by David Bixenspan | [email protected] | Follow @davidbix
TV/show notes:
WWE has NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable live on WWE Network at 8:00 p.m. ET with:
* Kevin Owens (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the NXT Championship
* Sasha Banks (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the NXT Women’s Championship
* Blake and Murphy (c) vs. Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady for NXT Tag Team Championship
* Finn Bálor vs. Tyler Breeze vs. Not Hideo Itami (Itami’s out for months, but he will be “represented” per yesterday’s conference call) to determine the number one contender to the NXT Championship
* Baron Corbin vs. Rhyno
* Bayley and Charlotte vs. Dana Brooke and Emma
Lucha Underground on El Rey at 8:00 p.m. ET. Official preview from El Rey: The Trios Titles are not done yet – tonight they will be defended in a match that is bound to be colossal. The winner who comes out on top will win the titles for their team. Meanwhile, Johnny Mundo has some explaining to do when Vampiro confronts him about his actions.”Shoots and Ladders” premieres on Wednesday, May 20th at 8:00PM ET/PT on El Rey Network.
On Fox Sports 1, there’s a new UFC Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET, last week’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter at 9:00 p.m. ET, and a new episode of The Ultimate Fighter titled “Battle Wounds” at 10:00 p.m. ET. Official description: One fighter has trouble coping with the devastation of his most recent loss and begins to let it affect him, while two fighters who have a history inside the octagon are looking forward to a rematch to unleash the bad blood between them. Remember to add at least 20 minutes of DVR padding if you want to catch the “TUF Talk” segment that opens Fox Sports Live immediately following the show.
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The newest issue of Figure Four Weekly is up on the site for subscribers (subscribe here) and being the first week of May, features an extensive article demystifying what Sweeps mean for ratings and how it affects the wrestling business in 2015:
— What do Sweeps periods actually measure?
— Do Sweeps matter for cable at all?
— What wrestling companies are they relevant to these days?
— What was their past significance?
— And more.
Plus, as always, we have all of the usual reviews and international news.
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.
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The story behind the Elimination Chamber as a network special, why and how it came about, as well as a look at the next two WWE major shows, Payback and Elimination Chamber and NXT Takeover, is the lead story in this week’s Observer. We also have a look at the injury situation with Daniel Bryan, Sami Zayn and Hideo Itami. We also look at the Mayweather-Pacquiao business, New Japan & ROH working together for big shows, a detailed story on Global Force Wrestling including talent and television outlets and the TV scene, a lawsuit that has nothing to do with WWE & UFC, but where the result will be very important to both, Tough Enough, has NOAH turned the corner, as well as the monthly business rundowns for WWE & TNA.
The latest Wrestling Observer: May 18, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Last minute Elimination Chamber special, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao destroys PPV records
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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.
The lead story looks at the addition of the Elimination Chamber show, why this is being done, plans for the future and how this relates to it, the Elimination Chamber card as well as notes on the Chamber matches. We also look at Daniel Bryan and the poor job of pushing his appearance and how they are pushing the Payback main event.
We also look at the Mayweather-Pacquiao business, and how it breaks down, live event business, Vegas closed circuit, bar business, how much Mayweather and Pacquiao figure to earn, Mayweather talks rematch, why the fight was so big, and the state of PPV in 2015.
We also look at a big question as to how this relates to UFC going forward.
We look at the historical implications of Ronda Rousey on the Sports Illustrated cover.
We also have a rundown of ROH and New Japan working together in Philadelphia.
We’ve got a major piece on Global Force Wrestling. We look at the talent list, notes on the schedule for different talent, notes on the taping schedule, different TV stations they are talking with, Spike talks about getting into wrestling, the business ideas behind all this, as well as thoughts on the talent and both who is surprisingly not listed.
We also look at the new season of Tough Enough including the nature of the contract to the winner, Steve Austin talks WrestleMania 32, the Owen Hart DVD controversy, new movie projects with Dwayne Johnson and Dave Bautista, a night Raw is going to have to be special show next year, WWE injury notes, Fourth generation wrestler gets a WWE tryout, WWE angle news, When they had ideas for Justin Bieber at SummerSlam, Jerry Lawler day, Sheamus talks his career, WWE raising ticket prices for premium seats, WWE tryout notes, most popular shows on WWE Network, WWE Japan tour notes, why Jericho vs. Balor was put on the Japan show, Lesnar story involving the brother of a famous actor and notes and business of all the arena events from the past week.
