[Emperor Smeat]

The Sheets:

Originally Posted by Observer Raw on Monday night averaged 1.74 million viewers and did a 0.53 rating in 18-49, down from the special shows the last two weeks and pretty normal for this football season. They had a strong Seattle Seahawks vs. Philadelphia Eagles game head-to-head that did 11.38 million viewers, a 3.40 rating in 18-49, and a 2.51 rating in 18-34. Raw placed fourth for the night in 18-49 behind three NFL related broadcasts on ESPN ... Raw was down four percent from last week, which is good considering last week was the Raw after Survivor Series. It was down seven percent in 18-49 and seven percent in 18-34. As compared to the same week last year, Raw was down 21 percent in viewers, 23 percent in 18-49, and 40 percent in 18-34. The first-to-third hour drops were 13 percent for women 18-49, 11 percent for men 18-49, a one percent increase in girls 12-17, a nine percent decrease in boys 12-17, and an 11 percent decrease in people over 50, so nothing too unusual or noteworthy past teenage girls holding up better than usual and doing an usually large number. The three hours were: 8 p.m. 1.83 million viewers 9 p.m. 1.76 million viewers 10 p.m. 1.63 million viewers

Originally Posted by Observer All these years later, Mike Tyson can still draw on pay-per-view. Boxing Scene's Dan Rafael reported that Saturday's Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. exhibition match brought in 1.2 million buys on linear/satellite TV and through Fite.TV. MMA Fighting reported that number could end up being even higher -- a massive win for Triller, a new social media platform that promoted the show. The year's biggest combat sports event in terms of PPV buys is July's UFC 251, headlined by welterweight champion Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal topping an overall strong main card. The ESPN+ exclusive brought in a reported 1.3 million buys which means the Tyson-Jones Jr. fight is in striking distance of surpassing it. It also would make it the biggest boxing PPV of the year ahead of Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder II that did in the range of 800,000-850,000 buys. The fact the 54-year-old Tyson is still a draw decades after he routinely drew over 1 million buys with the likes of Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Frank Bruno, Bruce Seldon, and even Peter McNeeley in his first fight after getting out of prison is impressive. Following the draw with the 51-year-old Jones Jr. Saturday, he promised he would do more exhibitions and has frequently talked about a third fight with Holyfield. It was his first time in the ring since June 2005. On the pro wrestling front, Tyson appeared to be building toward an AEW match with Chris Jericho as they got into a pull-apart brawl in May. Since then, the angle hasn't been revived but AEW could be waiting until fans can be in attendance at shows again.

Only included it in the sheet news because it quickly reminded me of how that draw decision by the judges was wrestling tier worthy in terms of shenanigans.

Originally Posted by Observer Former WWE star John Cena will return to the literary world this spring. The Hollywood Reporter reported Wednesday that Cena will release two books in April 2021 based on his steady stream of inspirational tweets. One book ("Do Your Best Every Day to Do Your Best Every Day") will be for readers between 8-12 years old while another version ("Be A Work In Progress") is intended for all audiences. Cena is already a published author with the Elbow Grease series for kids, which hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list. The books will be part of a busy year ahead for Cena on the pop culture landscape as he is set to appear in several big movies (F9, The Suicide Squad) and TV series (Wipeout, The Peacemaker) in addition to other projects. All are in various forms of production with release dates to be determined due to the pandemic.

Originally Posted by Observer The Ring of Honor World Championship will be on the line as Rush defends against Brody King at Final Battle. ROH confirmed today that Rush vs. King for the ROH World Championship will take place at this year's Final Battle pay-per-view. The event is being held on Friday, December 18 and will air on PPV and HonorClub. In a matchup of top contenders to the World title, King defeated Shane Taylor in the main event of this week's episode of ROH TV. King then did a post-show interview where he issued a challenge to Rush for Final Battle.

