WWE RAW Preview 1/6/20

The first WWE RAW of 2020 will take place tonight from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

WWE has not announced an official preview for tonight’s RAW as of this writing.

* Fallout from last week’s wedding of Lana and Bobby Lashley, which was crashed by Liv Morgan and Rusev.

* Tonight’s show will also feature the return of WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman for the Royal Rumble build

* United States Champion: (C) Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio

* RAW Tag Team Championship: (C) The Viking Raiders vs. The Street Profits vs. The OC (Anderson & Gallows)

AEW Reveals List Of Memphis Legends Being Honored On Dynamite

Ahead of this week’s episode (1/8/20) of Dynamite in Southaven, MS (the Greater Memphis area), AEW has revealed a list of some of the legends they plan to pay tribute to.

NJPW New Year Dash Results 2020

Jushin Liger’s Retirement Ceremony to kick off the show featuring a number of NJPW stars including Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryu Lee, Tiger Mask IV, Taguchi, Nagata, Juice Robinson, and Kota Ibushi. Tanahashi gives flowers (meaning for new beginnings/new endings) to Liger and the group posed with Liger for photos. The wrestlers bow and shake hands with Liger before exiting the ring. Members of CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Rocky Romero, Will Ospreay, Robbie Eagles, YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano, SHO, and YOH) then head out. Okada says some words to Liger, hands over flowers, Liger bows to the members and more photos. Okada then takes a selfie with the whole group. Liger is given more flowers by NJPW officials, including NJPW President Harold Meij.

Liger’s family comes out. Antonio Inoki has a special message for Liger, wishing him good health in his new life and raises a glass to Liger on his special night. Liger gets the mic, talks about his final match, thanks the fans, and says NJPW will continue to thrive and get bigger thanks to everyone there. Liger notes his mother was at Tokyo Dome and at tonight’s show. He thanks his mother for raising him. He says to his wife and son that he’s made them so lonely from all the travel, but now he’s coming home and they will have to put up with him. He thanks the fans again. A salute is given to Liger. He thanks the fans again. A 10-bell salute is given to Liger. The roster then joins him in the rings and lifts him in the air a couple times. His theme is played again. Liger then heads to the back on his own, giving high-fives to the fans along the way.

https://twitter.com/WrestlingInc/status/1214120654884233216

Toa Henare, Yota Tsuji, and Yuya Uemura vs. Karl Fredericks, Clark Connors, and Alex Coughlin

Winners: Karl Fredericks, Clark Connors, and Alex Coughlin via Submission

 

SHO and YOH vs. Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI vs. El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Taiji Ishimori and El Pantasmo

Winners: El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru via Pinfall

 

Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Kota Ibushi vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Bad Luck Fale, and Chase Owens

Winners: Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Kota Ibushi via Pinfall

 

Hirooki Goto and Tomohiro Ishii vs. EVIL and Shingo Takagi

Winners: Shingo Takagi and EVIL via Pinfall

 

Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI, Will Ospreay, and Robbie Eagles vs. Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Lance Archer, and Taichi

Winners: Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI, Will Ospreay, and Robbie Eagles via DQ

– Post-match, Taichi kicks down the referee. He chokes Okada with the mic stand, then puts the iron glove back on. Sabre and Ospreay fighting on the outside. Taichi puts a foot on Okada’s neck and taunts some more. Taichi looks to finish off Okada, but Jon Moxley heads out through the crowd and brawls with Suzuki! Moxley hits death rider to put down Suzuki and heads off. Suzuki laughs in the ring and all the way to the back.

https://twitter.com/WrestlingInc/status/1214154260881059840

 

Tetsuya Naito and SANADA vs. KENTA and Jay White

Winners: SANADA and Tetsuya Naito via Pinfall

– Post-match, White with a lowblow on SANADA. KENTA is still beating up Naito, then swings away on the young lions. White swings away on SANADA in the ring. KENTA puts Naito in the ring and keeps swinging away. Gedo grabs two chairs and hands them over to his guys. Stereo chair swings, over and over. Time keeper is ringing that bell. Crowd still chanting for KENTA to go home. White gets on the microphone, crowd already booing. White says a new opportunity has presented itself to him. He says SANADA believes far too much in himself and he’ll bring SANADA back to reality. White continues that SANADA is not better than him.