We look at last week’s UFC show in Australia, the heavyweight title picture, the Mark Hunt stoppage and match-by-match coverage.
We also look at the latest Pro Wrestling NOAH major show, which included appearances by Kenta Kobashi and Yuji Nagata, as well as NOAH’s Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial tour coming up next month.
We also have a business rundown for WWE & TNA and where things stand in the different categories.
The Observer is the world’s most detailed weekly pro wrestling publication, in its 32nd year of publication, and is read by the biggest names in the pro wrestling, industry, MMA industry, sports world and on Wall Street.
We also have our regular features such as the most complete look at ratings, plus results of the major house show events each week in pro wrestling and MMA, and complete inside rundowns of all the TV shows.
Also in this week’s issue:
–Wrestler fired once from major promotion, doesn’t last long on his return
–The Santo Memorial tournament for 2015
–Notes on the format of the AAA World Cup tournament
–Who is now heading two promotions at the same time and why the move was made
–Update on Dragon Gate’s King of Gate tournament
–Minoru Suzuki promoting a show
–New Japan lineups for all the big shows in June as well as the Dominion PPV in July
–Notes on this year’s Best of the Super Junior tournament
–Hall of Famer and health issues noted
–Shinya Hashimoto Memorial show
–Fujinami vs. Funaki Battle of Hall of Famers for the first time
–Notes from the AGON promotions and main event pay
–Notes on a promotion which claimed a TV deal and it falling apart
–Details on all TNA television through mid-June, with matches, angles and destinations
–A look at TNA’s Slammiversary show
–Notes on TNA’s prospects on PPV
–Update on Jeff Hardy
–Notes on the best of five series between the Wolves vs. Aries & Roode
–Update on TNA money issues
–Update on TNA creative team
–A look at those who returned to TV this past week and who is long and short-term
–Who turned down an offer to come in
–TNA announcing situation
–Notes on TNA’s relationship with AAA
–What happened with TNA and Wrestle-1
–Can TNA talent work for GFW
–Best stuff at the TNA tapings
–Updates on UFC PPV numbers
–Managers meeting and why
–Dana White’s reaction regarding complaints about the Reebok deal
–An interesting legal question stemming from the deal
–UFC schedule notes
–Anthony Pettis injury notes
–Josh Barnett vs. Ryron Gracie
–Metamoris news
–Fight Pass promotion
–New Fight Pass deals made
–Rousey talks coaching vs. Cyborg
–Lots of new UFC fights
–Active UFC fighter sort of does a pro wrestling match
–Huge Bellator signing of Olympian
–This week’s Bellator show
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.
Our most requested issues in our history are:
*November 17, 1997 (full details of everything leading to the most famous wrestling match finish of modern times at the Survivor Series plus a history of in-ring double-crosses)
*December 21, 1998 (the complete Vince McMahon-Bret Hart conversation right before the Survivor Series match so you’ll know exactly what was said–the conversation played in edited form both on the inaugural broadcast of Confidential as well as in Wrestling with Shadows, but everything that was said between the two about the match that was going to take place that same night)
*August 1, 1994 (the most detailed coverage anywhere of the Vince McMahon steroid trial, an issue praised in numerous newspaper article and Sex, Lies and Headlocks)
*March 26, 2001 (death of WCW and history of pro wrestling on the Turner networks)a
*October 22, 2001 (why the adult audience has left pro wrestling in such great numbers and what needed to have been done to save them)
*July 8, 1991 (Ric Flair leaves WCW as world champion/Zahorian steroid trial)
*February 8, 1993 (the life and times of Andre the Giant)
*May 13, 2002 (the life story of the most incredible pro wrestling career ever, a look at Lou Thesz, in one of the largest issues of our history)
*January 27, 2003 (part one of the two-part series covering the career and life of The Sheik)
*February 3, 2003 (Part two on The Sheik including thoughts from people who worked with him and where he stands historically)
*March 24, 2003 (history of the WWWF title, inside behind the Sammartino, Backlund and Backlund era)