Originally Posted by PWI The WWE Network has added a collection of Pat Patterson matches and moments in honor of his passing. The collection includes Patterson's WWE Hall of Fame acceptance speech, a video of his career highlights, Patterson discussing the creation of The Royal Rumble, Patterson winning the 24/7 title, his legendary Boot Camp match against Sgt. Slaughter at Madison Square Garden, episodes of WWE reality series Legends House, episodes of WWE's Legends of Wrestling series, Patterson vs. Angelo Poffo from Championship Wrestling from Florida, Patterson bouts from WWWF television, Bobby Duncum & Ken Patera vs. Patterson & Andre the Giant, material from his run as one of Mr. McMahon's Stooges and more.

Originally Posted by PWI United Wrestling Network President Dave Marquez announced that the UWN Primetime Live PPVs will be taking a break after tonight's PPV. Marquez, citing the pandemic and not knowing where things may go in California where UWN produces the live weekly broadcast show, noted that they suspend PPVs for the remainder of 2020. He stated they would be taking a break over the holiday with plans to return in 2021. Marquez stated they want to give the viewers the best product possible and he doesn't want to keep changing lineups at the last minute as they have had to do numerous times due to COVID. He thanked everyone who has supported the series over the last 12 weeks as well as all the different promotions who have assisted them as well as Thunder Studios, where the show is produced. He said the time off would give them a chance to work on plans going forward. The planned UWN title match between Mike Bennett and Chris Dickinson will still take place in 2021 with Marquez promising, "We'll be back."

Originally Posted by Post Wrestling Chris Jericho welcomed QT Marshall onto his Talk Is Jericho podcast. QT recounted a period of his career when he was doing extra work for WWE. While working with the NXT brand, QT stated that there was a time when he turned down the chance to work with The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) who were released from WWE in September. Marshall didn’t want to work with them because he remembered Akam powerbombing another wrestler onto the head of AEW’s Anthony Bowens. “After they [WWE] told me the tryout was gone, I went and got my neck fixed, so I had my surgery on my neck. I had two of my discs taken out and fused up and stuff, and then I went back to do more extra work because I was like, ‘There’s nothing else. What am I gonna do?’ And then I spoke to Regal again and he was like, ‘Listen, you’re kind of a liability’ and what happened was I got [in] as an extra at NXT and they wanted me to work with The Authors of Pain and I said no, because I didn’t have anything to lose except my life and my career. Super big [guys] and it was two-on-one. It was like me and another extra versus this one guy and I remember Scotty 2 Hotty came up. He was the agent. He was like, ‘Hey, it’s gonna be you two guys’ and I’m looking around and I asked the guy — he’s a nice guy too but I could see he had already hurt somebody. Actually, he hurt the guy that we just signed, Anthony Bowens. Yeah, because he powerbombed one guy onto Anthony Bowens’ head. [It was] the shorter one [Akam]. So I said to him, I was like, ‘Hey, what moves do you think you’re gonna do to us?’ And he was like, ‘Well what does it matter?’ I was like, ‘Well I was just curious.’ I was trying to politic but I’d also like to know what you’re — he was like, ‘Oh, we’ll I’ll probably powerbomb, then powerbomb the other guy on you and then I’ll DVD you guys.’ So the short of it was like, I literally just looked at him and I was like, ‘Oh, okay.’ I looked at Scotty 2 Hotty, ‘Nope, not doing it’ and he was like, ‘What do you mean?’ ‘So I had this neck surgery’ and it turned into like, ‘Hey, don’t take the booking then’ which I was like, ‘You don’t even have to pay me. I’ll drive back to Atlanta now. I’m okay with it. Don’t ever book me again. It is what it is. We tried and I’ll get in the ring with anyone else. Put me with Bobby Roode, put me with these guys that aren’t gonna hurt me’ but, the kid who took my place got hurt. Yeah, he put him in a side headlock and he just picked him up and threw him into the aisleway. He didn’t mean to do it but he’s just so strong and I remember telling Albert [Matt Bloom], because he said, ‘We specifically choose you for this spot because you can sell’ and I was like, ‘Well I really appreciate it but here’s what’s gonna happen: I’m gonna take these moves and I’m either gonna get up and be okay and I’m gonna make two hundred dollars, or I’m never gonna walk again and I’m gonna make two hundred dollars.’ So to me, it’s just not worth it.”

