Not a lot going on today that doesn’t pertain in some way to the boxing match last night.
We have a review up of one of the top 10 wrestling news websites according to Alexa, looking at PWMania, as well as a look at why one of the biggest sites you’d think should be included on the list didn’t make the cut.
Also have the first edition of a new column on the site, Deep Insider, where I report on the process and pitfalls of becoming a member over at PWInsider.com.
In case you missed it yesterday, we also have Bryan Alvarez weighing in on the reason he made changes to the call-in portion of Wrestling Observer Live on the site, too.
Sunday News Update
** According to the Wrestling Observer poll results, here’s how the WWE/UFC split breaks down:
Extreme Rules respondents: 249
UFC 186 respondents: 121
** Bryan Alvarez on Saturday night’s Wrestling Observer Radio had an awkward moment when recounting the buy rate for last year’s WrestleMania being far higher than it was this year because the WWE Network was untested. He launched into a story about how he bought it on Pay Per View last year because of reported Network stability issues, and had people over and therefore didn’t want there to be buffering issues… he stopped mid-way through the story and said, “No, wait. I was at WrestleMania last year. But my friends bought it on PPV.”
** F4Wonline.com has a headline up on the front page today shilling another Grant Zwarych special: Get a full collection of Wrestling Observer newsletters from 1986 for $245 — a $12 savings. But you better hop in your TARDIS, because the sale ends on May 31, 2014 according to the posting.
** PWInsider is running with a headline “WWE Loses A Valuable Ally From ESPN.” Although the way the headline is written it makes it seem like a WWE ally has left ESPN, really the story is covering a twitter dustup between Michelle Beadle of HBO and ESPN who tweeted out that she no longer likes Triple H or WWE because of HHH’s support of “serial abuser” Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Would have been a more effective headline to say “WWE Loses Valuable Ally AT ESPN”
** Bryan Alvarez this afternoon on his Wrestling Observer Live reported on this Beadle issue, saying WWE was taken off guard by the situation, and suggested we may see some sort of response as a way to get her back as a fan, because they like when legit sports personalities (or any celebrity, really) are vocal fans of their product.
** Lots of coverage on the web of remarks Hulk Hogan has made about wanting to wrestle at WrestleMania 32 in Dallas. PWInsider has a story about him saying in Australia that he wants to, while WrestlingInc.com have the headline that he’s actually been “Cleared” to wrestle (which is totally bogus… they’re saying cleared as in Hogan apparently has Vince McMahon’s blessing to wrestle).
** Bryan Alvarez reported on Wrestling Observer Live this afternoon that the match Hogan is lobbying for is a tag team legends match, involving him and potentially other legends against perhaps some NXT up and comers. No word yet on if this was an indication he got, or whether it was speculation.
** Apparently WrestleZone does a weekly digest, on Sundays, of all the biggest news stories they’d covered over the course of the week, called Wrestlezone Recap. This is totally backwards… usually you’re supposed to release your big newsletter one day a week, and let all the other sites break it down into easier to digest news stories for the week.
** The Inquisitr also has a story that Ric Flair is saying Hogan wants to wrestle HIM at WrestleMania 32.
** WrestleZone has an article looking at random WWE Superstars reacting to the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight Saturday night.
** Ringsidenews.com has a blurb repeating a story from TMZ Sports about Scotty 2 Hotty now working as a realtor in Florida, helping Mick Foley buy a house there, and deciding that being a firefighter wasn’t for him.
** Wrestlingnews.co reports that Hulk Hogan and Ed “Brutus Beefcake” Leslie are no longer friends after Leslie tried to sell bootleg Huckster autographed pictures.
** No Sunday update today on F4Wonline, so News vs Plugs will be postponed for today.