*April 21, 2003 (history of WWF continues with the expansion nationally, the death of the regional territories and the rise of Hulk Hogan)
*May 12, 2003 (The life and death of Elizabeth and the rise of fall of Lex Luger)
*June 9, 2003 (Part 1 of history of WWF vs. WCW wars and what many say was the greatest year in U.S. wrestling; plus a look at Fred Blassie)
*June 16, 2003 (Freddie Blassie through the eyes of his biggest rivals and friends)
*July 28, 2003 (Part 2 of the history of the WWF vs. WCW war and the plans to make new superstars in the early 90s, what happened, and the night where the three biggest wrestling companies in the world combined for a joint show and what happened)
*August 25, 2003 (2003 Hall of Fame issue with huge profiles on the controversial career of Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit as well as historical features on Earl Caddock and Francisco Flores)
*September 22, 2003 (Part 3 of the history of the WWF vs WCW war with the seeds that caused the collapse of the industry in the 90s, Zahorian trial, Gulf War controversy, Flair leaves WCW while holding world title and much more)
*October 27, 2003 (The fascinating life of Stu Hart plus the story of Road Warrior Hawk)
*January 19, 2004 (2003 Awards issue)
*February 2, 2004 (History of Toronto wrestling, Jack Tunney life story, Royal Rumble and Battle Royal history)
*February 23, 2004 (History of Guerrero family with Eddy’s win over Brock Lesnar)
*March 1, 2004 (History of WWF continues with the period that brought the company down in early 1992, the mistakes, the real stories and how the business changed)
*March 8, 2004 (History of Wrestlemania, its greatest matches and best and worst shows as voted both by wrestlers and non-wrestlers and Wrestlemania history books)
*July 5, 2004 (A look behind the scenes and Ric Flair’s book and his background with Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan)
*July 12, 2004 (A look at more on Ric Flair’s book and his comments on Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart and Mick Foley)
*August 16, 2004 (History of the Olympians in pro wrestling)
*August 23, 2004 (2004 Hall of Fame issue and biggest issue of the year with huge profiles on Kazushi Sakuraba, Undertaker, Bob Backlund, Masahiro Chono, Ultimo Dragon, Kurt Angle and Tarzan Lopez–this counts as one issue if you are asking for a free issue, but ordered separately, due to size, is $6 in North America and $7 overseas)
*October 4, 2004 (the life and times of Big Bossman; as well as details of the life and times of one of the most influential men world wide in pro wrestling history, Jim Barnett)
*November 15, 2004 (the full story of what happened between Kurt Angle and Daniel Puder, plus coverage of the most important week in the history of TNA)
*January 24, 2005 (2004 Awards issue, Rock and WWE part company)
*March 14, 2005 (the 50 biggest money players in the history of WWF and a look at their Hall of Fame)
*May 9, 2005 (the life and times of Chris Candido)
*June 20, 2005 (The full story behind Paul Heyman and the death of ECW, as well as coverage of One Night Stand, Hardcore Homecoming and behind the scenes of both shows)
*July 18, 2005 (death of Shinya Hashimoto and his records with a look at the fall of New Japan, the Matt Hardy angle, tons of WWE firings, Cornette firing in detail as well as problems of a WWE developmental territory in our biggest news issue of the year which is a double-sized issue and would be $6 on its own and $7 overseas)
*August 24, 2005 (2005 Hall of Fame issue with career profiles of Paul Heyman, HHH and Freebirds plus debut of MMA Hall of Fame)
*September 12, 2005 (History of Mid South Wrestling)
*October 10, 2005 (Life and Times of the Ultimate Warrior)
*November 21, 2005 (Life and Times of Eddy Guerrero and Crusher, double issue $6 on its own and $7 overseas)
*December 5, 2005 (The Eddy Guerrero special issue, double issue $6 on its own, $7 overseas)
*January 9, 2006 (The life and times of Superstar Billy Graham, plus New Year’s Eve 2005 coverage)
*January 16, 2006 (2005 Awards double issue, $6 or $7 overseas)
*April 3, 2006 (Story of Ann Calvello and the history of Roller Derby–many called this the best issue of the Observer ever)
*April 10, 2006 (Behind the scenes at the 2006 Wrestlemania/Hall of Fame week)
