Sorry for the late news update again today… just one of those wild days that got out of hand.
We have an interview with Justin LaBar, the WrestleZone writer and podcast host who broke the story on WWE banning Seth Rollins’ finishing move last week. We’ve gotten a lot of good feedback about the interview, so thanks to everyone who has sent their feedback.
This weekend’s feature story takes a look at the timeliness in coverage of major stories in wrestling, and what members of premium pay news sites should be able to expect from their coverage on premium wrestling sites.
We’ll also have the first in our 10-part series taking a detailed look at the top 10 wrestling news websites (as ranked by Alexa), breaking down not just the sites included, but the glaring omissions, too, including a look at why one of the biggest sites you’d think should be included aren’t being tracked.
Wednesday News Update
** Tuesday offered such a glut of new wrestling content, we are fully behind here at the Sandwich…
** Karl Stern kicked things off with a great look at the life and career of Verne Gagne but the day just continued to keep the hits coming.
** Shake Them Ropes had Rob McCarron and Jeff Hawkins covering NXT, Raw, King of the Ring, and Match 80 of the Top 100 Matches available on the WWE Network.
** Jeff Hawkins wished Damien Sandow and Curtis Axel had formed a team. Honestly.
** Alvarez had Figure Four Daily, Wrestling Observer Live, and returned later on in the evening to host his weekly podcast with his pals Vinny and Craig AND had a breaking news audio with Dave Meltzer covering UFC stripping the Light heavyweight title from Jon Jones, and suspending him indefinitely.’
** Oddsmakers are now taking bets on whether Jones will be reinstated before Todd Martin returns to F4Daily.
** Steven Ebeneezer won the “Write an obit for an F4W Empire host” contest. His prize is a custom Craig Proper’s voicemail message for his phone. Perfect timing for this contest this week.
** After the UFC coverage, Meltzer dropped some news bombs about Daniel Bryan, about whether he will ever return, citing Jim Ross recently hinting Bryan had a severe concussion, with Meltzer reminding us that Bret Hart never returned from a nasty concussion.
** Meltzer also said that this was to be Bryan’s last year of in-ring competition away. Feels like a missed opportunity in discussing that small detail in a more in-depth fashion. But I guess throwing it in at the end of a 25 minute show about a UFC fighter is okay, because the weekly newsletter comes out today.
** Wade Keller’s post-RAW VIP audio is basically an audio version of a McCarron or Todd Martin written Raw recap. Seriously, blow-by-blow. Which is simultaneously kind of sad, but also the most effective way of getting a complete Raw breakdown without having to commit three hours to the show, and without subjecting yourself to a Jeff Hamilin recap.
** Elsewhere, Wade Keller was also on the Steve Austin Show podcast.
** A lot of talk about how stale the Austin episodes not featuring a guest have gotten lately. Seems like every other show is Austin and his wife Kristen talking about random goings ons in his their life, and has less to do with a wrestling icon giving his take on the current product in a fresh and engaged manner.
** I think he needs to immediately start recapping a couple of the wrestling shows, like Raw, Lucha Underground, or NXT, with Teddy Fowler, and have Kristen on for only the first 25 minutes of one of the shows each week. She could start a Facebook page, call her fans the Kristen Klub, take questions and hold random contests about Steve. THAT’S how you engage a podcast audience.
** Wanted to alert you to a couple of gems in wrestling editorials over the last couple of days, these two from a site called ewrestlingnews.com:
** Tony Cutillo looks at the death of Verne Gagne:
Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 65. Now it has taken its toll on the pro wrestling community as legend, Verne Gagne has succumbed to this disease at the age of 89. The wrestling world is a family and yesterday it lost one of its most ceremonious members. Read More
** Paul Stechenfinger wonders if Daniel Bryan is finished… no, he REALLY wants to know. He demands answers:
So what is the deal with Daniel Bryan? Will WWE tell us what type of injury he has or the reasons why he has been pulled from house shows and live events? I mean I guess it doesn’t really matter what we as fans want but for those fans that spend their money going to live events and the television tapings aren’t they allowed to know why one of the biggest names on the card is effectively- off the card. Read More
** Today’s News-to-Plugs report on F4Wonline.com — News: 1311 words. Plugs: 3738 words
** Wanted to let you all know that tomorrow will be either another really late news update, or no update at all. I’ll do what I can, but tomorrow is a travel day for work.
