FRI UPDATE: SummerSlam, NXT, Ronda Rousey-Holly Holm set, Forbes, ROH

by WrestlingObserver.com Staff

All eyes are on WWE as they host three sold out shows this weekend, the main attraction being a four hour Summerslam on Sunday. We will have full coverage of all the events over the weekend including live results and post show audio with Dave and Bryan. ROH is also hosting a New Japan Crossover event tonight featuring Jay Leathal, Shinsuke Nakamura, Okata and others. In addition to wrestling action UFC fight night is headlined sunday with a bout between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira.

Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive will give a preview NXT takeover, UFC and SummerSlam, speak about Rondas next oppenent and your calls on Wrestling Observer Live available here or through the iHeart Radio App.  Here is today’s show:  Wrestling Observer Live 8/21: SummerSlam weekend, Ronda Rousey’s next fight, open line Fridays, more!

Tonight:

Ring of Honor Presents: Aftershock
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21ST, 2015
7:30PM BELL TIME

ROH World Championship:
Jay Lethal w/ Truth Martini vs “Mr ROH” Roderick Strong
Adam Cole vs Shinsuke Nakamura
KUSHIDA vs Matt Sydal
ROH World Tag Team Championship:
The Addiction (c) vs The Young Bucks
Kazuchika Okada & RPG Vice (Rocky Romero & Beretta) vs The Briscoes & Hirooki Goto
Dalton Castle vs Cedric Alexander w/ Veda Scott
“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin vs “The Last Real Man” Silas Youn
The Kingdom w/Maria Kanellis vs War Machine (Raymond Rowe & Hanson)
reDRagon vs The House of Truth
Adam Page w/ BJ Whitmer vs Will Ferrara vs Takaaki Watanabe vs Moose w/ Stokely Hathaway

New Japan on AXS

Description: “Hiroshi Tanahashi vs rival Katsuyori Shibata in a brutal five-star classic encounter. Togi Makabe meets Hirooki Goto.”

Feedback, polls and show report requests: 

We’re looking for ROH Philly, GFW Vegas, and sights/sounds/spottings from #SummerSlam. Email Newstips

****

The new issue of Figure Four Weekly is now up for subscribers (subscribe to the site here and get access to Figure Four, the Observer, tons of audio, and more) featuring a chat with Konnan about the state of AAA heading into TripleMania XXIII. We discuss the company’s improvements in production, advantages over WWE and differences in philosophy, how to listen to fans, and much more. Plus, as always, we have  all of the usual reviews and international news, including Dr. Lucha’s TripleMania preview.

Last week’s FREE Figure Four Weekly is still up with a look at the crazy story of why Gawker thinks the FBI may have helped Hulk Hogan cover up his racist and homophobic comments. A judge has ordered the FBI to turn over the records of their investigation, and what Gawker is saying in court about what has and hasn’t been turned over paints a very interesting picture.

Also, now available for the first time on Kindle (meaning Kindle devices and anything with the Kindle app) is Fall Guys, the seminal 1937 book that has been described as being like the 1930s version of the Wrestling Observer. It was surprisingly not on Kindle already, so we put together a nice version with a full table of contents w/ chapter marks, proper formatting on everything, etc. Right now it’s available from the American, Canadian, and Australian Amazon/Kindle stores OR you can also buy it from anywhere in the world on PayHip, who will provide you with both Kindle and ePub (every other e-reader) format files, and you can either sideload them to your device or have them email it to your Kindle.

****

WWE’s weekend in Brooklyn is the main story in this weeks Wrestling Observer Newsletter now available. This includes both Summerslam on Sunday as well as NXT Takeover on Saturday. We also have full coverage of the now finished G1 Climax and what the results mean for NJPW in the near future. In addition we look at UFC teamsters looking at options of unionization and the morale issues that spawned it. We also have a look at the AAA TripleMania PPV show, UFC ratings increases, the brawl at the WSOF show, UFC suing Wanderlei Silva and Layla retiring.

The issue is on the site right now at August 24, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Summerslam preview, G1 Tournament and finals review, Silva trial details

Web site subscriptions, which include access to both current and older newsletters as well as every audio show in the history of the site are at Sign up here for as low as $9.99 per month!

You can also order the print Observer right now and get it delivered to your door via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer

You can also order at www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected]

Rates are:

For the United States, it is $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.

The Wrestling Observer ranges weekly from 35,000 to 50,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA internationally. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sties and has the most complete look at the pro wrestling and MMA business anywhere, plus history pieces available nowhere else.

We look at the WWE events in Brooklyn with three straight full houses and look historically at the only other promotion that has been able to do it historically and the record, as well as updates on the NXT and SummerSlam shows and more details on the NXT card as well as the probable main event stipulation and ticket demand.

