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http://www.wrestlingobserver.com

Thursday news update: Big international events this week, Smackdown
preview, ratings news, best selling books, Savage media, Foley,
Couture WOL and much more

by Dave Meltzer

dave{at}wrestlingobserver.com

Tonight's Smackdown line-up:
*Tajiri vs. Ultimo Dragon in a non-title match
*Undertaker vs. Chuck Palumbo
*Orlando Jordan vs. Big Show
*Zach Gowen vs. Shannon Moore
*Brock Lesnar vs. Paul London for Smackdown title
*Chris Benoit & APA vs. A-Train & Basham Brothers
*Chavo Guerrero vs. Show
As you can tell, this is a show built around angles. Reports from
people live in Hartford on this one were not good, and WWE badly needs
a string of good TV shows right now. London is not portrayed as a new
superstar, and instead gets his legs cut off in his debut. They've
done good numbers when they were putting on a string of good shows
against tough competition, but with the product they've been putting
out, combined with the Red Sox vs. Yankees on FOX (particularly with
the numbers the Sox did Monday night) and the usual NBC and CBS shows,
they may be looking at near record lows tonight.

--Randy Savage was on CNN in prime-time last night doing promo work
for his CD and issuing his usual challenge to Hogan. Savage was also
the all day long guest on Nickelodeon's Slime Time Live, and did his
shtick as well as challenged Hogan again. He got dunked in a tank of
green slime and had pies thrown in his face while yelling at Hogan to
be a man and accept his challenge (thanks to J.T. Giambi and John
Sklba)

--Shaniqua is not on Smackdown tonight because she's selling an injury
angle from the Bradshaw clothesline last week.

--Randy Couture will be on Wrestling Observer Live this coming Sunday.

--Mick Foley has been added to the 11/8 Jersey All Pro Wrestling
anniversary show on 11/8 in Seacaucus, NJ in what undoubtedly will be
the biggest show in company history. Foley will ref an Al Snow vs.
Jerry Lawler match. Terry Funk has been pulled from the show (he may
be doing a movie), so Raven & Sabu face Homicide & Dan Maff in a no DQ
match.

BEST SELLING PRO WRESTLING BOOKS (based on amazon.com rankings as of
today)
1. Lita by Amy Dumas (2,647)
2. Chokehold by Jim Wilson (2,921)
3. The Stone Cold Truth by Steve Austin (3,327)*
4. Wrestlecrap: The Very Worst of Pro Wrestling by R.D. Reynolds
(5,586)*
5. Have More Money Now by John Layfield (12,277)
6. The Hardy Boyz by Matt & Jeff Hardy (14,481)
7. Hollywood Hulk Hogan by Hulk Hogan (18,041)
8. Classy Freddie Blassie by Fred Blassie (19,101)
9. Bobby the Brain by Bobby Heenan (28,527)
10. The Rock Says by Rock (31,885)
11. I'm Next by Bill Goldberg (35,315)
12. Positively Page by Diamond Dallas Page (46,028)
13. Foley is Good by Mick Foley (47,144)
14. In the Pit with Piper by Roddy Piper (47,402)
15. Bodyslams by Gary Cappetta (52,102)
*Based on advanced orders for books not yet released. Austin's book
comes out three weeks.
Basically, these numbers mean none of the books are doing all that
well that are out right now. The Lita book fell greatly after one
week, while the Wilson book enters the charts largely off, as best I
can tell, publicity from a very brief mention in last week's Observer
newsletter (as opposed to a huge article this coming week). Foley's
book Tiatem Brown is at No. 16,014.

--In yesterday's update, in the book vs. chain match on the WOW show,
it came from an angle where Daryck St. Holmes used his loaded book of
knowledge as a gimmick. This set up them allowing Samson to use the
chain he drapes himself in for the rematch this week.

--Tuesday night results from Arena Coliseo in Mexico City: Los Rayos
Tapatios I & II b Polvora & Vaquero, Virus won torneo cibernetico over
Dr. X, Ricky Marvin, Felino, Hooligan, Loco Max, Neutron, Nitro,
Olimpico, Ramstein, Sangre Azteca, Safari, Chris Stone, Tigre Blanco,
Tony Rivera and Volador Jr., Black Warrior & Scorpio Jr. & Bestia
Salvaje b Brazo de Oro & Brazo de Plata & Brazo de Platino, Lizmark
Jr. & Mr. Niebla b Blue Panther & Emilio Charles Jr.