*July 24, 2006 (The History of the Von Erichs and World Class Championship Wrestling–the most unreal story ever in wrestling)
*September 4, 2006 (The Rise and Fall of Kurt Angle; 2006 Hall of Fame inductions of Eddie Guerrero, Paul Bowser, Masakatsu Funaki, Aja Kong and Hiroshi Hase including tons of wrestling history around the world from the 20s through the 60s, the evolution of working to not working in Japan, and a look at Guerrero in hindsight, double issue $6 or $7 overseas)
*October 9, 2006 (A look back nine years later at the life and legacy of Brian Pillman with tons of inside information about what made him tick as his real objectives)
*November 15, 2006 (History of WCW part one, Eric Bischoff’s book and how the industry was changed forever)
*November 20, 2006 (History of WCW part two, Why Jim Ross left WCW, How Bischoff changed the company, signing of Hulk Hogan, Beginning of Nitro, Jesse Ventura, Brian Pillman, Chris Jericho and signing Wrestlemania planned celebrity away)
*November 27, 2006 (History of WCW part three, When Bischoff challenged McMahon to fight; Truth and fiction around Bret Hart signing with WCW and why it didn’t click)
*December 6, 2006 (details behind Pride’s offers to sell promotion and Part four of History of WCW part four, Hogan-Goldberg match and why there was no rematch, WCW loses NBC network deal in 1999 and the real reasons the company fell apart)
*January 22, 2007 (2006 Awards issue, double issue $7 on its own, $8 overseas)
*February 14, 2007 (Life and Times of Bam Bigelow)
*March 5, 2007 (WWE begins plans that will change the business)
*March 12, 2007 (Life and Times of Mike Awesome)
*March 19, 2007 (Life and Times of Ernie Ladd)
*April 4, 2007 (Life and Times of Badnews Allen Coage–which many are calling one of the best issues in history)
*July 2, 2007 (Part one of the Benoit double murder-suicide)
*July 5, 2007 (Part two of the Benoit double murder-suicide)
*July 10, 2007 (Part three of the Benoit double murder-suicide)
*July 19, 2007 (Part four of the Benoit double murder-suicide)
*July 23, 2007 (Part five of Benoit double murder-suicide)
*July 25, 2007 (Part six of Benoit double murder-suicide)
*August 15, 2007 (The legend of the God of Japanese wrestling and his influence on MMA, Karl Gotch)
*October 15 (2007 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas including inductions of The Rock, Tom Packs and the original Strangler Lewis)
*November 12, 2007 (Life and times of Fabulous Moolah and history of U.S. women’s wrestling) .
*December 31, 2007 (History of Ric Flair and the heyday of wrestling at the Greensboro Coliseum)
*January 21, 2008 (2007 Awards issue, double issue $7 on its own, $8 overseas)
*March 17, 2008 (Life and times of Johnny Weaver)
*March 24, 2008 (Life and times of Gary Hart)
*April 10, 2008 (Farewell to Ric Flair; My thoughts, Shawn Michaels talks of Flair’s meaning to him; Hall of Fame; Wrestlemania double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas)
*August 11, 2008 (Ric Flair leaves WWE; Updated history of pro wrestlers and MMA fighters who went to the Olympics)
* September 8, 2008 (2008 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas; part one of Killer Kowalski bio)
* September 15, 2008 (Life and Times of Evan Tanner)
* September 22, 2008 (The amazing career of Killer Kowalski, one of our most in-depth bios)
You can also order any of these issues on their own for $4 in North America or $5 overseas.
We now have available personally autographed copies of Tributes II, our latest book, as well as a DVD that comes with it talking more about the subjects in the book. The book covers the life stories of Lou Thesz, Wahoo McDaniel, Elizabeth, Fred Blassie, Road Warrior Hawk, Andre the Giant, Curt Hennig, Johnny Valentine, Davey Boy Smith, Terry Gordy, Owen Hart, Stu Hart, Gorilla Monsoon, The Sheik and Tim Woods..
To get all of those biographies as back issues of the Observer would be a $60 value today. This is a collection of some of the best Observer articles of the past several years in a hardcover, full-color format that is 239 pages. There is also a foreword by Bret Hart. The book price is $12.95 plus $3.50 for shipping costs in the U.S., $20 for shipping costs to Canada and $25 for shipping costs outside North America. You can order the book the same way you order the newsletter.
