DAILY UPDATE

Latest News:

Impact Under Siege live results: Kenny Omega in six-man tag action
UFC 262 live results: Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
Ted DiBiase to appear in person on WWE NXT
Moxley & Kingston, The Acclaimed, more set for AEW Dark: Elevation
WWE SmackDown video highlights: Final build to WM Backlash
Fatal four-way IC title match set for next week’s WWE SmackDown
NJPW Strong results: Eight-man tag team action
WWE 205 Live results: Tony Nese vs. Ari Sterling
Natalya & Tamina win WWE Women’s Tag Team titles
New Jack passes away at 58 due to heart attack
WWE SmackDown live results: WM Backlash go-home show

Latest Audio:

Left My Wallet: AEW referee Bryce Remsburg’s baseball stadium quest
Speak Now: The SmackDown before WrestleMania Backlash
F4D: Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm talk New Japan, AEW and RAW, more!

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WON NEWSLETTER: May 17, 2021 Observer Newsletter: NJPW shows postponed, Brian Pillman Dark Side of the Ring

Dave Meltzer covers the state of emergency in Japan, the actual stats, shows canceled, when NJPW is set to return.

Lots more on the life of Brian Pillman, what Dark Side didn’t cover, his football career, contract disputes, booking idea if he stayed with WCW, children and legacy.

Also in this issue: 

Match and wrestler of the week
AEW & WWE back on the road and details
A look at the next two major pro wrestling PPV shows
UFC coverage of Saturday’s show, next week’s show, new fights, new financial info
Most detailed look at ratings, what shows do people watch longest, what shows do they watch live or most on DVR, Segment breakdowns and and exclusive info on how the different shows are consumed
U.S. Olympic wrestling preview
The amazing historical story of a fugitive in a foreign country who held the biggest tag team title in the world, and his shocking death
Notes on AEW television schedule for the next six weeks
2016 Gold medalist talks WWE

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SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE
 
This week’s Talking Smack ended with Paul Heyman paying tribute to New Jack (Jerome Young) following his passing. Heyman said:

I was asked before this show went on the air if I would like to say a few words about the passing of ECW original, New Jack.

I avoid eulogies as best I can because anytime I’m faced with them, the first thing that comes to mind is, ‘Hey, this sucks, and there’s no good spin I can put on it.’

When I heard that New Jack had passed away, my hope was that New Jack had turned to his own wife and said, ‘Hey, I’d like to read my own obituary. Call a bunch of people, and tell them that I died. Everybody’s going to make a big fuss about it, and I’ll read about my own life.’ Then, at some point this weekend, they’d sell a bunch of T-shirts and he’d sit there and go, ‘Gotcha!’ Because that’s what New Jack would do.

And apparently, it’s not so — which sucks.

Usually, when we would pay tribute to somebody here in WWE, we’d show a lot of footage of that person, and to be blunt, we can’t show you a lot of footage of New Jack because he was THE most non-PG performer in sports-entertainment history. Because New Jack was a ‘gangsta.’ Everybody who was a fan of ECW, that came to see ECW, who watched ECW, knew that fact from the moment his music hit — and no, we never had the rights to use his music. Why? Because as an organization, we were ‘gangstas,’ and New Jack was the most ‘gangstas’ of all of us ‘gangstas.’

It’s over 20 years ago, and anybody that ever saw New Jack perform live, or heard him cut a promo, understood just how real he was. Jerome Young was quite an individual. And deep in his heart, he was every bit of New Jack that he could offer you.

I wish you all a most extreme weekend — ‘Gangsta style.’

WWE.com posted an article on New Jack’s passing and sent their condolences to his family and friends.
On LinkedIn, Amy Tunick wrote that WWE made the decision to disband their Talent Management Group team: “I was hired by WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) to build and lead a new talent management division focused on strategic brand-building and monetizing IP for 300+ WWE Superstars. Unexpectedly, the company made a decision to change course and disbanded the new team after just 5 weeks.” WWE had stated that the Talent Management Group would “deliver best-in-class 360-degree support of Talent across all internal lines of business and key external partners, amplifying Talent brand value and maximizing monetization opportunities for Talent and WWE.”
In an interview with DAZN, Cesaro was asked why he thinks it took so long for him to challenge for a World title in WWE:

I spent many sleepless nights asking myself that question, to be honest. And, you know, I didn’t really find the answer. It’s just for certain people, it takes longer. I remember, when I first got to WWE after a year or two, somebody told me was like, ‘You’ll get there, it will just take a while. That’s just your path’. You don’t want to hear that when you just started. You don’t want to hear it will take a while, and you just see other people just jumping the line or getting the opportunity, and you’re just there working day in and day out. You don’t really want to hear that. But then if you look back at it, you think like, ‘Well, the journey was worth it because you took all those people that watched you over the past nine years — or like you even longer — you took them on the journey with you.’

