Daily Update: Elias Theodorou, WWE Raw, WWE NXT

Latest News:

• A&E shooting Jerry Lawler documentary for Biography: WWE Legends series
• WWE to tape next week's episode of NXT on September 14
• WWE Raw live results: Edge vs. Dominik Mysterio
• Sasha Banks says modeling debut 'felt like my first wrestling match'
• WWE SmackDown draws second-best viewership of 2022

Latest Audio:

• F4D: Great Smackdown, great NJPW Strong, great Stardom PPV
• Wrestling Observer Live: BLACK AND WHITE Smackdown angle, Raw and NXT line-ups, more
• Bryan & Vinny & Craig Show: AEW Rampage review plus live Q&A on AEW turmoil, MJF, theme songs and more

Latest Free YouTube Video:

Job Listing: Onlamp php/mysql developer. Experience with vbulletin and drupal/WordPress a plus. Email tonyleder@f4wonline.com with subject PHP DEVELOPER with resume.

This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

• September 12, 2022 Observer Newsletter: CM Punk, Kenny Omega, Young Bucks backstage altercation at AEW All Out

Details of Punk's latest injury
Details of Punk's broken foot, how it happened, and his recovery
Why more details about the suspension weren't announced on television
The suspensions and how the company is handling the backstage fight
Stories coming out about the fight that are clearly not true, motives to explain why things happened
More details about the press conference
More things that happened that haven't been reported
Where AEW goes from here
Full coverage of Clash at the Castle
Full coverage of AEW All Out
PPV and live numbers for both shows and what lessons can be taken
Notes from our two-hour interview with Tony Khan on AEW business
Keiji Muto retirement news
WWE Worlds Collide coverage
UFC makes debut in France with a great main event
Complete rundown of TV ratings of all the national shows plus how each segment did
CMLL Noche de Campeones card with fan voting on matches
Lucha Libre Dy cad at Arena Mexico
Five Star Grand Prix update
N-1 tournament finals and next major NOAH show
Movie on Ric Flair
Notes on Scottish Hall of Famer Ian Campbell
Thunder Rosa update
Update on AEW video game
Advance tickets for WWE & AEw shows
International TV ratings
WWE & AEW streaming numbers
Backstage fight in UFC
New executive hires in WWE as well as new contract details for the WWE big four execs

This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter:

• August 1, 2005 Obsever Newsletter: Muhammad Hassan character written off, Lord Alfred Hayes passes away

Ordering Info:

Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

Monday News Update

Bryan and I will be back tonight talking all the wrestling and MMA news as well as talking Raw and the shows over the rest of the week with Wrestling Observer Radio. You can send questions to tonight's show to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Very sad to report the death of Elias Theodorou, the former winner of Ultimate Fighter Nations who spent years in the UFC as a middleweight fighter. Theodorou was best known for pushing usage of marijuana as medicine that would allow him to fight with injuries suffered in an accident. He got therapeutic use exemptions in both British Columbia and Colorado, where he had his last two fights, the latter making him the first professional athlete to get a TUE for marijuana use in the U.S. Theodorou, who had a 19-3 record, passed away yesterday from stage four liver cancer at 34. Apparently only his closest friends were aware of his situation. We'll have a major story on him later this week. But he was very well regarded by those in the media and had unique career paths that included model, actor, reality show star and fighter.

A&E was filming a Jerry Lawler biography this past week so you can add him to the list of those being covered. This is also the 10th anniversary this week of the night in Montreal where Lawler's heart stopped beating for 20 minute and Doc Sampson (now in AEW) revived him and saved his life. Lawler had wrestled a match earlier in the show. It's also why WWE has been leery about allowing wrestlers past a certain age to wrestle since that time.

AEW has removed CM Punk, The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega for all advertising for future events including the next PPV show on 11/19. (thanks to Andy Hertzka and many others).