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Wednesday Daily Update
— This is different. Tampa Bay Online is reporting that Gawker has sued the FBI for the records of their investigation into the leak of the Hulk Hogan/Heather Clem sex tape. Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker is still ongoing, and Gawker filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for more than 1,100 pages of records of the investigaton to help defend the Hogan lawsuit. The FOIA request was denied on privacy grounds, so Gawker resubmitted it. Then it was denied because the records involved a “pending or prospective” investigation. A Justice Department appeal was denied, so now Gawker is suing the FBI, arguing that there’s no such investigation.
— Being that David Letterman bids television adieu tonight, what better way to commemerate the occasion here than linking the famous Jerry Lawler/Andy Kaufman segment, which frequently places on “greatest TV moments” lists? This specific YouTube video is the best version you’ll find, as includes everything relevant from the credits and the monologue as well as the complete interview with the uncensored version of Kaufman’s rant towards Lawler.
Also make sure to check out:
* Kaufman’s appearance introducing Freddie Blassie as his new manager while promoting “My Breakfast with Blassie” and the wrestling-themed Broadway play “Teaneck Tanzi,” which closed after two nights.
* Killer Kowalski’s appearance during Letterman’s first year (Part 1, Part 2)
* Vince McMahon’s appearance on Letterman’s New Year’s Eve 1985 special, where he serves as the show’s special correspondent to report on the first baby born in Nw York City in 1986. Vince doesn’t exactly do well or fit in, but it’s still a great skit.
Letterman would bring up pro wrestling fairly regularly over the years, usually talking about watching Dick the Bruiser in Indianapolis. There’s also a great segment that I can’t find online where Debbie Harry (on the show to plug “Videodrome”) talks about how she and Chris Stein had gotten into watching both the WWF and Georgia Championship Wrestling on TV, but they preferred the Georgia wrestling because it was “funkier.”
— RollingStone.com interviewed The Young Bucks. Great, long interview covering a ton of topics, including burning out on being their own bosses on the indie scene, hustling to sell merchandise, how they got booked into NJPW, the rise of the Bullet Club, and much more. Maybe the most notable quote sees Matt Jackson talking about working full-time for a single promotion: “We’re waiting for the right offer. When we do settle down, it’s going to be for the right dollar amount. We’re thinking of our families, so it’ll be what’s best for our families, ’cause we’ll be able to maximize our time at home while still being wrestlers.”
— There are at least 32 lawsuits from across the U.S. regarding the idea that Manny Pacquiao’s secret shoulder injury amounted to defrauding customers. One lawsuit in Texas alleges racketeering. It looks like a panel of federal judges will have to determine which of these go on, which are consolidated, which are class action, and so on.
— Some notes from Kris Zellner in his latest edition of The Lucha Report:
CMLL pulled both Rush & Shocker from all of their bookings this week, Rush likely due to the public allegations that he attacked an Arena Mexico security guard and Shocker most likely due to personal issues.
They also got the Atlantis vs. Octagon match pulled from the June 21st Chilanga Mask show on 6/21, as it looks like they’ll be working with each ther on the All Elite (outside promoter booking CMLL’s Arena Mexico) show the previous week.
— Finn Balor talks to MTV UK about (briefly) meeting Vince McMahon for the first time as well as being able to catch up with the NJPW crew last week in Philadelphia.
— UFC 187 Embedded Episode 2 features Donald Cerrone going scuba diving as well as both Daniel Cormier and Chris Weidman saying goodbye to their families before heading to the airport. Not the best episode aside from the scenery in the Cerrone segment.
— Inside MMA returns to AXS TV after a few weeks off this Friday night at 12;30 a.m. ET (or whenever the Lion Fight Muay Thai card ends) with a show that includes interviews with Dana White, Donald Cerrone, and Dolph Lundgren. They have a preview of the Cerrone interview on the AXS TV Fights YouTube channel. That’s the same night as the premiere of the second cyle of New Japan Pro Wrestling shows (at 9:00 p.m. ET and 1:30 p.m. ET), and they’re also rerunning Michael Schiavello’s sit-down interview with Steve Austin at 8:00 p.m. ET.
— The Fight Network’s Canadian and Turkish branches will be airing this Friday’s ONE Championship card at 8:30 a.m. ET. American subscribers (either on cable or omline) are presumably out of luck.