KENTA is handed the microphone, crowd boos. KENTA says White called the crowd a bunch of idiots. KENTA mocking Naito about the band being back together. KENTA eggs the crowd to chant more about him going home, but he’s not going home. He calls the LIJ fans “gross.” KENTA says his point is that he’s going to take the two titles from Naito and challenges the champion. SANADA’s music plays (because he won the match for his team), KENTA tells them to cut the music and play his instead, crowd boos. White, KENTA, and Gedo “too sweet” each other. KENTA jaws with the fans and dances some more on his way to the back. Naito is helped to the back by some young lions as the show closes.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Results

Night 1

(Pre-Show) Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji, Tomoaki Honma, and Togi Makabe vs. Alex Coughlin, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks, and Toa Henare –

Winners: Alex Coughlin, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks and Toa Henare

 

(Pre-Show) Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata –

Winners: Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan

 

Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, Tatsumi Fujinami and The Great Sasuke (with El Samurai) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Shinjiro Ootani and Naoki Sano (with Kuniaki Kobayashi) –

Winners: Ryusuke Taguchi, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Shinjiro Ootani and Naoki Sano

 

BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, EVIL, and SANADA vs. El Desperado, Taichi, Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr. –

Winners: Zack Sabre Jr.,El Desperado, Taichi and Minoru Suzuki

 

YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, and Hirooki Goto vs. Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi, Bad Luck Fale, and KENTA –

Winners: Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii

 

IWGP Tag Team Championship: The Guerrillas of Destiny (c) vs. David Finlay and Juice Robinson

Winners and New IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson)

 

IWGP United States Championship – Texas Death Match: Lance Archer (c) vs. Jon Moxley

Winner and New IWGP US Champion: Jon Moxley

 

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi

Winner and New IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion:Hiromu Takahashi

 

IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito

Winner and New IWGP Intercontinental Champion: Tetsuya Naito

 

IWGP Heavyweight Champion: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Kota Ibushi

Winner and Still IWGP Heavyweight Champion: Kazuchika Okada

 

Night 2

(Pre-Show) NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship Gauntlet Match: Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano, and Togi Makabe (c) vs. Robbie Eagles, YOSHI-HASHI, & Tomohiro Ishii, and BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, & EVIL, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado, & Taichi, and Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi, & Bad Luck Fale

Winners: EVIL, BUSHI and Shingo Takagi via pinfall to win the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship

 

Liger’s Retirement Match: Jushin Thunder Liger and Naoki Sano vs. Ryu Lee and Hiromu Takahashi

Winners: Hiromu Takahashi and Ryu Lee via Pinfall

– Post-match, Liger lays on the mat as Lee and Takahashi look on. Takahashi tells Liger “You made the Jr. Heavyweight division in New Japan, and I promise to carry on your legacy.” Lee helps Liger up and then bows to Liger. Liger then gets on the mic to talk a bit about his career, says Jushin Liger is no more, then thanks the fans dearly for their support.

 

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo (c) vs. Roppongi 3K (Sho and YOH)

Winners: SHO and YOH via pinfall to win the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championship

 

RevPro British Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr (c) vs. SANADA

Winner: Zack Sabre Jr. via Pinfall

 

IWGP United States Championship: Winner of the Archer / Moxley Match (c) vs. Juice Robinson

Winner: Jon Moxley via Pinfall

– Post-match, Minoru Suzuki heads out to the ring with a smile on his face. He’s got his ring gear on and goes to the ring. The two start swinging, Suzuki tries to choke Moxley out. Bell is ringing over and over. Gotch style piledriver on Moxley. This is not a match though. Suzuki gets the mic, “Who do you think you’re picking a fight with? I am the king of professional wrestling, Minoru Suzuki.”

 

NEVER Openweight Championship: KENTA (c) vs. Hirooki Goto

Winner: Hirooki Goto via pinfall to win the NEVER Openweight Championship.

 

Jay White vs. Kota Ibushi

Winner: Jay White via Pinfall

 

Chris Jericho vs. Hiroshi Tanahash (If Tanahashi wins, he get a rematch for the AEW World Championship)

Winner: Chris Jericho via Submission

 

Title vs. Title: IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito

Winner: Tetsuya Naito wins the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championship

– Post-match, Naito gets on the mic and says “Winning the main event at the Tokyo Dome, turns out it feels pretty good. Perhaps one more time in the future, let’s do this again,” Naito says to Okada. As Naito celebrates with the fans, KENTA rushes the ring and takes him out. KENTA then takes the titles and sits on Naito with them. BUSHI chases KENTA away and he leaves through the crowd.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 – Cards Night One (1/4/20) And Night Two (1/5/20) – New Year Dash (1/6/20) – Liger’s Retirement

Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan – Available on NJPW World, FITE (you can watch both Nights of Wrestle Kingdom 14 and New Year Dash for $49.99).

Night 1 – January 4, 2020 at 3:00 AM ET (Pre-Show at 2:00 AM ET)

IWGP Heavyweight Champion: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Kota Ibushi

IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi

IWGP United States Championship: Lance Archer (c) vs. Jon Moxley

IWGP Tag Team Championship: The Guerrillas of Destiny (c) vs. David Finlay and Juice Robinson

YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, and Hirooki Goto vs. Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi, Bad Luck Fale, and KENTA

BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, EVIL, and SANADA vs. El Desperado, Taichi, Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.

Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, Tatsumi Fujinami and The Great Sasuke (with El Samurai) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Shinjiro Ootani and Naoki Sano (with Kuniaki Kobayashi)

(Pre-Show) Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji, Tomoaki Honma, and Togi Makabe vs. Alex Coughlin, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks, and Toa Henare

(Pre-Show) Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata

 

Night 2 – January 5, 2020 at 1:00 AM ET (Pre-Show at 12:00 AM ET)

Title vs. Title: IWGP Heavyweight Champion vs. IWGP Intercontinental Champion

Loser of Okada / Ibushi vs. Loser of White / Naito

Chris Jericho vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
If Tanahashi wins, he get a rematch for the AEW World Championship

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo (c) vs. Roppongi 3K (Sho and YOH)

NEVER Openweight Championship: KENTA (c) vs. Hirooki Goto

IWGP United States Championship: Winner of the Archer / Moxley Match (c) vs. Juice Robinson

RevPro British Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr (c) vs. SANADA

Liger’s Retirement Match: Jushin Thunder Liger and Naoki Sano vs. Ryu Lee and Hiromu Takahashi

(Pre-Show) NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship Gauntlet Match: Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano, and Togi Makabe (c) vs. Robbie Eagles, YOSHI-HASHI, & Tomohiro Ishii, and BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, & EVIL, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado, & Taichi, and Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi, & Bad Luck Fale

 

New Year Dash –  January 6, 2020 at 4:30 AM ET – Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan

Card to be announced at the show

Jushin Thunder Liger’s Retirement Ceremony

WWE SmackDown Preview 1/3/20

The first WWE Friday Night SmackDown of 2020 will take place tonight from the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.

WWE has not released a preview for tonight’s episode.

Sasha Banks vs. Lacey Evans was recently mentioned during a NFL on FOX presentation.

Tonight’s show will also feature more build to the 2020 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, which will feature Daniel Bryan vs. WWE Universal Champion “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt.

Major News Story On MLW To Break Soon?

It’s believed that a major news story on Major League Wrestling will be breaking soon.

There’s no word yet on specifics of the story, but PWInsider reports that there has been a lot of talk on a huge story involving MLW and a new partnership that will be revealed imminently.

MLW Founder, Owner & CEO Court Bauer has been in Los Angeles several times over the past few weeks to meet with potential TV and licensing partners, which appears to be related to the story dropping soon. Word is that the story has a lot of potential to transform MLW’s future in a positive way.

Wrestling Inc Managing Editor Nick Hausman reached out to Bauer, who confirmed that the forthcoming news will be, “transformative to MLW’s immediate and long-term future.”

Bauer, a former WWE creative team writer, originally launched MLW back in 2002, but they shut down in 2004 and later resumed events in the summer of 2017. They are currently based out of New Rochelle, New York. MLW has a weekly TV deal with beIN Sports, and a deal with FITE TV for streaming content. MLW’s current line-up of champions are: MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu, MLW National Openweight Champion Alexander Hammerstone, MLW World Tag Team Champions The Von Erichs, and MLW World Middleweight Champion Myron Reed. A women’s division was launched in November of last year.

Stay tuned for updates on the MLW story that is expected to break soon.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

New Impact World Title Belt Revealed (Photos)

Impact Wrestling has a new World Title belt to kick off 2020.

Impact World Champion Sami Callihan took to Twitter this week and revealed an up-close look at the design with black, red and gold on the front.

“#HappyNewYears,” Sami wrote. “@IMPACTWRESTLING loves me so much… they got me a NEW f–king belt. Black & Red like my heart. #TheDRAW”

It looks like the red has replaced the previous blue shading to represent the new Impact TV home, AXS.

Sami began his first Impact World Title reign during the AXS TV debut episode on October 29, 2019, which was taped on October 25. He defeated Brian Cage, who had won the title from Johnny Impact back at Rebellion on April 28. Sami’s title win was named the “Best Moment” in the 2019 Impact Year-End Awards.

You can see Sami’s full tweet with photos below:

https://twitter.com/TheSamiCallihan/status/1212221114547671041

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Tribute To Legends Of Memphis Wrestling Announced For Next Week’s AEW Dynamite Anniversary Edition

The Anniversary Edition of AEW Dynamite next week (1/8/20) will take place in Southaven, MS (the Greater Memphis area).

During tonight’s Dynamite, it was announced that Memphis wrestling legends will be honored on next Wednesday’s episode of the show. It was noted that some legends will be appearing in person, though further details weren’t revealed.

AEW is billing next week’s Dynamite as the anniversary edition of the show, with it taking place on the one-year anniversary of the company’s Double or Nothing rally.

Cody & Dustin Rhodes vs. The Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Fenix), Riho vs. Kris Statlander for the AEW Women’s Championship, Kenny Omega & Hangman Page vs. Private Party (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy), and Sammy Guevara vs. Christopher Daniels are set for next week’s Dynamite. Jon Moxley will also reveal whether or not he’s accepting Chris Jericho’s offer to join the Inner Circle.

AEW Dynamite: Homecoming Edition Preview 1/1/20

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite: Homecoming Edition will air live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida.

* Cody vs. Darby Allin

* Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks vs. Pac and The Lucha Brothers

* Will Jon Moxley accept Chris Jericho’s offer to join his Inner Circle?

* MJF appearing

* Taz to make a guest appearance