Amid a busy news week for non-cage action, UFC begins another stretch of big shows tonight in Curitiba, Brazil, with UFC 198. Yeah, Anderson Silva’s off the show but there is still plenty of frosting on the cake. I feel like many media members (including myself) have gone overboard in telling people, “This show is still good!” which perhaps shows just how interested people are with Silva — even at this stage of his career.
Tonight’s show will help us figure out where Fabricio Werdum is at in his heavyweight title run, who the next contender for Chris Weidman or Luke Rockhold will be, whether a striker can beat a grappler, and just how quickly can a female striking dynamo win in the Octagon.
But hey, there is another big fight happening on free TV as Phil Davis fights King Mo with a Bellator light heavyweight title shot on the line. This is a fun, interesting, and potentially really good fight so if you want to go the cheap route, there’s options for you. Also for HBO subscribers (or those that borrow a password), the Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan boxing match from last Saturday is on their airwaves tonight.
[Josh Nason]
UFC 198 FROM THE ARENA DA BAIXADA IN CURITIBA, BRAZIL
FIGHT PASS AT 6:30 P.M. EASTERN TIME
Renato Moicano (9-0-1, 146) vs. Zubaira Tukhugov (18-3, 146)
Luan Chagas (14-1, 169) vs. Sergio Moraes (8-2, 171)
Patrick Cummins (8-3, 206) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (21-7, 205)
FS 1 AT 8 P.M. EASTERN
Rob Font (13-1, 135) vs. John Lineker (26-7, 135)
Yancy Medeiros (12-3, 156) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (19-4, 156)
Nate Marquardt (34-15-2, 186) vs. Thiago Santos (12-3, 185)
Matt Brown (20-13, 171) vs. Demian Maia (22-6, 171)
PPV AT 10 P.M. EASTERN
Warlley Alves (10-0, 170) vs. Bryan Barbarena (11-3, 170)
Corey Anderson (8-1, 204) vs. Mauricio Shogun Rua (23-10, 205)
Cris Cyborg Justino (15-1, 139) vs. Leslie Smith (8-6-1, 139)
Vitor Belfort (25-11) vs. Renato Jacare Souza (22-4, 186)
Fabricio Werdum (20-5-1, 240) vs. Stipe Miocic (14-2, 241)
BELLATOR LIVE ON SPIKE TV AT 8 P.M. (ONE HOUR EARLIER THAN USUAL) FROM THE SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE
Saad Awad vs Evangelista Cyborg Santos
Andre Fialho vs. Rick Reger
Adam Piccolotti vs. Ray Wood
Phil Davis vs. King Mo Lawal
Sunday has WWE house shows in Columbia, SC (Roman Reigns, Sheamus, Chris Jericho, Miz, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Cesaro, Dolph Ziggler, Usos, Cass, Charlotte, Natalya) and Charlottesville, VA (Dean Ambrose, Rusev, Big Show, Kane, Erick Rowan, Braun Strowman, New Day, Paige, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Kalisto. We’re looking for reports on those shows as well.
Raw will be Monday in Greensboro. The only thing announced for Raw is that The Shining Stars will debut as a tag team.
Smackdown will be Tuesday night in Greenville, SC.
THE ROUND UP
UFC 198 Curitiba live results: Fabricio Werdum vs. Stipe Miocic
UFC 198: Werdum vs Miocic weigh-in results and live video
UFC 198 Observer Panel Picks: Werdum vs Miocic; Souza vs Belfort
UFC 198 DFS Playbook: value picks, who to avoid
Tetsuya Naito may be off tonight’s ROH show with a high fever
If you’ve ever wanted to WATCH our radio shows here on the site, check out our new Youtube page! No full video shows, but lots of video clips, full free audio shows that you can tell your friends about, and much more to come! Make sure you subscribe today!
Figure Four Weekly 5/9/2016: Hogan and Gawker fight over verdict – Hulk Hogan is suing Gawker a second time, this time for leaking the contents of sealed documents to the tabloids. Now we have the verdict. Find out all the details in this weeks issue of Figure Four Weekly.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
READ IT HERE: May 16, 2016 Wrestling Observer newsletter: Potential UFC sale, WWE releases, plus tons of news
Our lead story updates the talks of a UFC sale, plus an updated look at how the WWE is doing as a business, a look at WWE cuts, the booking behind the ROH Global Wars PPV and how New Japan and ROH are working together even more closely than on the surface, Global Wars coverage, a look at the status of a lot of ROH talent, coverage of the UFC debut in Holland, the hidden story of just how much of the male audience has been lost by WWE, as well as what WWE can learn from the NBA, and historical bios on Billy Wicks and Kato Kung Lee.
There is also a look at the ESPN story on the potential sale of the UFC, what we know is legit, numbers being thrown around, who actually owns UFC, Dana White’s reaction to the story, moves UFC has made, Dana White’s long-term future if there is a sale, timing of the sale and sustaining the brand popularity. Plus there’s also a look at the various companies listed that are in talks of buying.
An update on WWE financials is in this issue, plus a look at the WWE Network numbers, what last year’s patterns tell us about the numbers, the company’s profits and losses, how well every division does for WWE and what is the most important for the bottom line, how well the company is doing financially compared to last year, what is projected by WWE this year for the WrestleMania quarter, update on injured wrestlers and their returns, Vince McMahon talks WWE injuries, and how much cash on hand the company has right now.
There is also a look at how WWE is going to be changing how it reports information and what information they are going to be keeping secret as compared to the past. Also, there is a look at the dichotomy between social media numbers and WWE network subscribers and what it says.