— Jerry Lawler appeared on Cerrito Live on WHBQ radio in Memphis to promote his new Blu-Ray/DVD set that was released yesterday. Topics covered include how involved he was in the production of the set, including his dealings with WWE for Memphis footage.
— ESPN talked to Bill Goldberg while he was at Citi Field promoting the Legends of Wrestling event that’s being held there on June 7th.
— I have a new podcast up talking to wrestling memorabilia collector/historian Josh Watko about all sorts of collectibls from toys to trading cards to autographs to advertising items to records and everything in between. Really fun show if you’ve ever been into any of this stuff.
— WUNC radio talked to former wrestling newsletter writer John Hitchcock about “Front Row Section D,” his new book about Carolinas wrestling.
— RVA Magazine in Richmond reviewed this past Monday’s Raw as a live show.
— Former WWE writer Kevin Eck reviewed Jim Ross’s one man show in Baltimore on his blog.
TOMORROW’S WWE NETWORK SCHEDULE (thanks to Bert Duckwall)
1:00 AM ET
CULTURE SHOCK WITH COREY GRAVES Corey Graves heads down to one of his favorite tattoo shops in the heart of New York City!
1:10 AM ET
WWE UNFILTERED WITH RENEE YOUNG In the premiere of Unfiltered, Renee Young hangs out with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins for a fun and revealing conversation!
1:30 AM ET
FIRST LOOK First Look: It’s Good To Be King
2:00 AM ET
WWE BEYOND THE RING Batista embodies his nickname ‘The Animal’. Relive Batista’s storied career with this biography of his life both inside the ring and out.
3:30 AM ET
WWE QUICK HITS WWE Quick Hits 3 brings you some of the most unique, entertaining, and sometimes outrageous clips, unearthed from the depths of WWE Network.
4:00 AM ET
RAW FLASHBACK WWE Champion Sycho Sid gives a special in-ring interview. Plus, Bret Hart, Rocky Maivia, and many more in action!
5:00 AM ET
RAW FLASHBACK Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart come face-to-face in a highly volatile interview. Plus, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Goldust, and more in action!
6:00 AM ET
PRIME TIME WRESTLING On this Prime Time Wrestling, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan tries to find himself. Plus, Iron Mike Sharpe, Macho Man Randy Savage, and more!
8:00 AM ET
WWE KING OF THE RING 1995 Eight men including The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and Yokozuna compete for the crown in the annual King of the Ring Tournament and more.
11:00 AM ET
SMACKDOWN FLASHBACK Mankind faces Big Show in the main event with Triple H suspended 15 feet above the ring. The Rock vs. Al Snow in a steel cage and more.
12:30 PM ET
FIRST LOOK First Look: It’s Good To Be King
1:00 PM ET
CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS Clash of the Champions XXI; Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas take on Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes for the Unified World Tag Team Titles.
3:00 PM ET
WCW MONDAY NITRO On this episode of WCW Monday Nitro Lex Luger puts his career on the line against Randy Savage. Hulk Hogan looks to confront The Giant.
4:00 PM ET
RAW FLASHBACK The 1-2-3 Kid once again shows Razor Ramon his determination to win. Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler unveils a surprise for Bret Hart.
5:00 PM ET
WCW WRESTLEWAR 1990 Ric Flair defends the NWA World Title against Lex Luger. Arn and Ole Anderson face The Steiner Brothers for the NWA Tag Team Titles.
8:00 PM ET
WCW MONDAY NITRO On this episode of WCW Monday Nitro Lex Luger puts his career on the line against Randy Savage. Hulk Hogan looks to confront The Giant.
9:00 PM ET
RAW FLASHBACK The 1-2-3 Kid once again shows Razor Ramon his determination to win. Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler unveils a surprise for Bret Hart.
10:00 PM ET
FIRST LOOK First Look: It’s Good To Be King
10:30 PM ET
CULTURE SHOCK WITH COREY GRAVES Corey Graves heads down to one of his favorite tattoo shops in the heart of New York City!
11:00 PM ET
WCW MONDAY NITRO On this episode of WCW Monday Nitro Lex Luger puts his career on the line against Randy Savage. Hulk Hogan looks to confront The Giant.