Originally Posted by Post Wrestling The Great Khali joined a farmer’s protest in India. The protest was to stand against farm laws in the country. The protest has been going on for seven days and talks between the farmers union and the government have been inconclusive.

Link: https://www.mensxp.com/social-hits/n...ri-border.html

Originally Posted by Post Wrestling Fightful learned that NXT’s Robert Stone and his significant other purchased the F45 Training center in Baldwin Park, Florida. The two plan to open the facility in 2021. Social media pages including a website are already set up for the facility.

Originally Posted by PWI With Wrestle Kingdom 15 looming next month, New Japan’s young foreign star Karl Fredericks announced on Twitter he is leaving Los Angeles. Saturday I’m also gonna play a set on twitch because I’m leaving LA and it’s my last weekend in the house so I hope you guys come check it out pic.twitter.com/sjCHPSijNj — Karl Fredericks - ?????????? (@karlfredericks_) December 1, 2020

Originally Posted by 411Mania According to a report by Fightful Select, a top NXT Superstar recently tested positive for COVID-19. Currently, the identity of this talent is unknown, but it’s said that the concern around this talent was not as heavy as the previous talents involved for the recent outbreak where multiple people tested positive. Also, this talent was described as a “top star” for the brand. Per the report, the talent who tested positive is said to not be in large crowds very often, especially when it comes to NXT. Additionally, the status of this talent is not going to impact NXT TakeOver: WarGames scheduled for this weekend. The WWE developmental brand has recently received criticism, including from sources within the brand, for how NXT schedules COVID-19 tests, training sessions, and overall safety of the roster. This issue is reportedly not as big of a concern for talents on the main roster since they are now tested before each appearance.

Originally Posted by Fightful Gerald Brisco fondly remembers being on WCW Nitro's final tapings representing WWE. In an interview with WrestlingInc, Brisco was part of a select group of people who were in Florida on the final episode of Nitro back in March 2001, a group that included Shane McMahon. Brisco spoke about the night and how WWE was in a celebratory state over its definitive win over WCW, but felt bad for the WCW wrestlers who feared that they lost their jobs. "It was an exciting night. It was a celebration. We'd gone to Pensacola, FL or Panama City, FL [for] the last taping of WCW where we're taking over, and I felt so rewarded because it wasn't WCW, but I was there for Georgia Championship Wrestling when we took over that. So I kind of came full circle. Then when WCW went out of business, I was a part of that takeover too. We were there. We're getting ready to do the deal with Shane where Shane bought WCW. We're cutting in. I was running Gorilla, and they needed somebody there to make sure that Shane wasn't going to get shorted on the time somehow mysteriously. Those guys were completely professional on the transition, and I didn't think anything would happen, but I was pleased to be there. So of course, when the show was over, it had been a highly, extremely uncomfortable day, and a day where the stress level was just sky-high. There are guys crying they've lost their job. They're begging, and they're yelling. You don't like to see stuff like that, especially when we're not too long ago, you were those guys in the exact same positions. You had the emotion for them, but also on that same deal, the tremendous accomplishment that we just pulled off," Brisco said. When it came to the celebration after Nitro and Raw, Brisco said he, Bruce Prichard and Shane drank all of Vince McMahon's wine that was supposed to be consumed once they picked up Vince. The trio was flying to Cleveland where that night's Raw took place to pick up Vince and they all decided to drink Vince's wine, which put a sour note on the night. "We got on the plane, and we rushed because we were in the panhandle of Florida. We had to go, I believe it was, to Cleveland to pick up Vince and the rest of the crew that was doing RAW and then take the plane and go over to Chicago. Well, we knew Vince kept his wine, that is special. It's Vince's wine that he loved, so we got on a plane. We didn't have time to stop and get our own refreshments because we knew the plane had them, but we didn't know we were going to be drinking this wine. So Shane, Bruce and myself, we can consume some adult beverages. So anyway, we got on a plane. We consumed our lot. Then all of a sudden, we're thirsty, and we're still about an hour from Cleveland. And Shane said, 'That old man's got his wine here,' and so we asked a flight attendant, 'No, that's Mr. McMahon's wine.' Shane said, 'Well, I'm Mr. McMahon, and I'll take responsibility.' Pop, pop, pop. So we're all drinking and toasting each other, having a hell of a time. We ask for another drink. She said, 'Sorry, the wine's gone,' and all of a sudden, Shane said, 'All the old man's wine gone too?' And she said, 'Yes sir, Shane. All of Mr. McMahon's wine's gone too. Now we know we're in trouble because he's gonna get on the plane, and he's gonna be happy and celebrating. And there ain't nothing to celebrate with. That was the longest 30-minute flight from Cleveland to Chicago and the quietest, and of course Bruce, I don't know if you have been around Bruce and Shane when they've had a few, but they're kind of noisy, and I get a little boisterous too. So we're wrestling in the plane. I think they're going to kick us off in midair after a while," Brisco said.