--Tonight in Naucalpan is headlined by Porky & Dandy & Gigante Silva
vs. Canek & Nosawa & Scorpio Jr. & Enterrador (thanks to Kris Zellner)

--MLW will be doing a bus trip from the Fort Lauderdale War Memorial
Auditorium to the 10/24 show in Jacksonville at the Morocco Shrine
Auditorium, leaving at 11:30 a.m. that day. For more info you can call
561-843-1604.

--Corrections from last night's TNA Xplosion results. The guys Siaki &
Ekmo beat were Void Effect, Zero & A.M. Vishion. The guy Douglas beat
was Willie "Da Bomb" Richardson, both Chicago indie guys (thanks to
Todd Gerth and others)

--A movie company in Edmonton has made a spoof on wrestling, called
"The Turnbuckle," which is playing until tonight at the Princess
Theater in Edmonton. There is a trailer at www.turnbucklethemovie.com

--UFC is back on Sunshine Network tonight at 10:30 p.m.

--Does anyone know of any indie shows either tonight or Saturday in
the San Diego area? I've been asked by people heading to Tijuana for
tomorrow night's show if there is something else in the area to catch.

--The two hours of Raw on 9/29 (last week's show) placed 9th and 12th
in the cable ratings for the week. TLC's Trading Spaces was first,
which is a total shocker with the sports coverage this past week.
Braves vs. Cubs games placed No. 2 and No. 3, beating out the ESPN
football game, an episode of SpongeBob was No. 7, the Red Sox-A's game
was No. 7 and Yankees vs. Twins was No. 8. Last week's Smackdown
finished No. 98 for the week, which was only the No. 5 show on UPN for
the week. (thanks to Trevor Hunnicutt and Wes Jones)

--Actual ratings for the Red Sox-A's game that went head-to-head with
Raw in the Boston market were 40.7/57 share. The 47 rating listed
earlier in the week was the peak rating of the show. The game did a
22.0 in the Bay Area.

--Legends of Wrestling on 11/1 at the Birch Run Expo Center in
Michigan has Road Warriors, Jimmy Snuka, Greg Valentine, Honky Tonk
Man, Jimmy Hart, King Kong Bundy, Luna Vachon, Warlord, Barbarian,
Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson, Malia Hosaka, Jim Duggan, Vampire
Warrior, Monty Brown and Balls Mahoney booked.

--Cheerleader Melissa of APW is also appearing on the 10/18 German
Stampede Wrestling show in Olsberg, Germany

--Steel Domain Wrestling has a TV taping tomorrow night at Neisen
Brother's Sports Bar in Savage, MN with Daryl St. Holmes & Gage Octane
vs. Rick Renslow & Brian Ash, and if St. Holmes and Octane loser,
their manager, The Authority, has to wear a bunny suit

--NWA East on Saturday night in McKeesport, PA at the Sportatorium
featuring Ricky Murdoch vs. Nikita Allanov for the NWA US National
title

--Pete Weber, the famed bowler known for his crotch chops that he got
from watching the NWO, has said no more. "My conscience got the best
of me," Weber said in a USA Today article. "Why, I don't know. My
conscience never bothered me before." Weber said he decided to stop
after he and his father (who was the most famous bowler of his
generation) got letters from people saying their kids were kicked out
of bowling tournaments for emulating him. (thanks to Mike Sempervive)

--Michael Shane has been added to the 10/18 Midwest Championship
Wrestling show in Grayslake, IL at the College of Lake County

--Malaysiakini, a local newspaper, has an editorial today saying the
authorities in that country are inconsistent with banning and
censorship of entertainment like rock concerts and movies. They noted
movies banned for violence and no shouting or jumping allowed in rock
concerts, deemed unsuitable for "our society," but asked how WWE
wrestling on TV passes through. Remind me not to vacation there.

--www.boxingscene.com has video clips of the Holyfield-Toney fight.
PPV numbers are estimated at 150,000 to 175,000, which was a big
disappointment as they were expecting 250,000. That's what you get
when you have two high-priced boxing PPV events on the same night.


--- Internet Rex 2.29