So when you finally arrive, and that journey is not over this Sunday, I tell you that much just starts with a nice shiny title belt. So if you take those people on that journey, it just means so much more. I feel when I talk about that I deliver all the time or working hard and dedicating myself to wrestling, it’s not just, who’s this new guy just saying that stuff? It’s like, ‘No, you’ve seen me for nine years and live by the words that I’m saying’. I feel like they all happen for a reason, and I’ve finally arrived where I want to be now. Looking back, I can say that I took the hard road. I did, and it means so much more.

Asuka spoke to Entertainment Tonight Canada about her experiences with racism: “I have only one experience with racism. It was around the time when COVID-19 started spreading/ In America, I was at the airport. A woman came towards me. When she noticed me, she covered her mouth with her hand and ran away from me. I was shocked. It never happened before COVD-19. Oh my gosh. I didn’t understand. I was shocked. I hate it! I hate it! I don’t understand. It’s a waste of time to be hateful. Why people attack other people? We are people, right? I don’t understand. I hate it.”
Ariya Daivari posted a tweet expressing his happiness that his job allowed him to buy his mother a brand new washer and dryer when hers broke: “While I wasn’t able to get my mom a car or a house like @TheRock (not yet at least) I was able to buy her a new washer/dryer when her’s broke.  I’m happy my job allows me to take care of those who took care of me.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson then responded to Daivari: “Love this post. One day you will buy your mama everything you want to buy her. I know the grind so keep working hard in the ring brother and hopefully you guys will get back out on the road soon taking care of the people. (tell your mama I said hi and she must be very proud)”
Natalya & Tamina received their personalized sideplates after winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles on SmackDown last night.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque posted a picture with Natalya & Tamina and congratulated them on their title win: “Representing two of @WWE’s biggest dynasties, both @NatbyNature and @TaminaSnuka are title-takers and HISTORY-MAKERS! Congratulations to the NEW #WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions! #Smackdown”
WWE has filed trademarks for the phrases “There’s Never A Bad Time To Have A Good Time” and “I’m Nobody’s Bitch.” Jimmy Uso wore a “Nobody’s Bitch” shirt on SmackDown last night as part of the storyline where he’s stood up to Roman Reigns.
WWE also filed a trademark for “B-Fab,” which is Briana Brandy’s name as part of Isaiah “Swerve” Scott’s Hit Row stable in NXT.
WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded Randy Orton vs. Kane in a no DQ match from the April 6, 2012 episode of SmackDown, Carmella vs. Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship from Backlash 2018, and Braun Strowman vs. The Miz & John Morrison in a handicap match for the Universal Championship from Backlash 2020.
Other Wrestling
An official GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help cover the costs of New Jack’s final expenses: “It is with great sadness that I am creating this account to help my friend, Jennifer Young, wife of ECW Legend- New Jack, better known to personal friends and family as Jerome Young. New Jack unfortunately and unexpectedly passed away on Friday, May 14th, leaving his family, friends and a world of fans devastated. Friends have created this Gofundme page because Jerome and Jennifer had been allocating money towards a future merchandising store for the New Jack brand. Due to the sudden nature of Jerome’s passing, she will be unable to finalize this venture, and will also need assistance with burial funds to lay him to rest, as well as to cover the cost of any unexpected emergency expenses.  Additionally, New Jack, leaves behind family that relied on his financial support.  We’d like to help ensure that this sudden life transition is a little smoother for them if at all possible. We thank each of you from the bottom of our hearts for any donation you provide, and for your love and support in this difficult time. Our goal is to provide comfort and peace to them during this difficult journey, and possibly provide needed funds to his younger children. *Please be advised that this is the ONLY Gofundme or donation platform set up for New Jack and his family. Any others are fraudulent and not approved by his wife.”
AEW and Impact Wrestling posted tweets paying tribute to New Jack.
The first episode of Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay’s (formerly known as Peyton Royce and Billie Kay in WWE) Off Her Chops podcast will premiere next Friday (May 21).

Daily Pro Wrestling History: AJ Styles wins NWA title at Hard Justice 2005

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