CLICK HERE FOR A FULL PREVIEW
Current subscribers click here to continue reading.
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All the news from the ESPN coverage of the drug deaths in professional wrestling, and more will be in the latest back issue. Check out the latest online Wrestling Observer BACK ISSUE: March 29, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: ESPN program on drug deaths in the pro wrestling industry, ECW Living Dangerously review, more. There is also a full break down of ECW’s Living Dangerously PPV, plus tons of news and notes.
SATURDAY NEWS
Tonight’s ROH/NJPW War of the Worlds show at Terminal 5 in NYC has been changed around a bit due to injuries and ailments. As of press time, we’re still unsure if Naito will compete due to a high fever.
Here’s your updated card:
Bullet Club (Adam Cole & Matt Jackson) vs “Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs ROH World Champion Jay Lethal & Roderick Strong
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito vs ACH (Naito is apparently OK and will wrestle) – non-title
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Reborn Matt Sydal
ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS The Addiction vs War Machine
Cedric Alexander vs Donovan Dijak w/ Prince Nana
Jushin “Thunder” Liger & the Briscoes vs Guerrillas of Destiny & “Hangman” Adam Page
CHOAS (Beretta & Gedo) w/ Rocky Romero vs Motor City Machine Guns
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA vs “Pro Wrestling’s Last Real Man” Silas Young – non-title
Michael Elgin vs Moose w/ Stokely Hathaway vs Dalton Castle w/ the Boys vs Lio Rush
reDRagon vs All Night Express
Tetsuya Naito vs. ACH is on for tonight. Earlier it looked like it would not be, since Naito was suffering from an elbow injury and a fever. However, he is supposedly ok to work tonight.
It will be the final promotional appearance for the 26-year-old Cedric Alexander who finishes up tonight. He is going to work the upcoming WWE Cruiserweight Classic tourney.
Top title contender and WWE star A.J. Styles is out this weekend with an ankle injury, not a back injury, but is scheduled for Raw on Monday.
The Jimmy Snuka case continues to get weirder and more sad at the same time. Here’s a FOX Sports wrap from Friday’s proceedings where a psychologist said Snuka’s brain is “beyond repair” due to wrestling, alcohol, and drug use. The doctor, Frank M. Dattilio, even used the infamous coconut to the head incident during Piper’s Pit as a contributor.
WWE & Pro Wrestling
Great North Wrestling did an hour long shoot interview with Jim Duggan you can watch here.
Our Gary Mehaffy will have an interview with the former Hornswoggle on our YouTube page this week.
Demolition discuss working with the Road Warriors and The Ultimate Warrior in WWE.
If you haven’t been keeping up with the scalding hot British wrestling scene, our Alan Boon has you covered week after week. Here’s his latest.
The Taskmaster himself Kevin Sullivan was on the Two Man Power Trip podcast this week.
At press time Lillian Garcia is still with WWE, despite rumours to contrary.
The Mirror in the UK has a story about Chyna’s last days
PWTorch reported Friday that TNA is once again behind on payments to TV production crew going as far back as January.
UFC & MMA
Bellator announced that they’ve released lightweight champion Will Brooks and stripped he and heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov of their respective titles. Brooks is free to negotiate with any company, according to Scott Coker. Minakov has already been fighting with the Russian based Fight Nights promotion, which airs on UFC Fight Pass.
Bellator also announced the establishment of the Jordan Parsons Memorial Scholarship fund in honor of their former fighter who passed away last week after a hit and run accident.
Here’s our staff picks for UFC 198 and our DraftKings picks. As always, gamble responsibly.
Here’s Donald Cerrone’s interview from Friday’s Inside MMA.
BRACE MMA ran earlier today on UFC Fight Pass. Michael Tobin moved to 11-0 with a first round armbar submission in the Main Event over Edwin Arana
BAMMA, the top European regional MMA promotion, has a big show today that should be underway right around the time you read this with the main card scheduled to start at 4 pm eastern. Shay Walsh defends the bantamweight title against featherweight champion Tom Duquesnoy in a champion vs champion main event. Former UFC and Bellator fighter Martin Stapleton defends his lightweight title against Damien Lapilus. Two former Bellator fighters, Mark Godbeer and Stuart Austin, square off for the heavyweight title and unbeaten prospects Mark Diakese and Kane Mousah fight for the Lonsdale lightweight title. Another former UFC fighter, popular Colin Fletcher, also fights on the main card. The event stream live for free on Sherdog.com
Events & Miscellaneous
This week’s 6:05 Superpodcast with Brian Last and David Bixenspan includes part two of their chat with John Arezzi discussing his reporting of the WWF sex and steroid scandals on the early 1990’s, being on the panel of the notorious wrestling episode of Donahue, bringing Vince Russo into the wrestling business and forming a short lived partnership with him, promoting international tours under the IWAS banner and more. Plus: Brian and Bix review the documentary “Lovestruck,” have an extended discussion about wrestling families, and much more!
River City Wrestling runs on 6/3 in Selma/San Antonio, TX, with Warlord, Barbarian, Hernandez, Lance Hoyt and more. They didn’t list Ed in San Antonio on the card, meaning negotiations are still ongoing.
Leva “Blue Pants” Bates, still out with an ankle break, has her pro wrestling shirts for sale here, if you’d like to help support her.
If you are interested in attending the 10th annual Wrestling Observer / F4W convention in Las Vegas, EdinSanAntonio has all the information up on Facebook, or email him at F4Wfan@hotmail.com.
Today in professional wrestling history: ECW Hardcore Heaven; WWF In Your House; Kingston wins WWE IC Title
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