazing b Rey Xion, Josh Parker b Tyranus, Brandon Scherer b CT Brown, Rachel Ellering b Queen Raquel (TNA), Josh Hess & Mike Reed b Lince Dorado & Gabriel Black, Rhett Giddins b Braydon Knight. Next show is 5/7 at Giraffas Brazilian Grill with Raquel vs. Ellering
Here is a documentary on an independent wrestler.
Today in professional wrestling history: Sting wins WCW International Title; Chris Jericho wins WWF Title
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