Originally Posted by Fightful Josh Barnett's Bloodsport has become a staple of major GCW event weekends. The event is a hybrid of MMA and wrestling with matches taking place in a no roped ring and with no pinfalls, only knockouts, submissions, or decisions. The first Bloodsport was under Matt Riddle's name in April 2018. After Riddle joined WWE, Barnett took over the enterprise and has held three events since April 2019. Speaking with Renee Paquette on Oral Sessions, Barnett discussed Bloodsport and how other companies have tried biting the look and style. "There's so much 'fluffy' wrestling, so, to have something that's not that, that is stripped down and raw, it stands out. It becomes something that is unique. Also, what makes it even more unique, is when people try to steal the gimmick, bite it, rip it off. The one major one isn't really the first, either, not at all. I understand why they want to do it but it only helps us at the end of the day. I've seen other organizations try and rip the idea off. It's fine. What it does show is, people, think, 'I'll just do MMA moves in a match. I'll just take the ropes down.' No, that's not it. You can try and look like the packaging all you want, but you will not be the product. We are even on an evolution with what we are doing because it's been so long since wrestlers were trained to wrestle this way or put together shows like this. It's of a past that has been neglected or doesn't exist. It's from the ground up, which a lot of people don't realize," he said. Many compared Raw Underground to Bloodsport when it first debuted, noting the similar look and style. Renee's husband Jon Moxley was set to face Barnett at Bloodsport on multiple occasions but Moxley suffered a staph infection in August 2019, canceling their Bloodsport bout in September and COVID canceled their rematch set for April 2020. When asked about the bout against Moxley, Barnett said, "There is a plan for early next year to make the reality come true."

Originally Posted by Fightful Select Liv Morgan's recent WWE Network documentary was praised and criticized within WWE over the past week. Morgan is well received as always, but the stop-start creative, changing of plans and broken promises were something that multiple WWE main roster stars from the top to the bottom of the card highlighted to Fightful when speaking about the feature this week. One wrestler said that they fear missing any time because they're concerned they might not get on the show, and if you allow yourself to be booked poorly one week, that's the direction your booking is usually going to go in the weeks that follow it. Another longtime wrestler said that they're shocked that WWE was willing to put something like that on display that paints them in such a negative light considering how carefully they craft things in other regards.

Originally Posted by Fightful WWE won a Cynopsis Media Model D Award for "Best Covid-19 Awareness Campaign."

Wonder how much that cost WWE considering the only awareness award they should have won is how not to handle a coronavirus pandemic considering the stuff that's gone down at their Performance Center these past several months.

Originally Posted by Fightful GCW has announced that its December 5 show, which will also serve as a fundraiser for the wrestlers on the show, will be streamed for free.

Link: https://twitter.com/GCWrestling_/sta...89619935944709

Originally Posted by Fightful KENTA out here with the tease about Wednesdays, given that he is holding the IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Right To Challenge briefcase for Jon Moxley's title that he holds for NJPW. Moxley will also defend the AEW World Title tonight against Kenny Omega on AEW Dynamite.

What’s gonna happen on Wednesday.

— KENTA aka Lil’K (@KENTAG2S) December 2, 2020

TPWW Frontpage:

• Dezmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz, Alex Zayne and More Sign With WWE
• Three Matches Announced for Tribute to the Troops This Sunday
• Pat Patterson Passes Away at Age 79