Daily Update: NXT TakeOver 31, Kyle O'Reilly, Spring Break
DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
UFC on ESPN 16 live results: Holly Holm vs. Irene Aldana
WWE SmackDown ratings hold up despite NBA Finals competition
Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso official for WWE Hell in a Cell
WWE SmackDown video highlights: Clash of Champions fallout
NJPW Strong results: Lion’s Break Crown semifinals
Six-man tag match, KO Show with Wyatt announced for WWE Raw
Carmella revealed as ‘mystery woman’ in WWE SmackDown videos
WWE 205 Live results: A look at the Escobar-Swerve feud
Three matches set for WWE Draft night one episode of SmackDown
WWE SmackDown live results: Reigns Tribal Chief ceremony
Latest Audio:
Big Audio Nightmare: G1 Climax 30 update, Harold Meij, other tournaments 10/2
WON NEWSLETTER: October 5, 2020 Observer Newsletter: NJPW shakeup, WWE talent and 3rd party deals, more
We’ve got a double issue this week of the Observer with the full rundown of Harold Meij being out in New Japan, WWE’s social media policy as it relates to talent, and extensive G-1 coverage.
Our lead story looks at the Harold Meij era of New Japan, how he got there, the turmoil behind-the-scenes, why he’s leaving, his last words to his fan club, why the guy who handled running a wrestling company during a pandemic is out while in the pandemic and a lot of behind-the-scenes stories regarding New Japan and AEW never making a deal, and whether this can change things, and what the key issues are. The changes he made to the company, the business record and issues in dealing with talent and others and the inherent issues of a non-Japanese person in charge of a major Japanese company. This is the most inside version of what happened there since 2018 and from people who know the situation the best.
Also in this issue:
WWE’s latest when it comes to talent and social media, WWE policy, Andrew Yang and why this could be the worst time to make these decisions.
WWE Clash of Champions, NXT Takeover, Hell in a Cell, the COVID issues in AEW & WWE and how they spread, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.
G1 Climax tournament, with standings, best matches, behind-the-scenes,why crowds aren’t quick to sell out, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results of every show.
XFL start, changes in WWE tapings and why 205 Live will be taped with NXT ad not Smackdown, we look at declines in WWE interest and reasons why WWE draft dates, Reigns vs. Rock, Reigns talks C.M. Punk, new Dwayne Johnson TV show looked at, new WWE signings, update on WWE injuries, one of the top college wrestlers already publicly talking about going to WWE, more on TV ratings in U.S. and Canada, former TNA champion talks how close he came to joining WWE, Cena starring in new movie, Zayn talks politics, Rusev talks problems with WWE creative, update on Raw Underground, where tribal chief comes from, WWE market value and the most watched shows on WWE Network over the past week.
UFC 253, with business notes, the main themes of the show plus match-by-match coverage and poll results.
The treatment of women in pro wrestling with notes from a recent BBC article with thoughts from several women involved.
87th anniversary show of CMLL, and the plight of Lucha Libre with no fans.
Jerry Lawler 50th anniversary show.
2020 Hall of Fame ballot in each category, with the top candidate, last year’s highest that haven’t gotten in, as well as a list of those who have been elected in the past five years.
Smackdown and AEW ratings based on the same opposition, as well as network vs. cable when it comes to other sports.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
There will be a limited audience of friends and family at the WWE Performance Center for NXT TakeOver 31 tomorrow. That was first reported by Fightful and has been confirmed by us. Attendees will be undergoing COVID-19 testing in advance of the show.
Kyle O’Reilly, who has Type 1 diabetes, spoke to the New York Post about the time he was off NXT television at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: “As for everybody, it’s been a weird few months, it’s been a weird year. At first, when this whole thing broke out it was scary for the reasons like you said, health being a huge part of that. As we learned more about what’s going on, I became more confident. As time progressed, I started chomping at the bit to return. You could only do so many garage workouts in a day to keep the cabin fever away. After a while, I was ready to come back. The company had my health in their best interest. They weren’t going to risk anything with me. Once the opportunity finally came around to come back, all the precautions had been taken and continue to be taken. I felt confident and yeah, it was a long few months. I was ready to come back a lot sooner, but that’s the way things work out and I’m glad to be finally back.”
