Our top story in the site today looks at Dave Meltzer’s cryptic insinuations that WWE is getting ready to go to war with Ring of Honor via their NXT brand.
We also have a story on the site looking at the hypocrisy of UPROXX With Spandex, as they tweeted our spoilers the other day regarding the Undertaker at Battleground after previously melting down under the unmasking of a CHIKARA wrestler. We’re looking for any corroboration available that Brandon Stroud – one of the ringleaders of the twitter tirade against Joe Lanza of Voices of Wrestling – once actually did the same exact thing with regard to Ricochet’s alter egos Prince Puma and Helios. Any info on this, please email me at les@sheetsandwich.com.
If you haven’t heard it yet, check out or most recent episode of Talking Sheet, with Karl Stern talking his classic wrestling audio marathon over at F4Wonline.com as well as a bunch of other things related to wrestling history, and newsletter history, too.
We’ll be back with another episode this weekend running down this huge week in news, looking at how all the major stories were covered this week, plus taking a look back at the Wrestling Observer Newsletter from March 23, 1987.
Let’s get to today’s wrestling news!
Friday News Update
** PWTorch is reporting that the Smackdown ratings for Thursday night on SyFy were at at near year-low rating of 1.63 rating. The year-low was just two weeks ago at a 1.6 rating.
** PWInsider has the total viewership numbers, reporting Smackdown did 2,153,000 viewers down 235,000 viewers from last week.
** Earlier today there was a rumor making the rounds on the internet that Daniel Bryan had done an interview for a radio station in Washington where he insinuated that he was done with wrestling, and that fans should move on. However, Bryan would ultimately debunk this rumor through twitter.
I appreciate all the thank yous, but the entire interview claiming that I said my time is over is a fake. I will be back wrestling.
— Daniel Bryan (@WWEDanielBryan) July 17, 2015
** PWInsider covers that story here.
** PW Torch covers it here, along with a transcript of the debunked interview, and what Bryan had allegedly said.
** ProWrestling.net covers the story here.
** NXT Takeover in Brooklyn card looks to be:
NXT champion Finn Balor defending his title against Kevin Owens, NXT Women’s champion Sasha Banks defending against Bayley, plus Samoa Joe vs Baron Corbin and Jushin Thunder Liger vs Tyler Breeze. (Sources: F4Wonline, PWInsider)
** Top matches for EVOLVE 47 and 48, August 15 and 16 from Queens and Deer Park, NY have been announced. (PWTorch)
** Regarding the recent TNA / Hernandez contract debacle, PWInsider’s Mike Johnson has a fantastic update with more details on what happened with the situation, including information from Lucha Underground’s side. The article notes, in part:
Lucha Underground sources have stated that Hernandez requested a release, but did not actually receive one. The release was in the works, but had not been issued… LU sources claim that Hernandez was told that if he wished to receive his release and get out of filming new seasons things could be worked out, but they requested that Hernandez not appear anywhere on TV before 8/5…
** Speaking of the Hernandez debacle, MVP has tweeted out that he is apparently done with TNA, likely over the handling of the recent situation there
Dear @IMPACTWRESTLING I dedicate this classic to you. It was fun…
"Bad Brains – Sailing On" on YouTube – https://t.co/92L8Pe9RSh
— MVP (@The305MVP) July 17, 2015
** According to PWInsider, “MVP had pushed for Hernandez to be brought into the company as part of the Beatdown Clan.”
** PW Torch covers the MVP departure here
** Luckily for TNA, there’s always Bram. Always!
https://twitter.com/TNABreakingNews/status/622210447018606592
** For those of you’ve been wondering who would be joining Chael Sonnen announcing GFW AMPED, WrestlingInc. is reporting that the play by play announcer will be none other than… Cyrus Fees!
** Fucked if I know… google him.
** WrestlingInc. is reporting that former WWE Diva Candice Michelle announced on Twitter that she has given birth to a daughter, her third.
** Rest easy, Swagger fans. WrestlingInc is now reporting that his twitter is back online. False alarm yesterday.
** Everyone who writes for UPROXX With Spandex has gotten together to share their wit with you, and offer Battleground predictions.
** My personal favorite is how they cover the Orton vs Sheamus match, with Stroud kicking things off with his “What Should Happen” format, writing: “Literally anything else.” and Danielle Matheson offering: “The definition of insanity is making Randy Orton wrestle Sheamus over and over, and expecting different results. Winner: Sheamus.”