We have a complete look at the G-1 Climax tournament, including updates on the last few days, the standings, the Sumo Hall preview and coverage of all the shows this past week with star ratings.

We’ve got a look at the attempts to unionize UFC fighters, the real story behind the attempt, the letter sent by UFC to all of its fighters and why they probably could have written it better, and a look at UFC business.

We also look at the wealth of Vince McMahon, Rosa Mendes being pregnant, WWE injury updates, lawsuits, weird match, Tough Enough, new names, insider trading, Raw advance, Diva search news plus notes on all the weekend WWE & NXT events.

We look at TripleMania, all the problems with the show, what happened with the Spanish language broadcast, mistakes made in booking, how the card had to change from its original plans, the letter AAA sent out after, the retirements and Hall of Fame ceremony, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings.

We’ve got notes on the funeral of Roddy Piper, more on the Hulk Hogan tapes story, Hogan’s first public appearance, two Roddy Piper moves that haven’t come out, one of the biggest stars of the last ten years suffering a major health issue, a former star gets his number retired, a U.K. star returns after cancer, a retirement that probably isn’t a retirement, a Japanese promotion running in October in California, a wrestler having his first match in 20 years, the second oldest living wrestler and his background, big shows in Puerto Rico and news no two different wrestling Halls of Fame.

We also have an update on the status of Lucha Underground, what changes have to be made, the audience watching the show, what to look out for, notes on the contracts the performers have, update on Vampiro and coverage of both weeks of Ultima Lucha.

We also look at the ROH show in Brooklyn, TNA Hall of fame ceremony, and upcoming TNA house shows.

We also look at McGregor vs. Aldo, a big show vs. normal show, Las Vegas vs. Cowboys Stadium, Rousey vs. Cyborg update, Lawler vs. McGregor, UFC financials, how much it costs them every year just in interest on their bond, what kind of profits they are making, lots of ratings into, Rousey business notes, the Aldo drug testing fiasco, Overeem vs. Dos Santos, Punk vs. Pendred, fighter already talking about coming out of retirement, and lots of new UFC fights.

If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today.  With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today.

New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major stories of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we’ll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We’ve got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue.

Click here for the most requested Wrestling Observer back issues.

Friday Update: 

As noted in this WrestlingObserver.com article:  WWE SummerSlam: Steve Austin, Ric Flair & post-SS RAW  Steve Austin is leaving NYC before SummerSlam, but Ric Flair is heading into town.  It also sounds like something big will be happening on Raw this Monday.
As you have probably already heard, Ronda Rousey’s next opponent will be undefeated Holly Holm.  This comes as a bit of a surprise as most believed Meisha Tate was getting the immediate shot.  The full story: UFC: Ronda Rousey to fight Holly Holm at January’s UFC 195  Meisha’s reaction at MMAFighting.com:  Miesha Tate ‘extremely disappointed’ about news of Ronda Rousey-Holly Holm fight
Forbes has an article theorizing that SummerSlam could break its current rut:  Could This Year’s SummerSlam Finally Break WWE Out Of Its Summer Slump?
Brock Lesnar, Divas & celebrities: 5 reasons to be excited for WWE SummerSlam
The top story on Google News concerning SummerSlam this morning was a small blurb on Stephen Amell  Check it out here.  And another article.
Sports Illustrated SummerSlam Articles:
Every main event of WWE’sSummerSlam ranked 
SummerSlam predictions: Jim Ross breaks down the PPV card
Jonathan Coachman connecting WWE, ESPN worlds at SummerSlam

According to Sportcenter WWE’s John Cena will become first celebrity to grant 500 wishes in Make a wish Foundation history.
NXT Diva Emma was brought up in this New York Post article discussing Wal-mart’s trouble with theft.
Here is our Total Divas report:  WWE News: Total Divas TV report
WWF Tuesday Night Titans episode 34 review: The original ‘Rock’, Brutus Beefcake, Wendi Richter vs. Peggy Lee
UFC is also targeting Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Claudia Gadelha for UFC 195 co-main.  Though, this is not official at this time.
Nate Marquardt vs. C.B. Dollaway, and Samman-McCrory has been added to UFC on FOX 17 Dec. 19 at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. The Orlando Sentinal on the new fights.
Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov has been added to the TUF 22 Finale scheduled for Dec 11th.  It is a potential #1 contenders match for the light weight title.
Roddy Piper’s Babyface Turn in Georgia (08-28-1982)
Shooto Brazil 56 is live today on Fight Pass at 7PM ET
Watch the latest weekly WXW YouTube show featuring this site’s Alan Counihan
Priarie Wrestling Alliance Presents SUMMER HEAT Aug. 22 in Calgary at the Century Casino