O’Reilly spoke about managing the daily challenges of having Type 1 diabetes: “That’s the thing about Type 1 diabetes, it is a daily grind, a daily challenge. But it’s a challenge and fight I can win on a daily basis, too. I know it keeps me accountable for my own health, my own well-being. I take it into my own hands. I do what I have to do to be the best performer and the best healthy human being I can possibly be. It’s not without its challenges, but it’s something I’ve dealt with my entire career since I was 18 years old. It’s something I’ve dealt with for a long time. I’ve always had a good grasp of it. I’ve looked at it as a blessing in disguise because it does sort of keep me accountable for my own health. I have no excuse to let things slide or to get lazy with my own health.”
O’Reilly discussed what it would mean for him to become NXT Champion at TakeOver 31: “Fifteen years of loss, of hardship, of sacrifice, of uncertainty of moving my life around the continent for a chance for an opportunity with zero money in my bank account and then to find success, to find friendships, love and meeting my wife. My life changing drastically over these last 15 years makes everything seem worthwhile. I think of every match that I ever had in front of fricking 20 people and me going, this is the biggest match of my life, means everything. At the time it did mean everything. Looking back, I know it was nothing, whatever. It’s kind of the mentality I’ve always had. Specifically going into this match, becoming NXT Champion it would be pretty crazy. I don’t have any other words to describe it. It would mean a lot, not just my career but just for my life and everything I’ve believed in basically my entire adult life.”
O’Reilly was asked if he’d want to continue working singles matches if he doesn’t win the NXT Championship: “I’m going to make the most of any chance that I’m given. That said, I hope this is not a one-off. I hope I’m walking away as the NXT Champion. You know things happen. That may not be the case this weekend. But yeah, I certainly hope to continue to have some more singles opportunities. There are a lot of interesting matchups in NXT I’d really like to have from a single’s standpoint.”
TalkSport also has an interview with O’Reilly.
Kushida tweeted ahead of his match against Velveteen Dream at TakeOver: “Since I came to this country, I have held my breath. I have been fighting unidentified suffocation. At TAKEOVER tomorrow, Time to exhale.”
In addition to airing on the WWE Network, TakeOver is also being made available as a traditional PPV on pay-per-view outlets.
Angel Garza said he expects to be out of action for 7-15 days or maybe three weeks after suffering a small quad tear at Clash of Champions.
Paige, Zelina Vega, Mia Yim, and Dakota Kai tweeted about WWE’s new Twitch edict.
WWE uploaded the official trailer for the Drew McIntyre episode of WWE 24 that premieres on the WWE Network tomorrow.
The Best of NXT in PROGRESS Wrestling, volume one, EVOLVE 129, ICW Fight Club 98, and episode three of wXw Shotgun 2020 season two were added to the WWE Network today.
WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano in a two-out-of-three falls match for the NXT Championship from TakeOver: Toronto 2019, John Cena vs. Seth Rollins in a steel cage match for the United States Championship from WWE Live From MSG, and Sheamus vs. Big Show for the World Heavyweight Championship from Hell in a Cell 2012.
Other Wrestling
Team Pazuzu (Chris Dickinson, Santana & Ortiz) vs. Blake Christian, Alex Zayne & Jordan Oliver has been added to Joey Janela’s Spring Break 4. The show is taking place on Saturday, October 10 and will be available live via Fite TV.
Elayna Black, Flash Flanagan, Allie Kat, Dustin Thomas, Willow Nightingale, Kerry Morton, Nasty Leroy, and Shark Boy are the latest names confirmed for the Clusterf*ck battle royal at Spring Break.
Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics posted a chart looking at Impact’s ratings on AXS TV this year.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: WWE Hell in a Cell 2010
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