Raw tonight is the first show against Monday Night Football. With WWE being on a comeback, it will be interesting to see how much football hurts the number. Last year at this time there was thought Dynamite would beat Raw a few times during football season, and actually did twice, because of the easier competition on Wednesday. The gap is much larger this year and it's very doubtful it will happen this year. Tonight's show goes against the Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos Monday night opener. Announced for tonight's show is Bianca Belair in an open challenge, Aliyah & Raquel Rodriguez defending the women's tag titles against Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky, Johnny Gargano's in-ring return and Edge vs. Dominik Mysterio. Mike Johnson has reported Bobby Lashley vs. Seth Rollins for the U.S. title, which would likely have some interference by Matt Riddle, and Gargano's opponent as Chad Gable, which does make a lot of sense for a debut.

NXT will be live with its one year anniversary of the 2.0 brand tomorrow. They will be taping the shows for 9/20 and 9/27 this coming Wednesday in Orlando and will return to being live in October.

The NXT annivesary show includes Pretty Deadly vs. Creeds for the tag titles with fans voting on the stipulation (see yesterday's update for the bouts that can be voted on), Carmelo Hayes defends the North American title against the fans choice of Joe Gacy, Wes Lee or Von Wagner, Cameron Grimes & fans choice vs. Tony D'Angelo & Channing Lorenzo, Hank Walker (the security guy) vs. Javier Bernal, Kiana James & Arianna Grace vs. Zoey Stark & Nikkita Lyons, Lash Legend vs. Fallon Henley and the debut of Quincy Elliott.

We're looking for reports from Portland tonight for Raw with Main Event matches, dark matches or anything else not on the live show. We're also looking for reports on last night's WWE show in Wenatchee, WA with results, finishes and any other highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Our only poll for this weekend is for UFC 279, so we're looking for your thoughts, thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst fight to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

In promoting the Anderson Silva fight on 10/29 in Phoenix, Jake Paul has said that Silva is too nice a guy and won't be doing any trash talk directed at him. Instead, Paul is trying to get attention from betting White a figure from $1 million to $5 million on the outcome. 

The Nevada Athletic Commission is investigating the backstage fracas that took place involving Khamzat Chimaev, Kevin Holland and Nate Diaz and their teams which led to the press conference being canceled. Chairman Stephen Cloobeck released a prepared statement saying, "If the Nevada Athletic Commission determines that licensees acted improperly, we will initiate appropriated disciplinary action against all involved. Although trash talking between competitive athletes is common, any escalation into physical altercations may discredit the sport of unarmed combat and is wholly unacceptable. Further, such behavior may expose participants to both civil and criminal liability. The Nevada Athletic Commission will act strongly and decisively to safeguard and elevate unarmed combat in Nevada."

Diaz and his team allegedly threw water bottles at Chimaev, while Chimaev was shown on video kicking Holland.

Bryan Danielson did a speaking show yesterday in Vancouver, BC at the Rio Theater in front of 300 fans.

WWE

Bobby Lashley and Austin Theory are scheduled for Friday's Smackdown tapings in Anaheim, CA. likely in a dark match according to PWInsider.

A&E will be replaying the Lex Luger, Steve Austin and Bret Hart biographies this coming Sunday.

New Day vs. Los Lotharios vs. Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy is scheduled for Smackdown on Friday night with the winning team facing the Usos for the tag titles at Extreme Rules.

Ronda Rousey is scheduled for the WWE house show in Bakersfield this coming Saturday night.

Other Notes

Slam Wrestling has a story where Jonathan Plombon (who wrote the Herb Abrams book) does a deep dive into Gordon Scozzari, the fan who had some money and tried to start a promotion against the best advice about 30 years ago.

Cage Fury Fighting Championships, the promotion that CM Punk announces for, announced a 10/8 show in Bensalem, PA at the Park Casino. Greg Velasco (4-0) vs. Kevin Sears (9-6) is the heavyweight main event. Punk and John Morgan are listed as the announcers for the show, which airs live on UFC Fight Pass. Any suspension or disciplinary action from AEW wouldn't carry over into this, although his recovery from surgery could impact this.

The Last Match: A Pro Wrestling Rock Musical, announced an concert and concept album launch on 9/2 in Jersey City, NJ at White Eagle Hall. Matt Cardona is performing in the musical. Cardona will also be doing a meet and greet before the show. Independent Superstars of Pro Wrestling (ISPW) run by Tommy Fierro is involved with this.

The former Eva Marie has hospitalized last week after a bad reaction to an ant bite and going into anaphylatic shock. She ended up in the ER but she is okay now.